Please note: This report has been substantially revised and updated since this post was published, first in two later editions of the Z Report and most recently in our ZRecs Guide to Safer Children's Products. Much of the information in this post is outdated, and we encourage you to refer instead to our new consumer guide to BPA and other potentially harmful chemicals in children's products, the ZRecs Guide.
For the past several years, research scientists have increasingly warned manufacturers and consumers about the potential dangers of bisphenol-A, a plastic softener used in the production of polycarbonate plastic commonly used in baby bottles due to its durability and clarity. Some companies have responded by developing lines of bottles made with other plastic types; other new companies have sprung up specifically to serve needs some larger companies continue to ignore.
Companies resistant to change are shielded from public scrutiny by the FDA's reluctance to examine the dangers of BPA despite mounting scientific evidence and the lack of any regulatory requirement to even disclose the types of plastics used in their products. Many consumers have learned to look for recycling numbers on their infant and toddler products, but many polycarbonate products are unrecyclable and thus unlabeled, and parents often find themselves relying on incomplete information and rumors passed from other parents who have directly approached companies to find out whether a specific product they use contains BPA.
We believe that this model of disseminating important health information serves companies far better than it serves consumers. And we believe that consumers deserve better.
Based on the response to our Sippy Cup Showdown, we decided to contact major and up-and-coming infant bottle manufacturers in the U.S. to identify the plastics used in each and every infant bottle they produce. Based on the information we collected about companies' products, we rated each company's "BPA IQ" and identified some companies as "Top Picks" and others as companies which seem ready for a challenge to do more. "Top Picks" are not based on the hands-on product testing behind most ZRecs recommendations, but on perceived corporate responsibility and commitment to reducing risks to children by providing BPA-free bottles.
All of the research included in this report has been verified with company representatives.
You can learn more about bisphenol-A by visiting our del.icio.us links on the topic. We encourage readers to suggest additional resources in the comments.
Adiri
Safe: Natural Nurser.
Unsafe: Breastbottle.
BPA IQ: High. When asked if the company planned the Natural Nurser as a replacement for their original Breastbottle, an Adiri representative stated that the polycarbonate bottles would continue to be sold "as long as there was a demand," which she estimated at "about six months." We can't imagine why there would be "demand" for an older model that had an estimated expiration date, so reading between the lines, we are guessing she meant that they had discontinued production but wanted to sell out of their current stock. Update: Adiri has begun selling their Natural Nurser online, and no longer offers or even mentions the Breastbottle for sale on their website, although it is still the only model available on Amazon.com. Update: Adiri's Natural Nurser is available online at Amazon.com and a variety of other online and brick & mortar retailers.
Avent
Safe: Via ("disposable").Borderline: Tempo (PC) with preformed liners (PET).
Unsafe: All bottles produced by Avent are made of polycarbonate.
BPA IQ: Moderate. For a large company, Avent makes few products which use safe plastics. But multiple calls to their customer service center confirmed that their representatives have product plastic information readily available for customer questions, the first sign of a growing sensitivity to customer concerns about plastic safety and more than can be said for many companies. Note: We recently learned from another customer service representative that the Via system is made of polypropylene plastic. The information above reflects that change.
Our challenge: Avent is owned by Philips, a company that takes pride in being at the leading edge of technology and at anticipating customers' needs. We are hopeful that Avent will add a truly safe (polypropylene or polyamide) standard bottle in the next year.
Born Free
Safe: All bottles (polyamide plastic or glass).Unsafe: None.
BPA IQ: High. Born Free exists to offer safe plastic bottles, and they make glass ones, too. Polyamide is a new plastic that is BPA-free. Their prices are reasonable and their customer service is excellent, as attested by multiple ZRecs readers. The guy who started this company took huge risks to bring his product to market. If you like underdogs, passion, vision, or any combination of the three, you should like Born Free.
Dr. Brown's
Safe: None.
Unsafe: All Dr. Brown's bottles are made of polycarbonate.
BPA IQ: Low. Dr. Brown's was an early entrant, and a high-end one, into the anti-colic bottle market. The landscape has changed dramatically, and there is no shortage of BPA-free bottles which incorporate venting and other anti-colic features. Update: Handi-Craft (maker of Dr. Brown's bottles) has told ZRecs they should be distributing a glass Dr. Brown's bottle by January 2008.
Evenflo
Safe: Glass bottles.Unsafe: Comfi; Elan; Classic.
BPA IQ: Low. Prior to Born Free entering the market for glass bottles, Evenflo was the only major company to offer them, and they have done so consistently for years. Yet they have don't offer a single plastic bottle not made of polycarbonate plastic.
Our Challenge: What gives, Evenflo? Why bother with the glass bottles? Nalgene is pretty. And PVC makes such bright colors! Seriously: We know you care, deep down. The gentle curve of that evenflo "f" gives you away. And we want to love you. You could create thousands of new Evenflo fans by developing a single line of polypropylene baby bottles.
The First Years
Safe: None.
Unsafe: All current bottle lines, including Breastflow and Soothie.
BPA IQ: Low.
Gerber
Safe: Clear View, Fashion Tints (also called "Plastic Pastels"), GentleFlow.Unsafe: Nuk/1st Choice; Preemie; Comfort Hold; licensed character bottles (discontinued).
BPA IQ: Moderate. Gerber, one of the largest infant products companies in the world, may be in a state of transition. The company was sold in April, and one customer service rep told us that the company was finding that parents "didn't want to buy polycarbonate bottles," which might explain the company's unusual number of non-polycarbonate offerings. A ZRecs reader also reported that a Gerber customer service rep told her that the company plans to begin list their bottles' plastic types on their website, which would be a first for any major bottle company. Calls to their public relations desk were not returned by our deadline, but even with their motives and direction unclear, the fact remains that Gerber is one of the few leading manufacturers which is producing new bottle designs that do not use polycarbonate plastic (GentleFlow) while maintaining a low-dollar flagship product (most Clear View varieties) in polypropylene.
Our Challenge: Gerber, grab some high ground and commit to labeling all of your plastic products with the plastic types contained in them, recyclable or not. Your company's product lines are so ubiquitous that people voting with their dollars could do so while staying within the Gerber fold, which, given your brand recognition, is extremely likely. Think about it: No other company can claim that competitive advantage while demonstrating that it has nothing to hide.
Luv n' Care (Nuby)
Safe: Undetermined.Unsafe: Undetermined.
BPA IQ: Low. Luv n' Care is a difficult company with which to communicate, and offered incomplete and sometimes clearly inaccurate information regarding its products. Emails to the company frequently pass without response, and customer service numbers are treated as privileged information. The final statements provided by Luv n' Care representatives for this report did not satisfy us. The broad method the representative suggested for identifying bottles made with "minute amounts of Bisphenol-A" relied upon design elements which we could not identify in any Nuby products and appears to contradict a consistent though unexplained "PC"/"PP" coding system on the company's own website as well as the suggestive naming of a single line of Nuby bottles as their "Polypropylene Line."
Our Challenge: Redesign your corporate website to provide clear information regarding plastics contained in your products. Allow your customers to contact you via telephone by staffing a customer service line and providing its number on your website.
Medela
Safe: All bottles.Unsafe: None.
BPA IQ: High. All Medela bottles are made of polypropylene, and Medela also makes an excellent breast pump (we used a slightly older version of this one).
Munchkin
Safe: None.
Unsafe: Angled and widemouth bottles.
BPA IQ: Low.
Playtex
Safe: Breast Milk Storage Kit (PP bottles).
Borderline: Premium Nurser (PC) uses an insert made of polyethylene (PET).
Unsafe: Ventaire, Baby Insulator Bottle.
BPA IQ: Low.
Sassy
Safe: MAM bottles (UltiVent), Baby Food Nurser Kit.Unsafe: None.
BPA IQ: High. A Sassy representative told us that the company was phasing out the use of polycarbonate plastic "in general" in response to some states' pending bans of polycarbonates in infant products. After developing a major line of polypropylene bottles, she said they discovered that some of the main stores carrying Sassy products (she mentioned Target and Toys 'R' Us) didn't want to stock the new bottles without additional items in the line, and Sassy is currently working on a full range of products, including a breast pump and breast shields, to enhance the offering. For the time being, MAM bottles are sold online, both on Sassy's website and on Amazon. Note: We originally listed Sassy's Baby Food Nurser Kit as unsafe, based on a customer service representative's statement that it was made of polycarbonate plastic. A Sassy spokesperson has since contacted us and informed us that it is in fact made of SAN (styrene acrylonitrile), which does not contain BPA. They already had "Top Pick" status with us, so our assessment of their products frankly couldn't improve. Thanks, Sassy!
Second Nature
Safe: None.
Unsafe: All Second Nature bottles are made of polycarbonate plastic.
BPA IQ: Low.
Some companies we would have liked to include did not provide customer contact numbers or did not respond to our requests for information. If we missed a company you'd like to know about, post it in the comments and we'll see what we can learn about their products.
Disclaimer: Z Recommends collects information for its reports from official company websites, company-staffed customer service lines, and company managers and public relations officials. We also update listings as needed to correct or revise information, and encourage readers or company officials to submit questions, comments or corrections as needed to ensure that this information is as accurate as possible. By reading and acting upon the information contained here, you hereby release Z Recommends from any liability for the information provided in this or other ZRecs reports.
Terms of Use: All content on Z Recommends, including designs, text, graphics, pictures, video, information, applications, software, sound and other files, comments, and the selection and arrangement (the "Site Content"), are the property of ZRecs, its users or its licensors with all rights reserved. No portion of the Z Report on BPA or any other Z Report or ZRecs-developed Product Guide, beyond that necessary for reasonable excerpts, quotations, and citations may be copied, reproduced, republished, displayed, posted, or sold in any form or by any means, without ZRecs' prior written permission. You are granted a limited license to access and use the Z Report on BPA and to download or print a copy of any portion of the content solely for your personal, non-commercial use, provided that you keep all copyright or other proprietary notices intact. You may not upload or republish anything beyond short excerpts and citations of the Z Report on BPA on any other site or incorporate the information in any other database or compilation, and any other use of this content is strictly prohibited. Such license is subject to these Terms of Use and does not include use of any data mining, robots or other data-gathering or extraction methods. Any use of the Z Report on BPA, any other Z Report or Product Guide other than as specifically authorized herein, without the prior written permission of ZRecs, is strictly prohibited and will terminate the license granted herein. Unauthorized use may also violate applicable laws including copyright and trademark laws and applicable communications regulations and statutes. Nothing in these Terms of Use shall be construed as conferring any license to intellectual property rights. This license may be terminated without notice or cause.
84 comments:
Thanks for the great information. Another link for your del.icio.us from PLoS (Public Library of Science)regarding the effects of bisphenol a:
Toxic Origins of Disease
I'm confused about Playtex; the "Premium Nurser" you linked to uses the same "Drop-Ins" inserts as the "Breast Milk Storage Kit". The milk is in contact with the same plastic in both situations: the disposable liner.
According to this article, the liners are safe; does this contradict what you found?
http://www.healthobservatory.org/library.cfm?refid=77083
Also, some people think the bottles safe as long as the plastic remains clear and unscratched, and that the BPA only leached when the bottles start to get cloudy. Is that true, or have you found different info?
http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20030331/danger-in-plastic-baby-bottle
@geobrarian: Thanks for the great resource. We've added that report, as well as two items it linked to, to our resources.
@jj: We chose to label Playtex's Premium Nurser, as well as Avent's Tempo, as "borderline" because the bottles are made of polycarbonate; since the bottles do not come into contact with the milk, we assume they are safer than other polycarbonate bottles but less safe than a bottle that contains no polycarbonate plastics. This is the same advice we would give regarding pacifiers; many silicone pacifiers have polycarbonate shields and handles, which are certainly less dangerous than a nipple containing a toxic substance but still (in our opinion) should be avoided when alternatives are widely available.
As for the safety of the PC bottles themselves, we agree with the majority of independent, non-industry-sponsored studies which conclude that polycarbonates are unsafe even when bottles are not scratched. Here is a quote from an Environmental Working Group report summarizing current research findings:
"In studies, exposing plastic to the heat of a microwave, dishwasher or hot foods caused more BPA to migrate into food. Heating degrades the chemical bond that holds polycarbonate plastic together. But some studies have detected leaching even at room temperatures. Heavily scratched or worn plastic degrades faster." [Link]
You can also access other research findings information in our BPA del.icio.us links.
Any views about which milk storage bags are safest (for pumped breast milk)?
Also, you mentioned pacifiers-my daughter never took one but now that their use is AAP recommended for SIDS prevention, I'm thinking of introducing one to my son when he is born. Are they labeled with the types of plastic? Have you guys thought about doing a similar report on them? That would be so great!
Thanks for the great info!
Like Sara, I'm wondering about pumped milk storage containers. Medela is obviously fine, but what about other reusable/freezable bottles like Mother's Milk Mate?
@Sara: All the storage bags we have seen are made of polyethylene, which was later improved upon to make polypropylene. Polyethylene (PE) is widely used and considered by most to be safe. On the subject of paci's, we are on the same page. We collected some pacifier plastic information when we were making our calls about bottles, and when we have enough data we will publish it. At first blush, the choices appear to be a bit more complicated than with bottles.
@liza: Mother's Milk Mate bottles are made of polypropylene (recyclable #5), which is widely regarded as a safe type of plastic. Virtually all of the bottles we labeled as "safe" for this report are made of polypropylene.
Thanks for the great info!
I just got a couple of born-free bottles to try.
I'm looking forward to your report on pacifiers.
Are the bottles that come with the Ameda and Lanisoh pumps safe as well?
Thank you! This is a wonderful resource. I'd like to add that I recently went into a Right Start retail store to buy a cup and when I asked what their products were made of was told that, "they are all safe plastics." When I emailed customer service to double check I got a somewhat patronizing email back with an attachment stating that the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association says polycarbonate is perfectly safe for babies. I'm not sure I'll be shopping at Right Start anymore.
http://www.bfr.bund.de/cd/7300
There is no need to continue this scaring of the public. Unless your baby is eating the plastic nipple you should not be concerned.
Thanks so much for the additional info!
I am confused about your listing on Evenflo, other sites listing BPA-free bottles list Evenflo's line of opaque bottles.
Ahhhhh!
This makes me so upset. The Breastflow by First Years is the ONLY bottle DS would ever take. I recommend them to all my Breastfeeding friends. No safe companies offer the same nipple design.
I guess my only hope is that they will come out with a safe one before baby #2. In the meantime I'm ditching all my Avents. sigh.
@anonymous: Caution is every parent's prerogative. If you reference the BPA links listed in the article you will see that we are familiar with the research and that there are a variety of opinions on this topic.
@aisha: All of our data was collected directly from customer service reps at the companies listed. We just called Evenflo again to confirm our previous notes and a CSR there confirmed our previous research that the company offers no non-polycarbonate bottles except those made of glass.
@mama k: Have you tried the Adiri Natural Nurser? It's possible that unusual bottle would have a design that would work for your child. If you check them out, let us know what you think!
We're in such a bind. I desperately want to get rid of our Dr. Browns bottles, but no company, as far as we can find, makes a STANDARD (non-wide-mouth) glass or BPA-free bottle with a venting system. We tried the Born Free and our son just couldn't eat with the wide-mouth bottle. We tried the evenflo glass, and the evenflo nipples sucked--he collapsed them all. We tried the Dr. Browns nipples on the Evenflo--more collapsing. We even sawed down the Dr. Browns internal vent to try on the evenflo and it didn't work because Dr. Browns has a wonky collar that somehow makes the liquid flow. I'm in a panic because I can't get our son to eat from a non-Dr. Brown's bottle. I wrote to Dr. Browns to see if they'd consider making a glass bottle and they sent me a patronizing email about how safe polycarbonate was. Does anyone have any leads on a standard (non-wide mouthed) BPA-free bottle with a venting system, or that might fit a Dr. Browns venting system?
Does anyone know if Brita pitchers are safe? I use the water from a pitcher for formula and drinking.
Erika-
if your son is collapsing the evanflo nipples - you might need to just go up a level. We switched over to the Evenflo when our son was about 5 months old and were able to use the dr. Brown's nipples with not many problems. We noticed he was collapsing them after a while and then just moved up a level of flow. Good luck
Florabora,
Did you just use the Dr. Brown's nipples? Or did you try any of the venting parts and/or the Dr. Brown's collar with the Evenflo bottles? He's 5 months next week and on a Stage 2 nipple. I guess maybe he's ready for Stage 3?
What about the opaque soft playtex drop in bottles? Are they ok?
What about passifiers? Any word on the safety of those?
Thanks for the info - esp the clear presentation. Do you know if the bottles that come with the Ameda purely yours pump is safe?
I am confused by your reference to Naglene. I know that many of their products also have Bishenol in them.
Their web page states:
BPA and NALGENE
As a responsible manufacturer of polycarbonate consumer products, Nalge Nunc International has monitored scientific research concerning the safety of our products including Bisphenol-A for many years.
Based on the findings of the Food and Drug Administration, The Environmental Protection Agency, The American Plastics Council and other reliable sources from around the world, we continue to firmly believe in the safety of our products.
To all those who have submitted questions regarding individual products, we are researching answers and will provide updates as soon as possible. Subscribe to our blog and receive our posts via email or your favorite RSS reader to make sure you don't miss updates on additional bottle brands, pacifiers, and other kitchen items as we post them.
@designenvy: As with others who disagree with the basic risk of using products containing bisphenol-A, I must refer you to our list of research links. As a quick point of fact, the now-defunct American Plastics Council was an industry organization, now merged with the equally disreputable American Chemistry Council, itself a plastics marketing organization. Such entities, as well as PR statements made by the companies like Nalgene themselves, should not be confused with true research-based academic organizations.
The fact that Nalgene promises that it is "monitoring" studies but includes an endorsement which must of necessity be at least five years old, if not more, given that the American Plastics Council has not existed since 2002. I suggest you do more research into these very interesting topics and consider potential bias and politics when evaluating your sources.
Interesting link...
http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/88-89/productlist
You've mentioned that Sassy MAM bottles are safe. The link list them as #7 plastic. I will take into consideration that this web link is a bit old though so it is likely they may have changed since then.
Yes, The Green Guide's information is out of date.
what about the Playtex Kinder-Grip bottle. it has a #7, which I know is usually bad, but it is blue, and i thought colored plastic was BPA free.
also, what about pacifiers?
Here via Google - After reading various discussions about BPA in sippy cups and the like, I came here looking for info about my Ameda breast pump. Since there seemed to be others with the same questions, I went to check my Ameda breast pump (the Purely Yours model), and sure enough, the shields/horns have a little triangle and the letters "PC" on them. (The tubing and endcaps do not have identifying numbers on them, but are made of opaque/milky plastic.) The Ameda storage bottles also appear to be made of PC.
I called their customer support line (1-866-99-AMEDA) to check if the horns are indeed made of polycarb (she confirmed that they are) and to ask if they make non-PC horns. The CS rep said they do not. She also said that - according to her - the issue was with *storage* of milk in polycarbonate bottles, and since the milk only passes momentarily through the horns it is not a problem. She said one can store the milk in the plastic (polyethylene?) bags or in a non-PC bottle if desired. ( do know that the Medela storage bottles fit the Ameda horns, more or less.)
Personally I prefer not to have to expose a child at all to BPA if I can help it, so sadly I think I will have to forego the Ameda pump and get a Medela one. But I thought I would mention my experience here in case it helps anyone.
-DCMom
Is it ok to use the Avent Microwave steam sterilizer to clean BPA-free bottles?
@anonymous #1: #7 almost always means polycarbonate. Hard, clear (translucent) plastic is consistent with that, even if it is colored.
@anonymous #2: Thanks for taking the initiative! We will include your information in a follow-up of additional research.
@anonymous #3: Hmm, that's a tough one! I have seen it recommended time and time again not to heat other plastics - Tupperware-type containers, plastic wrap - in the microwave, and these are typically polypropylene or polyethylene, so I don't think the microwaving problem is confined to PC products. However, I found this in The Green Guide:
Sticking to tried-and-true glass and ceramic baking dishes is still the best alternative, but if you do choose plastic, opt for safer #1, #2, #4 or #5 plastics, which don't leach chemicals. And even those designated as "microwave-" or "oven-safe," should... be handled with care and used in strict adherence to manufacturer directions.
Sounds like you could go either way on this one.
Hi,
What about the Avent Via system? I've noticed these have a #5 on the bottle, but you didn't mention those in your report. Do they fall under the same category as the Tempo?
Thanks for all the great information! What about ready to feed formula that's in a #7 bottle? We keep small Similac ready to feed bottles in our diaper bag for when we're out and for emergencies, and I just noticed that they are #7. Is a one-time use product like that okay as long as it's not heated?
We are expecting our second child and used Avent exclusively with our son - thanks for the great list on this blog. Looks like we will be replacing our bottles with one of the safer ones you listed.
I am VERY anxious to read your report on pacifiers - we only used avent for those as well.
I don't know if people are still reading this post, much less the comments, but I was also curious about the plastics in Brita filters.
I called the company, and Brita lids and filters are made from #4, polypropylene, which most sources consider safe.
The containers themselves are made of a #7 called "SAN": styrene acrylonitrile.
The Brita lady I spoke with specifically promised that there is no BPA in any of their plastic.
I hope this is helpful to people!
In England at one time, you could buy a BPA-free Dr. Brown's bottle. It was called "B-Free." I don't know if they're still available in regular stores in England, but you can see them sometimes on ebay.co.uk
Yeah, we used Dr. Brown's bottles all during my son's infancy. (He's fine, as far as we can tell.) But I feel guilty throwing them all out now and adding to the landfill! Any suggestions on how to dispose of them in an eco-friendly way?
i have two gerber sippy cups from a 2-pk and one has a 5 on the bottom and one has a 1. why would they have different numbers? am i looking in the right place?
has anyone had any experience with "Especially for Baby" brand bottles - sold at BRU? They aren't as shiny as the avent or dr. browns, but there aren't any markings on the bottles, nor is there a phone number/website.
Parents’ choices should be informed. They should be aware of what regulators and experts say on this subject.
There is an overwhelming body of scientific evidence supporting the safety of plastic baby bottles. Definitive studies and scientific reviews conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Harvard University, the National Toxicology Program, the European Food Safety Authority, the German Federal Institute for Risk Analysis, and the Japanese National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology indicate that polycarbonate plastic, the material often used in plastic baby bottles, is safe.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently affirmed the safety of polycarbonate baby bottles, stating:
FDA has confidence that no safety concern exists for BPA in regulated food contact materials. Furthermore, FDA has determined that the use of polycarbonate-based baby bottles and BPA-based epoxy coated cans used to hold infant formula is safe.
http://www.fitpregnancy.com/yourpregnancy/1062
The scientific consensus is that polycarbonate plastic baby bottles are safe. There shouldn’t be any room for confusion or fear on this.
Amy Chezem
Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association
What about the Lansinoh breast milk storage bags? Are they safe?
You write "The landscape has changed dramatically, and there is no shortage of BPA-free bottles which incorporate venting and other anti-colic features." Will someone tell me which other BPA-free bottles offer some sort of internal venting other than Born Free (which we can't use because my son can't seem to manage the wide-mouth design)? Is there any standard size bottle on the market *with a venting system* that's BPA-Free? Help!!
Welcome, JPMA!
@Carolyn: Yes, those are polycarbonate bottles. I would call the company and let them know the issue is important to you. Prepare to be condescended to; just make sure you're talking as high up the chain as you can get. And yes, the current research suggests that one-time use would be much safer than items which must be heated, washed, etc.
@JJ: Thanks for looking into Brita.
@Gina: We are currently looking into B-Free. It's an interesting situation.
@Cynthia: Let us know if you find one.
@C: Gerber labels their own products in various ways. The way to know if it's a plastics recycling code is that the number will be enclosed in a triangle of three arrows.
@Meghan: I would avoid store-brand bottles. We had a very hard time finding out about Second Nature bottles, sold at Wal-Mart. The supply and manufacturing chain on such products often spans several companies, and each one along the chain is less prepared to do customer service than the last.
@Maggie: All storage and drop-in bags we have seen so far have been polyethylene (PET). Polycarbonate does not seem to be suitable for this application. If you are still concerned, call the company at (800)292-4794 to confirm, and make sure to report back here!
@Erica: Gerber's GentleFlow vents but it is also a wide-mouth bottle. Playtex Drop-Ins (PC bottle but PET food contact) do not vent but they (the company) say the collapsing bag minimizes air intake... perhaps that would be a good compromise for you.
Erika: You may want to try Born Free bottles.
We made the switch from Dr. Brown's to Born Free and it worked really well. We started by using the Dr. Brown's ventilation system and nipple with the Born Free bottle and collar - they fit the bottle perfectly! After a while we got rid of the Dr. Brown's parts, and our son has had no trouble with the Born Free ventilation system.
http://baby411.typepad.com/baby_
411_blog/ is reporting that Breastflow bottles can be used with Avent Tempo liners to overcome the BPA issue with the bottles. Interesting and encouraging! Excellent bottle system.
we're trying to use the dr brown's vent system with a different bottle. Now we're wondering if the plastic the vent is made out of is polycarbonate. do you know?
thanks
I have used Dr browns since my daughter was 1 week old b/c she had spit up issues she is now 7 months old and we just switched to Gerber and bought the clear nipples that go with it and guess what they are cheaper and she spits up less...just an idea for other Moms....
@erika:
We are suffering the same problems with PBA bottles with vent and non-PBA bottles without. We took the venting system from a Dr. Brown bottle and fitted it to a Gerber ClearView bottle - twist tightly, with the Dr. Brown cap. It seems to work - maybe it works for you too.
Please post on other venting combinations that work....
Thank you so much for this. I'm going to switch bottles right away. My question, which others asked, too-- is it OK to use Dr. Brown nipples/venting parts in other bottles? Or is there a risk of BPA in the nipples?
I feel for everyone trying to find an alternative to Dr. Brown's standard bottle. I'm in the same situation myself. I've been researching for hours and as a pp mentioned Dr. Brown's did have a bfree bottle. They also have some kind of partnership with Aprica that sells bfree bottles in Japan.
Anyhow, I used my Dr. Brown's nipple with the Gerber Clearview bottle. It fits perfectly and my son drinks from it. However, the nipple collapses constantly, which never happened with the Dr. Brown's. I think in light of all this BPA contraversy, someone with a brain would put the Bfree Dr. Brown's back on the market. It would sell like crazy.
Sue
Check out Nuby non-drip bottles - they are BPA free... we found them at babies-r-us when they didn't have the gerber bottles. Says right on the package that they are pba free. Hope this helps. http://www.nuby.platformtwo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=18&Itemid=34&lang=en
Just an update on our bottle situation:
a) Anonymous, we tried the BornFree but our son can't do wide-mouth bottles, so no go, sadly.
b) Anonymous (7:45pm), we've tried to fit the venting system from the Dr. Browns into both the Evenflo glass bottles and the Gerber Clearview--no luck on either (the clear funnel/straw part is too tall). We tried to cut it down to fit, but discovered that the bottles still won't work well even with the newly configured venting system that technically fit, because the threading on the Dr. Brown's bottle collars are somehow configured in a special way. We've tried just the brown bit and the nipple and collar of the Dr. Browns (without the tube part) on evenflo glass bottles too, and that was ok, but not great--lots of bubbles and some nipple collapsing.
c) Jenna, the brown rubber part of the Dr. Browns and the silicone nipple, as well as the collar are BPA-free (they're at least not clear polycarbonate). I'm unclear on whether the straw thingys are polycarbonate. I suspect no, because they're a bit cloudy and softer than polycarbonate tends to be. Does anyone know for sure?
d) Sue, what ended up, shockingly working for us were Gerber's Fashiontints and Clearview (as they're pretty much the cheapest bottles of all that we've tried)--we've been testing out both the latex and silicone nipples. So no vent, but we've just become more vigilant about burping. The latex nipples are quite thick, so much harder to collapse. And the hole in the Gerber's silicone nipple is quite large, so our son's been eating a bit faster, and also not collapsing the nipple. It helps if you tighten the collar of these, then loosen it about a quarter turn.
Since the Avent sippy cups seem to be ok, and they are compatible with the Avent nipples, I may replace the Avent bottles with the sippy cup bodies for my second child since my first did very well with Avent at day care and breastfeeding at home.
Erika--
Thanks for the update on the bottle situation. I'm glad that you found something that works. My ds won't touch that latex nipple that the Clearview comes with, but I'll give the Gerber sillicone ones a try. I should also try my Dr. Brown's Y -cut nipples. Maybe they won't collapse as much. Thanks again.
Sue
thanks for giving us a resource on which bottles are polycarbonate. our little guy loves his Nuk Orthodontic bottle but i think we will be retiring it. i looked around a bit and the #7 recycling is actually a very large category. it is officially listed as "Other" in the ACC website. i don't want to add to the confusion and please correct me if i am wrong but i think some #7 recyclables should be OK. at least i am hoping.
polycarbonate is made from bisphenol a and phosgene therefore bisphenol can leach from it. you may notice some bottle parts are labeled #7 TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) which i believe is made from a different process. i think/hope this should be safe as it will allow me to screw my silicone Nuk nipple to a non polycarbonate bottle. does anyone know any different? thanks.
Just a note to the obnoxious posters like Amy Chezem of
Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. Most parents here are politely ignoring your patronizing message. However, do you really believe that quoting the FDA substantiates that products you profit from are safe. The FDA has been called on the carpet for a number indiscretions in reation to the drug companies - what makes bottle producing companies any different? If you want to prove saftey claims, try funding some truly independent studies instead of waving the government flag. I find it laughable that, especially during the current administraion, you believe that your arguement is in the least convincing.
Thanks for your report and your sippy cup reviews! We just got the born-free sippy, but i was curious about the brands i already owned, including the Avent and the Nuby...since you included the Avent i knew it was safe. I emailed the Nuby company to ask about their No Spill cup, here is the response i got:
Dear Gina:
Our products are made with polypropylene (PP) Recycle #5 and Polycarbonate (PC) Recycle #7. The (PC) products do have a minute (tiny) amount of Bisphenol A.
The majority of our No-spill cups are made with PP but the cups with the handles coming up from the bottom are made with PC. The insulated cups are PP and PC. The inner layer and the top is PP. The outer layer is PC.
The spouts/straws are 100% medical grade silicone. If you have any farther questions you have and please contact us at 1-800-LUVNCARE (318-588-6227) ext. 3106.
Erika,
Sorry to hear that you cannot get the dr. Brown parts to work on the Gerber ClearView bottles and Evenflo glass nursers. For us they work great on either one. However, I do use the parts from the 4oz dr. Brown bottle on the 9oz Gerber and Evenflo. Maybe that is why it works for me? Hope this helps! I do not know if the straw thing is made with BPA.
Lys
@everyone discussing Dr. Brown's: Did you notice our news yesterday? Dr. Brown's will be producing a glass bottle by the end of the year.
For the time being, know that your hacks are eliminating BPA - the other parts (vent components and nipple) are not made of polycarbonate plastic (we confirmed this in discussions with Handi-Craft, makers of Dr. Brown's bottles, yesterday).
Hope this news is useful to you!
On another BPA topic, can anyone suggest an organic formula that does NOT use a BPA-lined can? I am going back to work soon and will have to supplement with formula. Thanks!
To the anonymous poster who said they used the 4 oz. Dr. Brown's vent with the Gerber Clearview bottles:
A million thanks!! That totally solves my problem. No more nipple collapse and no more BPA.
Sue
What about pacifiers? Should we start worrying about them too?
@onemotherslove: We wrote about BPA in pacifiers here.
Solution using Dr Brown's nipple and 8 oz vent parts!!! We used the nipple, collar, vent and interior tube from our Dr. Brown's bottle in a Gerber Clearview 9 oz bottle...we cut down the straw part with a dremmel tool and it worked perfectly. The best part is that the gerber bottles are only $3.99 for 3 of them so this is a very low cost solution provided you have a tool that can cut the straw. I would guess that maybe some wire cutters would work too? Anyways, I hope this post helps someone because I researched this for HOURS!
I spoke to the store manager at BRU this weekend. He had a list of their produts that are BPA-free. Their "especially for baby" 6 pack of 5 ounce bottles in pastel are BPA free. They are shaped exactly like the Gerber Clearview. They also have a 3 pack of 9 ounce bottles that are darker in color that are BPA free.
The 6 pack of pastel bottles cost me $4.50 when I was in the store a few weeks ago, but apparently they are selling out.
Thanks Meghan! I use the 9oz. bottles for breast milk storage and I was hoping they were BPA free. I've replaced my son's bottles that he drinks from and I'm glad I don't need to replace our milk storage bottles as well.
This is good info, but does this mean that Dr. Brown's aren't safe/good to be using? Myself and many friends all have Dr. Brown's and our babies love them. Please advise! Thanks again.
@Anonymous: What to do with the information we provide is a choice only you can make for your kids - we don't presume to make it for you.
We are concerned about BPA in plastics and yes, Dr. Brown's polycarbonate bottles (and all other polycarbonate bottles) do contain it. We decided to collect and distribute the information about these products because companies weren't making it available to consumers except in one-on-one conversations with consumers. We decided that the process could be daunting for concerned parents, and elected to make as many of those calls ourselves as possible so that you don't have to!
I think your information on Avent bottles is partially incorrect. My Via disposable bottles have a recycle number of 5 and are marked PP for polypropolene, which you say is safe in Medela bottles. Is there a reason that it ISN'T safe in Avent disposables, or did you not check into those because they're marketed as disposable?
If I'm correct, I'd ask you to please update your list... glass bottles are forbidden in many daycare centers, and having other options is important for lots of working mamas. Plus, the Avent bottles are a lot more "nipple agnostic" than some of the other BPA-Safe bottles you're recommending.
Regarding using the 4oz Dr. Brown's vent in 8oz bottles. This causes the venting system to fill up with milk, making it not work anymore! It is basically the same thing as not having venting at all.
I just wanted to mention that if you go www.nuby.com (which is luv-n-care), they have an excellent line of BPA free baby bottles. The website they clearly states which bottles are made of polypropylene and which aren't. Also, nuby bottles are sold at Walmart, making them easy to find.
We stand by our claim that Luv 'n' Care offers incomplete and inconsistent information when findings on their website and statements made by their representatives are compared for accuracy. At the time of this report a rep told us that Luv 'n' Care was updating their website to better reflect which bottles are polycarbonate and which are polypropylene; to date, they still have not done so.
I noticed Playtex has their "Original" Nurser on the market to go with the drop-in system. I know the actual drop-ins themselves are supposed to be safe. The newer Premium holder is said to be made of PC and unsafe, but what about the "Original"?
I'm trying to find a safe way of sterilizing my BornFree baby bottles and Medela breast pump parts. Given that they're both made of BPA-free plastic, would it be OK to sterilize them in the microwave as well as in boiling water? More generally, since the dangers of BPA-containing plastics come from exposing them to heat, wouldn't those plastics be equally problematic to sterilize in boiling water as by microwaving?
Are Evenflo Breast Milk Storage bottles bpa free? Babiesrus.com has them listed as "bpa free," but other websites say they are made of polycarbonate. Which is accurate? I just bought of pack of storage bottles from Babies R Us and I am hoping their website has the most accurate information.
My baby loves her Evenflo Classic bottle. The clear plastic kind, not the glass one. I was wanting to switch her to bpa free bottles, but she really loves her Evenflo. So, after purchasing some Gerber Clear View bottles (on sale for $2.50 for a 3pk!!!) I decided to try the switch. My baby hated the nipple. She just wouldn't put it in her mouth. So, I switched the latex Gerber nipple with her Evenflo silicone classic nipple and found that she loves it! So, now we have a bpa free bottle with a nipple my baby likes! I also tried using Gerber Nuk nipples, and Evenflo Comfi nipples. They all fit, and no leaks. I just make sure the ring is on nice and tight. Also, I was at babiesrus.com looking for bpa free bottles and Evenflo breast milk storage containers ARE listed as bpa free. I am thinking about switching to those. I like my Avent storage bottles, but I want a less expensive bpa alternative.
Is see that Evenflo Classic Clear bottles are not bpa free. But, what about the Evenflo Classic Tinted bottles? Thanks, any info will be helpful.
To those asking about Evenflo: Evenflo does not currently make ANY plastic bottles that are free of bisphenol-A. We have confirmed this with the company on multiple occasions. Other blogs have stated that certain Evenflo plastic bottles are BPA-free, but they were mistaken and some of them have corrected their information.
I can see why Evenflo users are a little confused. If you follow this link,
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2793307
you can see that Evenflo milk storage bottles are labeled bpa free. If you go the Evenflo website though, you don't see any information on bottles. I don't know if the company is changing their products, but for anonymous 1, 2, and 3 hope this helps.
Now, does anyone know of safe teethers?
Dara
Mom of a 3 month old baby boy!
@Anonymous: That is confusing! Several other links list these as polycarbonate bottles, they clearly appear to be made of polycarbonate (the clarity), and again, we have confirmed this directly with Evenflo. Thanks for pointing out the link - it appears that Toys R Us is misrepresenting this product.
Why don't you recommend the evenflo glass bottles as a pick?
I'm sooo confused!?!
I'm hesistant to use the safe plastic ones, because in a few years something will be wrong with those too!
@Anonymous: By identifying them as "safe," we are doing just that. Our "Top Pick" designations are for companies who are clearly taking BPA seriously and working to provide a variety of safe bottles for consumers. "Top Picks" reflect brands we believe deserve widespread trust and loyalty.
Thank you for such an informative article. How about Evenflo nipples or nipples in general? Are they safe, as in hazard- chemical-free? Throught the comments, I notice that Dr. Brown's nipples are okay; and there was hint that Evenflow silicone nipples are okay too. I just want to make sure. Thank you!
I see this issue has been addressed before, but I just wanted some clearity.
Jeremiah stated that they stand by their claim that Luv'n' Care offers incomplete and inconsistant information.
The Nuby bottles have printed right on the back on the packaging- BPA Free. Should I be worried about this information. Your comment just makes me wonder if this information is factual or do I need to read deeper inbetween the lines? I just don't want to feel good that I'm using BPA bottles, when in reality they are not so.
Thank you so much for doing all this research. I immediately threw out our sippie cups and bottles and went and bought new ones. This is a great resource for parents
What about pacifiers???
Shutting off comments here. Thanks for all your feedback and questions - we tried to answer them all in our new edition of this report, which you can access here.
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