Toxic Chemicals in Baby Bottles?
The The Environmental Working Group has just released new research reports citing findings that liquid infant formula are being sold in cans lined with bisphenol-A, or BPA according to a recent CNN health news alert.
According to the FDA and infant formula manufacturers, the BPA in canned infant formula and baby bottles are within the US FDA standards and the amount leached into milk and absorbed by babies are miniscule and not harmful. There is also debate on what constitute harmful effects on humans as there is not enough research involving humans. However, BPA is known to have carcinogenic effects. Hmmmnnn.
First, what is BPA?
“Bisphenol A is known to be an estrogen receptor agonist, which can activate estrogen receptors, leading to similar physiological effects as the body’s own estrogens.[3] The first evidence of the estrogenicity of bisphenol A came from experiments in the 1930s in which it was fed to ovariectomized rats.[4][5] Some hormone disrupting effects in studies on animals and human cancer cells have been shown to occur at levels as low as 2-5 ppb (parts per billion). It has been claimed that these effects lead to health problems such as, in men, lowered sperm count and infertile sperm. Recent studies have confirmed that bisphenol A exposure during development has carcinogenic effects and produce precursors of breast cancer.[6] Bisphenol A has been shown to have developmental toxicity, carcinogenic effects, and possible neurotoxicity” - Wikipedia.
Bisphenol-A is a chemical commonly used in polycarbonate plastic products [components of baby bottles] and can coatings, acting as a barrier between the can and the food inside.
According to the CNN report,
“The National Toxicology Program’s Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction convened an expert panel to determine if BPA is a hazard to humans, including more sensitive developing babies. The panel concluded, based on animal studies, that there’s “some risk” exposure to BPA causes neural and behavioral effects in children.”
Though there is still debate on the definition of “risk” and effects on humans, this is alarming news specially for the millions of babies who are exposed to this chemical every year. Not all moms can or choose to breastfeed and sometimes we have to deal with the necessary evil of using products containing such chemicals.
I gave birth via C-section and I was so drugged up that the baby was given infant formula in the hospital and my milk didn’t come for at least three weeks, at which time, the baby received liquid infant formula. I guess we were lucky enough that the Nestle Good Start prepared liquid infant formula that Cape Cod Hospital used came in glass bottles with disposable nipples. Luckier that the nurses were so nice that we received a bringing home baby gift of a few dozens of these bottles and we never had to buy canned or plastic bottled infant formula.
WIC also provides for Nestle Good Start powder formula which comes in paper component cans with metal bottoms. Is it any safer? I don’t know as I haven’t found any research on it yet.
What’s the problem really with BPA and baby plastic bottles? BPA leaches from polycarbonate plastic baby bottles [hard plastic bottles like Avent, Evenflo, Dr. Brown, even Playtex] into the contents within –> baby’s milk [breastmilk or prepared milk].
So how can we avoid or minimize giving Toxic bottles to our babies sans exclusive breastfeeding? For one, you can switch to natural baby bottle products which are BPA-free like the BornFree baby bottles, which tends to be more expensive. Other alternatives would be to choose baby bottles made of glass or the safer soft plastic made of polyethylene, polypropylene or polymide. Gerber and Medela carries these kinds of bottle.
Apart from using safer baby bottles, make sure that you discard worn or cloudy bottles pronto AND for the love of your baby, don’t heat these bottles in the microwave and avoid washing them in the dishwasher to prevent chemical release through heat degradation.
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