Toxic Baby Bottles

A new study has recently been published the points to the dangers of toxic chemicals used in the production of baby bottles. According to the study:

Products marketed for infants and children are not always completely safe for their use. Many contain toxic chemicals that may have detrimental health impacts for children exposed during critical stages of development. In this report, we analyze the extent to which five popular brands of baby bottles leach bisphenol A, a developmental, neural, and reproductive toxicant, into liquids coming into contact with them. We found that all five brands leach bisphenol A at dangerous levels found to cause harm in numerous laboratory animal studies.

The study goes on to describe how exposure to besphenol A can lead to cancer, diabetes, hyperactivity, and other, among other disorders. The five brands of nipples that were tested: Avent, Dr. Brown's, Evenflo, Gerber, and Playtex. The authors of the study recommend that:

Parents have the right to know about chemicals in the products they purchase for their children. In the absence of good government regulations, but armed with the knowledge that some chemicals are a cause for concern, parents can take a few simple actions to limit their child’s exposure to these and other
toxic chemicals.At the store, parents should select baby bottles that are made from glass or a safer non-polycarbonate plastic. At home, parents should avoid washing plastic dishware with harsh dishwashing soap and hot water, which may allow chemicals to leach out of the plastic.

I found this really disturbing on a personal level because we used Playtex nipples for the Mermaid when I was in school full time. It is studies like this that make me wonder and ask, how safe our the products that we use every day? That lotion you put on your skin every morning, the lotion you put on your baby...how safe is it really?

There is a great website where you can go to and find out how safe the products you use are. The website is called Skin Deep, and according to the site:

Skin Deep was conceived and developed by the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit research and advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. focused on safeguarding public health and the environment. Skin Deep is an online,
brand-by-brand personal care product safety guide with in-depth information on 14,835 products - 1,051 brands of lotion, lip balm, deodorant, sunscreen and other popular products - and the 7,093 ingredients that form them. With its core
of 37 toxicity and regulatory databases, Skin Deep provides safety ratings and brand-by-brand comparisons that can help consumers choose safer products, and that can guide companies in plans for reformulating products.

I urge every parent out there to go to this site and look up the products they use. Make sure the products that you are exposing your child to are non-toxic!

Toxic Baby Bottles