BPA Free Bottles - What You Should Know and How to Shop Smarter

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BPA FREE

The term "bpa free" is showing up quite frequently in recent medical studies and press releases. So what exactly does it mean and why should you look for bpa free bottles and products?
Read on to learn more about bisphenol-A .

When it comes to feeding your baby, you want to know your baby gets the very best. If you need to use a bottle, you want to make sure you choose the best baby bottle for your child. Unfortunately, many of the bottles you may be considering contain a chemical called bisphenol A or BPA. This chemical has been shown to leach out of plastic into food when the container is heated. Babies and young children can be especially vulnerable to the effects of overexposure.

In fact, it has been implicated as a cause of cancer, diabetes, ADHD, as well as neural and behavioral abnormalities. As a result, environmental health organizations in Canada and the United States recently began calling for a ban on using bisphenol A in plastic consumer products. As more attention is drawn to these studies, it is becoming important to many parents to find BPA free bottles.

MARKET TRENDS

Since this became public, Canada has proposed a ban on the use of bisphenol A, and U. S. retailers Wal-Mart and Toys "R" Us have promised to stop selling baby bottles that contain BPA.

Medela, a major manufacturer of bottles and breast pumps, has stated it would stop using it in the products it makes. Even Nalgene, who makes reusable plastic water bottles, has issued a statement saying it would no longer use the chemical.

Obviously these companies agree with Canada that something should be done to stop babies from being exposed to this chemical, and that safe baby bottles should be made available.

REDUCE YOUR EXPOSURE TO BISPHENOL-A

Here are several suggestions on how to reduce your family's exposure:

Choose glass, stainless steel or polyethylene bottles versus polycarbonate bottles.
To avoid leaching, don't heat foods in polycarbonate containers.
Reduce your consumption of canned foods which may have contamination from the interior coating of the can.
Check with your dentist before getting dental sealants to verify that the ingredients in the sealant do not leach bisphenol-A.

SHOPPING FOR BABY BOTTLES

There are many companies who do make BPA free bottles and sippy cups. Keep a list with you so when you're shopping at the store, you can purchase items that are safe for your baby. Glass bottles make safe baby bottles. Some companies also make safe baby bottles made of plastic.

You can find a comprehensive list at Safemama.com . Print out a copy to refer to when shopping. By choosing a bisphenol A free bottles, you'll help your child avoid potential difficulties caused by overexposure.

To learn a lot more about bisphenol A, click here.

Sources: (1) An Alaska Community Action on Toxics Fact Sheet, September 2007

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