Is My Baby’s
Bottle Safe?
October 2007 Newsletter
There has been a lot of
news lately on lead paint and toys.
There’s also been some talk on the safety of polycarbonate
plastic baby bottles, as well. Here
is a summary of the article “Throw Out Plastic with Old Toys” by
Julie Deardorff (Chicago Tribune) that was in the Erie Times News
(September 10, 2007).
Problem: Products
made of polycarbonate contain a chemical called bisphenol-A(BPA).
With regular use, BPA’s chemical bond with polycarbonate breaks
down and leaches from baby bottles, or any other food related product,
where it is ingested. What
concerns scientists is that BPA might mimic the natural female sex
hormone estradiol. Animal
research has linked even low-level exposure to BPA to everything from
female reproductive disorders, early puberty, early-stage breast cancer,
and decreased sperm count to attention and developmental problems.
There is intense debate of how this animal study translates to
humans.
What to do: A federal
panel of scientists have concluded that there is “some concern” that
BPA could pose some risk to the brain development of babies-in-utero,
infants, or children. Until researcher
determines if humans are at risk from ingesting BPA,
the recommendations are:
 |
Throw away cracked bottles. |
|
Switch to a BPA-free bottle. Medela,
Born Free, and the Adiri Natural Nurser are all made of
polypropylene, which does not
contain BPA. There are
BPA-free bottles on the market, and glass is always a suitable
option. Be aware that
Avent bottles are made of polycarbonate, and have been found to have
high leaching rates. If
you are using an older Avent bottle and nipple, be safe and toss it. |
|
Don’t heat polycarbonate bottles in the microwave, sterilizer, or
dishwasher. To warm the
formula or breast milk, heat it in a steel pan on the stove, and
then cool it to room temperature.
Then you can pour it into your bottle to feed to baby. |
What’s This Bottle Made Of?
I did some research into the recycling symbol for polypropylene
(good) and polycarbonate (questionable).
Polypropylene will have the number 5 recycling triangle, while
polycarbonate falls into the “other” category with the number 7.
If you aren’t sure, call the manufacturer.
While you’re at it, also check your sippy cups.
In closing, BPA may or may not end up being a major health concern, but
it may be best to be safe rather than sorry. Pediatrician Ari Browns sums it up by saying, “If there is
a reasonable alternative to limit BPA exposure in those who are most at
risk, why not try to avoid it?” She
now tells her patients to stop using polycarbonate baby bottles until
more is known.
