Posted on 12/26/2007 6:18:55 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
Local moms are playing it cautious when it comes to their babies' bottles.
Retailers throughout southeastern Wisconsin say they have seen a swell of interest in glass and bisphenol A-free baby bottles in the past few weeks. So much so that a store manager at USA Baby in Brookfield said manufacturers have been unable to keep up with his customers' demands.
"We've really seen a surge in the last month," said Tom Blackmore, manager of USA Baby. "It's been hard to keep glass bottles in stock."
A growing body of research indicates that bisphenol A - a chemical used to make the hard, clear plastic called polycarbonate, as well as the epoxy resins used to line aluminum cans - is harmful to laboratory animals.
In a first-of-its-kind newspaper analysis this month, the Journal Sentinel reviewed 258 scientific studies that looked at the effects of bisphenol A on live laboratory animals with spines, and found that an overwhelming majority of those studies indicated the chemical is toxic, even at doses below those considered safe by U.S. regulators.
And two government panels, including one that has come under fire as being biased toward chemical-makers, warned this year that bisphenol A might be dangerous to developing fetuses and children younger than 3.
A check of local stores indicates that moms are heeding the warning, and Blackmore's experience at USA Baby is not isolated.
Switching baby's bottle
Whole Foods recently expanded its aisle display of Born Free baby bottles, which are bisphenol A free, due to heightened demand. Other local purveyors of glass and bisphenol A-free baby bottles, including Babies R Us in Brookfield and Happy Bambino in Madison, have also witnessed a growing market for these bottles.
"Glass bottles are really hard to keep in stock," said Damis Newman, sales representative at Happy Bambino. "I get at least a couple of calls every day asking about glass," or bisphenol A-free bottles.
Carrie Clement, a mother of two in West Allis, said she just recently switched from Avent polycarbonate bottles to a bisphenol A-free plastic bottle.
"It's so unfortunate that I even had to make this choice," she said. "I feel angry by the fact that bisphenol A has been shown to contribute to health issues and yet the companies still make baby bottles with it."
However, not all parents are buying into the concern.
Angelique Fehr of Milwaukee decided not to switch her almost 1-year-old son to a bisphenol A-free bottle. She said she didn't find the evidence against bisphenol A compelling enough to toss her bottle supply and buy new ones.
"After reviewing all the information," she said. "I decided I was not concerned about bisphenol A any more than I am concerned about any other environmental toxin."
But throughout the country, parents are seeking alternatives to polycarbonate bottles.
Many companies are now offering alternatives to their standard lot of polycarbonate bottles, including Gerber, which makes the Clearview bisphenol A-free bottle, and Evenflo, which has a line of glass bottles. Both Born Free and Medela have always made bisphenol A-free bottles.
Michael Greenman, executive director of the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council, the trade group for glass makers, said there has been an increase in sales in recent months. He did not have exact figures.
"Some mothers and families would rather not have the bisphenol A possibility," he said. "There has been a rebirth of that (use of glass bottles) and we're pleased with that, and we think it's quite appropriate." Sales rise with awareness
Jim Thor, vice president of promotions for the Los Angeles-based NurturePure, which sells glass baby bottles online, said his company has seen sale spikes, with the biggest increases in California and Canada, where lawmakers have given the issue a lot of attention.
"Nationwide, we've had an increase in sales of over 500 percent over a six-month period of time," he said, declining to disclose sales figures or the number of bottles sold.
He said from May to August sales increased by 87%; from August to September, 97%; September to October, 163%; and October to November, 271%.
"A lot of parents want to go more toward a glass bottle, but there are still concerns about durability," he said. However, his company plans to release a new glass bottle soon that is wrapped in a silicone shell. It also is looking into bisphenol A-free plastic bottles.
He's confident the increase in sales will continue as more attention is focused on bisphenol A.
"It's surprising the amount of parents who are not yet aware," he said.
All plastic leaches chemicals when heated, even when not bisphenol A. Glass is superior if available.
Um, you neglected to factor in the competition ...
In my never to be humble opinion, this entire thing is nothing more than a scare tactic and is a bunch of crapola.
What about the baby bottle nipples? They must still be made of plastic. And what about pacifiers?
I hate plastic drinking glasses when my babies were little I had a couple plastic bottles but didn't use them much because I was never sure they were completely clean. A glass bottle you can see if there is anything stuck on the inside.
Oh....I don’t know.....my doctor(MD/Naturapath who is VERY GOOD) refuses to use a microwave....
interesting point!
You are right. Any beverage will taste better even water in glass. My dogs won’t touch a plastic water bowl. They don’t like them. LOL
Bottle Nipples
Choose bottle nipples made from silicon. They are the most durable and inert options. Latex rubber nipples can cause allergic reactions and can contain impurities linked to cancer (Freishtat 2002; Westin 1990). The same goes for pacifiers. Throw away any nipple or pacifier that is discolored, thinning, tacky or ripped.
I'll bet he/she doesn't know the difference between nuclear (ionizing) radiation and RF as produced by a microwave oven.
"Naturapath?"
NAH....I’ll bet he DOES.....and, yes, he’s a medical doc too...not just a “Naturapath”. Have you ever seen the tests they do on microwave water and plants? Does make you wonder.....and...I’ll allow this doc an idiocyncracy or two....he’s worth it.
So is methanol made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. But it is deadly to the human body. It can even cause blindness and mental retardation on inhalation.
Good point.
I just had to know:
Microwaved Water - See What It Does To Plants
http://www.rense.com/general70/microwaved.htm
And for balance:
Cooking with Plastics
http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/articles/halden_plastics.html
Cooking Safely in the Microwave Oven
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Cooking_Safely_in_the_Microwave/index.asp
Darn, beat me to it. Plus get rid of the fructose, and bring back sugar.
Thanks for the feedback. I am slowly getting rid of the plastic and aluminum in my kitchen and changing to pottery and glass. My two children are grown and I don’t have any grandkids yet, so the baby bottles thing isn’t an immediate concern. But, nowadays, articles about the dangers of plastic catch my eye.
= = =
[Off topic: At my age, (late 40s), estrogen dominance is something for me to watch for, (actually it’s something for all girls and women to watch for at every age), and I have heard that the polycarbonate plastic sometimes increases estrogen levels way too much, which is very very bad for a woman’s physical AND emotional health when it proportionally throws off all the other levels (such as progesterone), so, that is why I am trying to get away from polycarbonate plastic.
I also take Nature’s Sunshine wild yam capsules and use Rexall progesterone cream from Wal-Mart to help avoid estrogen dominance and to help keep my progesterone up where I need it to be.]
When they brought back “classic” Coke after the failure of “new” Coke, was that what changed? Because I swear the “classic” just isn’t what it used to be I don’t care what they say.
I've been told the whole thing was a ploy to switch the public from sugar to the high fructose corn syrup (HFC).
::rimshot::
The most appropriate vessel for administration of infant nutrition is flesh.
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