Safe Alternatives for Baby and Child

I have known that drinking out of plastic bottles isn’t the healthiest choice. But, more recently now, after having my baby, I have looked into the issue a little deeper, and I have become concerned by what I am learning.

“Of 115 published animal studies, 81% found significant effects from even low-levels of exposure to BPA. While none of the 11 industry-funded studies found significant effects, over 90% of government-funded studies did so.

Adverse effects include:

• Early onset of puberty, and stimulation of mammary gland development in females.
• Changes in hormones, including decreased testosterone
• Increased prostate size
• Decreased sperm production
• Altered immune function
• Behavioral effects including hyperactivity and increased aggression.” 1

Defining BPA

What is BPA you may ask?
Bisphenolafree.org defines Bisphenol-A as “a hormone-disrupting chemical considered to be potentially harmful to human health and the environment. It has been known that scratched and worn polycarbonate feeding bottles will leach this chemical into liquids.”

So here is the kicker! This toxic stuff is hiding in our baby’s bottles and sippy cups! Even after San Francisco tried to ban the sale of BPA in baby bottles back in 2006!

Avoiding BPA

So what can you do?
Make sure if you must use plastic, that you DO NOT USE the #3, #6, or #7. These all are NOT good for you! The best choice for bottles would be glass (although the plastic pushers will try to tell you it is not safe, I beg to differ which of the 2 are safest). And for sippy cups go for the stainless steel or Sigg canteens. If you must do a plastic bottle, Born Free and Medela are in the safest category. I am having a hard time myself right now with the plastics in general because in the long run they are more of a pollutant on our environment than the glass and canteen options. And our babies will be the ones eventually having to live with that!

BPA Free Sippy Cups and BPA Free Bottles

I can tell you from experience that my baby girl loves her Sigg water bottle, and I love knowing she is safe from the potentially toxic effects of BPA!

Some sources that are BPA free:

• Sigg Baby Water Bottle
• New Kleen Kanteen 12 oz. Stainless Steel Sippy Bottle
• Born Free bottles and glass
• Evenflo’s 4 oz. glass nurser
• Mother’s Milkmate Storage Bottles
• Medela Breastmilk Storage/Feeding Set

If your plastic bottle or sippy is not listed here, please call the company and ask about the specific product you are concerned with. Do let them know about your concerns, and that you are opting to choose products for your baby without BPA.

Also, “baby bottle nipples are usually made of silicone latex rubber. Silicone nipples are lighter in color and are safer, as latex rubber nipples may leach carcinogenic nitrosamines.”2

Cheers!

Favored links to research more:
Bisphenolafree.org
Mindfully.org
Environmentcalifornia.org

1Vom Saal F, Hughes C. 2005. An extensive new literature concerning low-dose effects of bisphenol A shows the need for a new risk assessment. Environmental Health Perspectives. 113(8). 926-933.
2Havery DC, Fazio T. 1983. Survey of baby bottles rubber nipples for volatile N-nitrosamines. J Assoc Off Anal Chem. 66(6):1500-3.

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