How Safe Are Your Baby’s Bottles And Should You Panic If They’re Not BPA-Free?

March 22, 2009 by tanya
Filed under: Baby Health, News, Product News

Just how ‘safe’ is your baby’s bottle? And should you panic if it’s not BPA-Free?

Last week, in a controversial move, six of the major baby bottle manufacturers agreed to stop selling bottles made with Bispenol-A (BPA) within the United States.

Canada has been a BPA-bottle free zone since 2008, after listing BPA as a toxic substance.

However, the Food and Drink Administration in the UK claim that the use of BPA in baby bottles is safe. Therefore, these six manufacturers will continue to sell bottles containing BPA in the UK.

So, should we throw away our bottles and panic?

First of all, let’s look at the facts…

Currently, over 720,000 babies are born in the UK every year. Latest research shows that by 6 weeks, over 75% of babies will be completely bottle fed, with many more having at least one feed a day from a bottle.

Bispenol A (BPA), is a hormone-mimicking chemical found in polycarbonate plastics, used to make shatterproof baby bottles. Plastic baby bottles, along with liquid infant formula, have been found to give babies the most exposure of BPA.

There is a higher exposure to BPA when babies are fed from heated up bottles, due to leaching. Bottle brushing, dishwashing or sterilisation have also been seen in studies to increase the amount of BPA leaching.

Over the last 10 or 15 years that there have been concerns of the safety of BPA in children and pregnant mothers.

Chloe Webster, WWF’s Toxics Policy Officer says, “Children, and in particular, unborn and new born babies, are at the highest risk from chemicals of this type. During critical development stages, imbalances of hormones can have pronounced effects, some of which may not reveal themselves until much later in life.”

Even at doses lower than currently permitted, BPA has been linked with:

Increase in prostate and breast cancer in later life
Male uro-genital defects
Type 2 diabetes
Obesity
Increase in behavioural problems I.e. Attention Deficit disorders and
Hyperactivity disorders
Decrease in semen quality, effecting future fertility
Triggers early puberty in girls

Paediatrician Harvey Karp, M.D., board member of the non-profit group Healthy Child Healthy World, that raises awareness about environmental toxins says, “There’s no need to be frightened, but you should try to reduce your baby’s exposure to this chemical.”

Tips To Avoid BPA Leaching:

Use BPA Free bottles: Seek bottles made of glass or safer plastics such as polyethylene polypropylene or polyamide. Often bottles will carry a BPA Free logo on packaging.
Get rid of old bottles: Throw away bottles which are cloudy or scratched as there is more chance of chemicals leaching.
Avoid heating up bottles: Do not fill bottles with boiling water, do not microwave, keep out of direct sunlight, do not leave in hot cars.

Currently, the best place to find BPA free bottles is online, and there should be more available in stores due to the current demand.

Below is a list of BPA-Free bottles:

Adiri Natural Nursers: All
Avent: Avent PES Bottles, “Via” Feeding System, Tempo Liners
Babisil Silbottles: All
BornFree: All
Dr Brown’s: Glass and Polypropylene bottles
EvenFlo: Classic glass, Light Tint Polypropylene and Polypropylene bottles. Purely Comfi bottles
Gerber: Clear View, Fashion Tints, GentleFlow
Green to Grow: All
Lansinoh Bottles: All
Medela: All
Momo Glass Bottles: All
Munchkin: Dora the Explorer Classic bottles, Mighty Grip Glass bottles
Nature Pure Glass Bottles: All
Nuby: Standard and Wide Neck Non-Drip bottles, Standard and Wide Neck Bottle (handles & Non-Drip Nipple), 3-Stage Wide Neck Easy Grip Feeding System (& Non-Drip Nipple), Natural Youch SoftFlex InfaFeeder (silicone)
NUK: First Choice Glass bottles
Parent’s Choice: Marked BPA Free
Playtex: Original Nurser, Drop in liners, BPA Free Ventaire Advanced bottles
Sassy: UltiVent MAM bottles, Baby Food Nurser Kit
Siliskin Glass Bottles: All
ThinkBaby: All
Tommee Tippee: Easyflow bottle to cup
Weego Glass Bottles: All