Healthy Tot

We are hearing it more and more- plastic bottles are bad. It seems that a chemical, BPA (bisphenol A) found in polycarbonate plastic bottles, is not too good for you. It looks like some of the chemical can actually leach into the liquid. BPA has been shown to cause cancer in rats, as for the human effect, this is still up for debate at this point. From where I stand, the whole rat bit doesn’t look too good. The companies that use BPA-plastic claim it is harmless (of course) but scientists are throwing up warning signs all over about BPA. I am going to err on the side of caution as I have always been a little unsettled when I take a sip of water and there is a smell or taste of plastic- it not only tastes bad but I have wondered if it was bad for me. It also seems that even more of the chemical can get into the liquid if it is hot or boiling. That brings to mind baby bottles- most are made from polycarbonate plastic, and we put pretty warm milk or formula in them- scary.

So we have some options to help reduce our exposure to BPA. I found some companies that make BPA free baby bottles and sippies, Born Free, Mam and Medela. Each of these companies use safer plastic alternatives such as polyamide and polypropylene.
For the mamas and da’s, there is Sigg (they’re expensive but worth it) and Thermos- both have versions for toddlers and younglings, and use BPA free linings.

Furthermore, it is a good idea to try to phase out plastic storage (esp. with recycle code #7 on the bottom) and opt for glass storage containers.

For more information on BPA: thegreenguide.com
ZRecs review on BPA free bottles and sippies
Safe Mama Cheat Sheet
The Soft Landing - a guide to non-toxic baby products
BPA Free Bottles