Plastic has come under heavy fire lately for the danger it poses to human health. The chemicals in plastic that make it flexible and strong have been shown to cause health problems.

To keep your infant & newborn safe, remember to NEVER MICROWAVE PLASTIC! Instead, heat your infant & newborn’s formula on the stove. If you must use the microwave, use a ceramic container, not plastic.

The high heat of a microwave oven makes the plastic start to break down, leaching Bisphenol A and phthalates into your infant & newborn’s food and formula/milk. (Additional details about the specific health hazards posed by Bisphenol A can be found on page of this guide. To learn more about phthalates, see page.)

Which Infant & newborn Bottles are BPA Free?
The very safest option is to use glass bottles or stainless steel bottles.

•     Born Free: www.newbornfree.com, (260ml), $37.99. Available at Babies R Us, CVS, and Whole Foods.

•     Evenflo Glass Bottles only: 8 oz. Evenflo 6 Pack Clear Glass Nursery, $9.99. Available at Babies R Us and most mass-market stores.

•     Medela: all products are safe. Available at www.medelabreastfeedingus.com.

•     Avent: Only the Via System is BPA free.

•     Gerber: Only use the Clear View, Fashion Tints, and GentleFlow.

•     Playtex Nursery Designer Starter Set

•     Adiri Natural Nurser Ultimate Bottle

•     Sassy MAM Assure UltiVent

•     Klean Kanteen stainless steel cup with sippy adaptor: 12 oz. cup, $17.95.

•     Dr. Brown's Standard Feeding System Glass Infant & newborn Bottles

Reviewing the recycling code on the bottom of the bottle (as well as any product packaging you are purchasing) tells you a lot about the safety of the plastic in your hand. Some companies do not list the plastic type code, so you will need to contact them on their website or by phone to learn what type of plastic they use to make their bottles.

Look for codes #1-PETE, #2-HDPE, #4-LDPE, #5-PP.
Studies have show #2,#4 and #5 do not leach BPA or phthalates. Avoid codes #3, $6 and #7. #7 has shown the worst leaching of BPA.
The Japanese Journal of Health Sciences study (1999) found that new infant & newborn bottles, washed gently before using, leached 3.5 ppb (parts per billion) of BPA into water, while extremely worn bottles leached levels of BPA as high as 28 ppb.

Here are several examples of specific infant & newborn/toddler products and what type of plastic they are made of. All of these products are okay to purchase.

Plastic Type                         Product                    
#4                                             Playtex disposable Infant & newborn Bottle Liners
#5                                             Evenflo Infant & newborn Bottles (opaque, pastel)
#5                                             Evenflo colored Infant & newborn Bottles
#5                                             Gerber ‘Lil Sport Bottles Spill Proof
#5                                             Gerber Infant & newborn Bottles (colored)
#5                                             Gerber’s Fun Grips Spill Proof Cups
#5                                             Ideal Temp Feeding Spoons
#5                                             Less Mess Toddler Bowls
#5                                             Less Mess Toddler Spoons
#5                                             Medela Infant & newborn Bottles and feeders
#5                                             Medela Infant & newborn Cups
#5                                             Sassy E-Z Grip Cups
#5                                             Sassy E-Z Grip First Feeding Bowls
#5                                             Sassy MAM Spill-Proof Cups
#5                                             Sip-a-Bowl by Arrow Plastic
#5                                             Stroll ‘N Snack Cups
#5                                             Temperature Sensitive Forks
#5                                             The First Years Sesame Street
#5                                             The First Years Tumble Mates
#5                                            The First Years Winnie the Pooh