Mothers Try to Keep Baby BPA-Free
When many of us were younger, hard plastic was as every day as toilet paper. Our toys were made of it, our lunchboxes, and even our sippy cups and baby buggies. In a consumer shift as dramatic as the move from glass to plastic in the 1980s, is the growing movement against plastics in modern-day 2008. At the center of this debate is Bisephenol A, or BPA, an industrial chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic resins, epoxy resins, and other products.
Though BPA been used for generations to create the nearly unbreakable, often clear plastic that made Nalgene bottles a staple of the modern athlete, fear of neurological and tissue damage has caused modern day moms to roll back to the classic glass baby bottles of the 1950’s.
Why Moms Are Worried
Recently, BPA studies on rat pups have begun linking BPA to the accelerated growth of prostate and mammary tissue, a phenomenal that increases the chance of prostrate and breast cancer developing in adults. Though no formal statement has been issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services linking Bisphenol A and cancer in children and adults— pregnant women, those with small infants, and even the Canadian government aren’t taking any chances.
Moms Fight Back, Go BPA Free
A gigantic grassroots movement of parents against hard plastics that contain the chemical agent Bisphenol A has emerged and given plastic companies like Platex and Nalgene the nearly insurmountable challenge of getting rid of the very same plastics that helped their business grow. Since large companies are overwhelmed by the cries of parents against hard plastic, green and organic companies have answered the call and developed BPA-Free alternatives such as Silicone nipples and Silicone slips for glass baby bottles and metal bottles for toddlers.
Can We Really Go BPA Free?
With all of the new products emerging, on the market – everything from BPA-Free Breast pumps to BPA free pacifiers – you’d think that by the end of this year, parents would be able to avoid BPA all together.
The problem gets even more complicated when we consider the impossible task of trying to rid our lives of these plastics. BPA is so widely manufactured that it’s very difficult to reduce your exposure completely, but according to some sources there are ways to minimize Bisphenol A’s potential effects.
What You Can Do
As consumers, we’re often prey to scare tactics aimed to steer our purchasing decisions, so it’s important to remember to keep your head when making decisions for your entire family. Before you make the switch, take the time to read reviews from real moms on alternative baby bottles and food containers for your baby.
And please, always double check your sources. BPA and non-BPA bottles could look similar when ordering online. After all, we’re human and all of us are prone to mistakes. Even authors of best selling baby books!
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