Chemical in Baby Bottles

Hi All

I just saw something on the news regarding the chemical Bisphenol A found in some baby bottles.

Does anyone use a bottle that does not have this chemical in them? I would like to know what brand you think is best.

Thanks, I'm not in a state of panic, just probably prefer to switch now.

Belinda

Hi Belinda,

There are a few rands mentioned in this link here https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...ncer-link.html

Thanks for that. Do you know if Tommee Tippee use the safe plastic?

I use the pigeon ones and there is no mention of any chemical used (ie no number in a symbol on the bottle anywhere).
So either they aren't disclosing it, or it doesn't get used....

oh and I just checked our Avent bottles and we don't have any symbol or number anywhere on our bottles.... strange??

I have a 7 at the bottom on mine??

i just checked all mine and i dont have any numbers on them. I got all mine last year in April. Maybe something to do with when they were manufactured?

Melissa - you may be onto something there - I brought mine last year too - probably between January and... uh.. maybe april or May? Before we switched to Pigeon anyway..

I bought mine in December? Ooooh I am so going to Target tomorrow to look for Mam Ultivent's...I bet they will be all out!

mmmmmm. I use avent bottles and i bought mine in 2006 for first daughter and none of mine have any numbers on the bottom???? I have bought more new ones in 2007 as well for dd #2 and those have no numbers either. I am confused.....:rolleyes: I think i will await for some scientific research before buying any new ones, it could be some scam or something so everyone spends more money????? Who no's ;)

Jen

Jen, good idea...better to wait isn't it? I can't help but worry a little though :doh:

I just looked up on the internet about it and this is what it says in brief:

"Bottles labelled with a 7 contain hormone disrupting bisephonal A or BPA," said UOIT professor of ecotoxicology, Dr. Douglas Holdway.
The ban would affect only baby bottles and not other food containers made with bisphenol A (BPA).

I am wondering though if Australian standards allow our baby bottles to have this in them? It seems to be canada and over that way.

I'm going to look at my Avent bottles box now. Will post again if i find anything on it!

Jen

Okay, so I'm just wondering if they HAVE to label the bottles with the type of plastic used? My bottles (Avnet and Pigeon) don't have any symbols or numbers on the bottom of them........so does that mean I can assume they're safe? Or are they not labelled?

it's strange because i thought all my avent bottles have a really small "7" on the bottom of them but they don't!!! i must have been seeing things. does everyone have a little circle though on the bottom of their avent bottles?

do you think it's best to wait to see if it's really that dangerous? i am seriously thinking of going out tomorrow and getting new bottles but i don't want to waste money if it turns out to be not that bad???

I have a circle on the bottom of mine and to be honest with you i would not go and buy all new bottles tomorrow just because the media have announced this on the news.
My avent bottle box (the box the bottles came in) syas it is medical grade material
* surpasses the most rigorous standards from regulatory bodies, worldwide.
It also has awards galore all over the lid of the box like - mother and baby, practical parenting etc
To be honest with you i am assuming that Australian standards are different to other countries therefore making the avent bottles sold in australia different to the ones sold in canada and the Us etc. the ones sold in canada and the us may be the ones that are made with the BPA. Maybe The Aust ones are not made with this BPA due to our standards. :pray:

Just wait for any further announcements and if it was really dangerous in Aust at the moment i am sure that they would have advised that the shelves will not have any avent bottles on them as of tomorrow etc etc. Like they do when something is found in meat they remove all of the items in case all of them are affected iukwim. Someone though please correct me if this has been announced!

But it is up to you if you will feel better and peace at mind for you in buying another brand bottle then go for it. :)

Jen

Jen, no I definately agree with you. I think I should wait to see what happens, Avent bottles are not cheap and I have 6 of them!!

I think the media sometimes make it out to be worse than what it is. I am not doing anything unless the bottles are removed from the shelves and not to be sold to the public iukwim.

Your doing the right thing just makes me angry that the media makes all us mums worry over things when we all have enough worries with our little ones in either not eating, not sleeping, sick the list goes on. Lol :rolleyes:

:pray: that this doesn't happen.

Jen

Yes I agree Jen. And then if they recall them, can you imagine how many Mums out there will be buying the ones that don't have the chemical in them? You'd have to be quick because I doubt there would be any left on the shelves. Yes we all have enough to worry about. Sometimes the media really blow things up. Of course on the news tonight they said "this is not meant to scare mothers?" Yeah right...they are only our flesh and blood! Praying that it is no big deal.

Belinda :)

I'm not advocating that anyone rushes out and buys new bottles just on the back of these latest media releases. But be aware that there is a lot of research going on that shows that these particular plastics are no good for us. There are plenty of people in the world who avoid plastics AMAP for this reason.

IMO it seems a small price to pay to feel safe with how you're feeding your baby. It might all come to nothing, and then you've wasted a bit of money. But if it turns out to be true, then you'll be relieved that you decided to change.

I know it's hard when it seems almost everything is bad for our babies ;) but do some research into it first before deciding :)

BPA is present in Avent feeding bottles. Have a look at this information from the Avent website: Bottle Feeding: Frequently Asked Questions: Resources : AVENT - Naturally!
Avent does not believe at this time that BPA can cause harm.

Also 'Shannon Jenest, a spokeswoman for Philips Avent, which makes bottles from polycarbonate and other materials, said she ?wouldn?t see us challenging? the Canadian health department.' http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/19/bu...l?ref=americas

Canada will become the first country to ban bottles with BPA in them saying it is better to be safe than sorry: Canada plans to ban polycarbonate baby bottles | Health | Reuters

I found this website that rates sippy cups and bottles for BPA:
Bottles: Z Recommends: The Z Report: Bisphenol-A in Polycarbonate Baby Bottles, and Safe Alternatives, From Major Brands to Startups
Sippy cups: Z Recommends: The Z Report: Bisphenol-A in Polycarbonate Baby Bottles, and Safe Alternatives, From Major Brands to Startups

I feel the same way and will be replacing my bottles and sippy cups with a non-bpa product asap.

Ok i am really confused now. This would then mean that dummies for babies are toxic as well? Also this would mean that anything plastic at all is toxic? What bottles, dummies do we get then??????

I am still not going to buy anything new until there is an announcement to say they have been removed from the shelves in all stores.And or there is a case of a child being ill from this BPA - has there benn any cases yet at all that anyone knows of?

Can someone please clarify if all plastic products to do with children/babies are toxic or have this so called BPA in them. And if so what products shuld we be buying that we can get in Australia that does not contin BPa or anything toxic

jen

Jen, it's ok, Im confused too. I don't think I'll buy anything yet until they are taken off the shelves. There's definately panic out there at the moment with this BPA thing. I'm just sitting back waiting. Everything gives you cancer doesn't it? Car fumes...the air we breathe? I am really confused too....

Jan, I did find your post very informative though so thanks for posting that.

this should help you ladies, hopefully its ok to post this

http://bp0.blogger.com/_fCfs9oClhNU/...icture%2B2.jpg

Why don't you use glass baby bottles? Also, this controversy has been around for some years now. There are people who just don't buy plastic stuff and don't have it in their house. There are wooden and natural fibre toys available, glass sontainers, SIGG water bottles etc etc so IF you want to make conscious choices, there are products out there for you! It takes a bit of time to look and may cost more $$ initially, but I just buy less amounts. Eg I just have a few glass pyrex storage ontainers for food instead of 100 plastic ones or any tupperware....

This is copied off a website:
Chemicals in Baby Products

As children’s minds and bodies go through the delicate processes of growing and developing, they are particularly vulnerable to chemicals that could affect proper development. And because children have a natural tendency to suck on objects as a way of exploring the world around them, harmful chemicals can leach out of these products and enter their bodies.

Phthalates in plastic toys and baby products
Phthalates are chemicals added to PVC plastic to make it soft and flexible. Among many other things, they are used in soft plastic toys and other baby products, such as some teethers, bath books, and “rubber” ducks. Phthalates are not chemically bonded to PVC plastic, which easily allows them to leach from the plastic.

Scientific studies show that:

? Phthalates can interfere with the natural functioning of the hormone system.
? Phthalates can cause reproductive problems and genital malformations.
? Exposure is linked to premature birth and early onset of puberty.
? Phthalates may lower sperm count and are associated with the risk factors for testicular cancer.
? Phthalates are linked to allergies and asthma.
? Exposure may be linked to liver and kidney damage.
? Exposure can also interfere with the normal development of a fetus.

Four phthalates are classified as reproductive toxins by the state of California. Despite this classification, California does not have the authority to restrict the use of phthalates in consumer products.

The European Union and at least 14 countries already have banned or are phasing out phthalates from children’s products to protect children’s health. Although several of the leading manufacturers of toys and baby products in the U.S. have restricted the use of phthalates over the last few years, there are still many products on the market that do contain phthalates.
With the passage of Environment California-sponsored AB 1108 (Ma-San Francisco), California became the first state in the country to ban the use of phthalates in children's products.

Bisphenol A in plastic feeding bottles

Bisphenol A is an industrial chemical that is used to make polycarbonate plastic. Among other products, it can be found in clear plastic baby bottles, reusable water bottles, and microwave ovenware. This has caused concern since bisphenol A can leach out of the products and may affect human health.

Scientific studies show that at very low levels:

? Bisphenol A can disrupt the normal functioning of our hormones.
? Bisphenol A can cause behavioral effects, including hyperactivity and increased aggression.
? Bisphenol A can lead to impaired learning.
? Bisphenol A is associated with obesity and diabetes.
? Bisphenol A exposure can affect the timing of the onset of puberty.
? Bisphenol A stimulates mammary gland development, which is a risk factor for breast cancer.
? Bisphenol A can significantly increase prostate size.
? Bisphenol A can alter the functioning of the immune system.
? Bisphenol A is associated with miscarriages in women.
? Exposure can also interfere with the normal development of a fetus.

Studies also show that bisphenol A can leach out of plastic baby bottles. The leaching appears to accelerate if the bottle is old or scratched.

Some major bottle producers, such as Medela, make plastic bottles without bisphenol A. However, most major U.S. baby bottle manufacturers use bisphenol A in their production, and there is no law prohibiting its use.

There are undesirable chemicals in millions of products especially in body care (shampoo, moisturiser etc etc) toys, household products. These will never be banned or withdrawn by the govt but that doesn't mean we have to use them, or that they are safe.
Jen- if you are happy with what you do, keep doing it! If others are concerned about what they use and use on their chn, there are alternatives. You can make a conscious choice!

I bought some Mam Ultivent bottles today so I feel better now, they were on special at Target. I am getting rid of my Avent ones. Also I am not in a panic, I just think if there is something out there that doesn't contain BPA, I'd rather use it from now.

Thats great news and must be peace of mind for you. I am not going to worry at this stage.
It tells you in a cut out you can put on the fridge that these toxins are also used in the lining of food tins - Ie - formula so my personal view is either way anything we touch, eat, drink is harmful by the looks of things!

But i am glad you feel better now that you have bought the new bottles.

Deidre - thanks for the info and as i said up top will be sticking to what i am doing now. But i still for the life of me can not find any number on my avent bottles??? Maybe my ones are safe.Lol :dance:

jen

That's true Jen, I'm sure everything causes exposure to cancer these days, that's what they say anyway!!

Just for peace of mind, I'm sticking with Mam for now. And if it turns out that there is absolutely no health risk at all with Avent bottles, I'll have a few bottles to last me a while then!!!

I was under the impression that the chemicals in plastics only became dangerous when using microwaves to heat.

As I understood it when you use a microwave and there is insuficient water particles the molecular structure of the plastic can alter letting plastic and content of plastic container inter mingle.

This would imply to me that for sterilizing purposes it is fine to use the microwave, but you do have other options available to sterilize if you were concerned.

When heating milk in a bottle it is always strongly recomended that a microwave not be used anyway, so there shouldn't be enough heat for an exchange of chemicles to occur.
while it may appear that only a small amount of research has been done on baby products, the plastic problem has been investigated for years, esp take away food containers.

I could have completley miss inturpreted what i have heard and read, yet at the same time television shows such as ACA and today tonight are notorious for exagerating, jumping to conclusions and not providing all the informations.

I would erge anyone that felt strongly about an issue to listen to other peoples knowledge and opinions, then do their own research and make an informed and educated decision for themselves.