Products & Ideas...

We’ve gotten quite a response from the BPA-related articles, and everybody wants to know where to get BPA free formula, bottles, and baby products, and fast. So, here’s our guide to products that are practical, adorable, and, best of all, BPA-free.

Baby Formula

When it comes to baby formula, the Enviroblog recommends powdered—BPA is in the lining of aluminum baby formula cans and ready-to-feed baby formula that’s not diluted before feeding has the highest levels of BPA. The Environmental Working Group surveyed five baby formula companies in the U.S. and four (Nestle, Similac, Enfamil, and PBM) said that BPA is in the lining of the cans that hold their formula. BPA is also in metal in the powdered formula containers, but powdered is a better choice. According to the EWG, “babies fed reconstituted powder formula likely received 8 to 20 times less BPA than those fed liquid formula from a metal can.”

So, shopping for baby formula, the key is to reduce your risk. Enfamil and Similac powdered formula are sold in cardboard and metal cans that have less BPA. If you’re buying liquid formula, go for concentrate rather than ready-to-eat because adding the water to dilute it will reduce the BPA exposure.

Baby Bottles and Sippy Cups

When you’re buying bottles and cups, there are tons of BPA free options to choose from. And good thing too, because BPA can leach from plastic baby bottles into milk or other liquids that your baby drinks. General advice: stay away from bottles that are marked with the number seven, and use clear silicone nipples. Warm bottles in a pan filled with water, not the microwave, which cause chemicals to release into the milk and can heat unevenly.

Buy glass bottles if you can (Silikids and The Soft Landing both sell safe glass bottle covers). In the store, Playtex, Gerber, and Parent’s Choice (in Wal-Mart) all have BPA free bottle options (look for the BPA free labels and assume a plastic product has BPAs unless the packaging says otherwise). And, there are a host of newer companies with safe bottles and sippy cups:

The Adiri Natural Nurser is a uniquely designed bottle.

Born Free has bottles, nipples, trainer cups, and drinking cups for infants and toddlers.

Nurture Pure sells bottles and cups.

The Boon No Spill Sippy Cup is a two-piece sippy cup with a creative design.

Think Baby has a whole line of safe plastic baby bottles, covers, and nipples.

Get a full list of BPA free baby bottles recommended by Safe Mama at Amazon.com.

Pacifiers and More

Pacifiers are another product that end up in baby’s mouth and should be as safe as possible, and then there are all the other little plastic products (storage containers, spoons, etc) that you need to keep baby well fed. Here are some online shopping options to choose from:

The Razz Berry pacifier is all natural and designed to soothe teething babies.

The Natursutta pacifier is made of natural rubber without any nasty plastics or artificial colors.

Eco Piggy has all natural pacifiers, clothing, and other products.

One Step Ahead has a storage system of small plastic containers to store your homemade baby food, or just the leftovers.

For older kids (or you) Laptop Lunches is a lunch storage system that’s designed like a Bento Box.

Browse Munchkin for safe pacifiers, snack containers, and more.

For more baby recommendations, visit the Nature Moms blog.

Photo credit: the Razz Berry pacifier from Amazon.com

 
For more information on BPA, check out these stories:

BPA in Dental Plastic: Are the Fillings in your Teeth Dangerous? 

BPA: The Dangers of Canned Food May Be Greater Than Plastics

BPA: 5 Tips to Avoid the Dangers in Plastics

Where to Find BPA-Free Baby Bottles and Sippy Cups

BPA: Plastic Products That Are BPA-Free 

Your BPA Questions Answered