I'm not usually one to get caught up in hype, but this latest buzz has got me thinking. First of all, let me get this out in the open... I ENCOURAGE my nearly 14 month old to take a bottle. I weaned him from the breast to a bottle about 3 weeks ago, and he loves it. I know that the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics), recommends that babies should go from the breast to a sippy cup, and bottle fed babies should go to a sippy cup at 12 months. I just feel like, what's the rush? They are only little once. So there. I said it. Go ahead and call my pediatrician, I already confessed to him too.
Now that we have that out of the way, here's my dilemma...BPA in bottles. It is a chemical found in most baby bottles (and other plastic bottles) that is released when the plastic is heated (microwave, dishwasher, etc), and the older the bottle, the more BPA that has been released. It has shown in some studies to be linked to premature puberty, breast and prostate cancer, and other developmental hazards. For this reason, most athletes/health-nuts go for the "Nalgene" bottles.
Should I go out and get all new bottles? I checked mine, and many are old (from Bailey), and none of them are BPA free...including the favorite AVENT bottles (which for the price, should make the milk themselves). I've researched it for those of you who care, and here are some of the BPA free bottles:
Medela ($$)
Born Free ($$$$)
Gerber Clear and Pastels ($)
MAM ($$)
Glass Bottles ($$) (seriously, glass?)
So what do you think? Is it too paranoid? Does everything cause cancer in lab rats? Do you drink from a "Nalgene" bottle?
**PS: I'm not interested in taking away the bottles all together**
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5 comments:
I use Nalgene bottles all the time. I looked up some information about it (on the Nalgene site) and here is what I found: http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/technical/bpaInfo.html (this site has good links)
and http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/technical/FDAstatement.html
Basically, the FDA doesn't think it the levels we are exposed to are dangerous. What would I do? Probably buy new bottles, but not spend big money worrying about them being BPA-free.
I would use glass, or heat your milk on the stove and then put it in the bottle. I would get new bottles! Guh
Since bottle feeding is far more common than breastfeeding, it seems that we would've seen more adverse long-term reactions. And what about BPA in sippy cups?? I bet they aren't totally free of it.
I would get new bottles, and gradually get him used to it not being heated.
I would think the hazard from glass breakage around young children would be greater than the risk of BPA.
I think the AAP recommends a bottle for a year -- and Benson's year just started.
Geez, Nalgene just announced today that it would be pulling it's bottles.
You know how I feel about plastic...GO for the GLASS BOTTLES! Isaac has gone right to the sippy cup from my breast,(not that I tried...or anything) sooo when the next one comes along, I will most likely use the Born Free.
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