Bottlefeeding Guidelines

I've started working again, so my daughter has started to take breastmilk from a bottle. But with all the dangers associated with plastic bottles, I have begun my search for the safest ones. These guidelines, found in this article via the Cradle, gave me a good start:

• Choosing a Nipple: Avoid #3 plastics and start with a clear silicone nipple, which is much safer than plastic or rubber. Latex rubber nipples can cause allergic reactions and can contain impurities linked to cancer.

• The Bottle: Use glass whenever possible. Avoid clear, hard plastic bottles marked with a “7” or “PC.”

• Plastic bottle liners: Just so bad. Don’t use them. The soft plastic liners leach chemicals into formula, especially when heated. Editor's Note: Playtex recently released a statement saying that the Drop-Ins® (aka 'plastic bottle liners') for their Original Nurser Systems are BPA-free.

• Water: Use filtered tap water. If your water is fluoridated, use a reverse osmosis filter to remove fluoride, which the American Dental Association recommends avoiding when reconstituting formula. If your water is not fluoridated use a carbon filter. If you choose bottled water make sure it’s fluoride-free.

• Formula: Choose powdered as liquid formulas have higher levels of BPA.

The first bottle I want to try is the green to grow BPA-free bottle. What's so great about it? It's free of phthalates and free of bisphenol A – a suspected hormone-disrupting chemical used in polycarbonate plastic (most baby bottles are made from this.) Plus, these bottles are tested in the U.S. to ensure they meet the highest standards for quality and safety; they are free of lead and PVC; and they come with a Beginner (slow flow, 0-3 months) nitrosamine-free silicone nipple, all in 100% recycled packaging.

Click here to see the rest of the article, including other safe bottle suggestions.