Baby bottles. When you’re deciding what kind of bottles to buy for your baby, the options can be overwhelming. There are pros and cons to each: Plastic bottles are inexpensive and convenient, but there are concerns about potentially harmful chemicals used in plastic. Glass bottles don’t have these chemicals, but they’re more expensive, heavy, and could break if dropped. There are also baby bottles made from stainless steel and silicone, which are both safe for babies.
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Baby bottles come in all shapes, sizes, and materials, and it can be overwhelming to figure out what bottle will work best for you and your baby. From plastic to glass to stainless steel, it’s useful to know the pros and cons of each – especially since you’re looking after both your baby’s well-being and your family’s budget.
There are advantages to using non-plastic baby bottles. The biggest concern about plastic baby bottles is that they can leach chemicals that could have a harmful effect on a person’s health.
Experts recommend using alternatives to plastic (like glass) when possible. But glass and stainless steel bottles have downsides – they can be expensive, heavy, and less welcome at daycare. So don’t beat yourself up if you can’t use non-plastic bottles. The most important thing is that your baby is being fed and receiving the nutrition they need.
Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of glass and plastic baby bottles – and other types of bottles that are out there, too.
Plastic baby bottles
Plastic baby bottles are the most common and widely available type of bottles. They’re usually the least expensive and most convenient option for parents. There are tons of options to choose from, depending on what your baby needs – whether it’s a special bottle shape suited for breastfed babies, or vents to make it easier for your baby to drink without getting gassy.
But there are potential health concerns associated with using plastic bottles and other plastic products to hold food or drinks. Concerns over plastic baby bottles first arose because of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that was used in plastic products and food can liners for decades to harden plastic, keep bacteria out of food, and prevent rust.
BPA can mimic estrogen in the body and may impact the timing of puberty, decrease fertility, increase body fat, and possibly impact the nervous and immune systems. Most of what experts know about this comes from animal studies, though, so its impact on people isn’t totally certain.
Today, plastic baby bottles manufactured no longer contain BPA. The world banned BPA in the manufacture of all baby bottles and sippy cups in 2012.
But studies suggest that harmful chemicals can leach from any type of plastic – even those that don’t contain BPA. In fact, some BPA-free plastic products have been found to leach even higher amounts of synthetic hormones than those made with BPA. BPA was widely replaced with BPS (bisephenol S), which is a similar compound and may have similar effects.
BPA and BPS might not be the only problematic chemicals in plastic. For instance, phthalates are chemicals widely used to make plastic flexible. There are concerns that phthalates can affect genital development, metabolic functioning, and possibly the cardiovascular system.
A single piece of plastic (and a product like a baby bottle) contains a large number of chemicals. It’s hard to know for sure the effects each individual chemical could have on health – especially when they are ingested. For example, the chemical polypropylene sheds millions of plastic particles into liquid, which can then be ingested when a baby drinks from a bottle.
If you do use plastic baby bottles, there are things you can do to reduce the risk of chemicals leaching into the milk or formula:
- Avoid putting plastic bottles in the dishwasher or microwave – the high temperatures can cause chemicals to leach. (Plus, microwaving bottles isn’t safe because it can cause hot spots.)
- Instead of washing bottles in the dishwasher, hand wash them with a nonabrasive sponge or bottle brush. Scrub with warm, soapy water, and rinse well.
- Avoid plastic bottles with recycling codes 3 (for pthalates), 6 (for styrene, which may cause negative cognitive effects), and 7 (for biphosphenols).
- Use plastics labeled as “biobased” or “greenware.” This means they’re made from corn and don’t contain bisphenols.
- Get rid of baby bottles and sippy cups that turn cloudy or are scratched or cracked. Worn bottles may leach chemicals more easily.
Glass baby bottles
One popular alternative to plastic bottles is glass. With glass baby bottles, you don’t need to worry about chemicals leaching. They’re sturdy, but some might be a little heavy, especially if your baby is holding the bottle on their own.
If they break, glass bottles can be dangerous. However, many come with silicone sleeves to prevent breaks and cracks. While your selection may not be as varied as with plastic bottles, glass bottles are back in style and options are more plentiful.
If your baby goes to daycare, find out if they allow glass bottles – some daycares don’t because of the risk of breaking, and some require the bottles to have a protective sleeve. If your baby’s daycare doesn’t allow glass bottles, you could always keep the glass at home and send different bottles to daycare.
Other types of baby bottles
Stainless steel baby bottles
Stainless steel baby bottles are another great option. They’re durable, have no risk of cracking or shattering, and don’t have chemicals that could leach into your baby’s milk or formula.
But stainless steel bottles may be a little heavy and are likely the most expensive option. You also may be limited in the variety of bottle styles – for example, you may have a hard time finding a stainless steel bottle that’s vented to reduce gas and colic.
Silicone baby bottles
There’s very little research on whether silicone is safe to use in baby bottles specifically, but silicone doesn’t have the same chemicals as plastic bottles. They’re free from BPA, BSA, phthalates, and other potentially harmful chemicals.
Silicone bottles are also soft, durable, and easy to clean – they can hold up to higher temperatures than plastic bottles, so they’re dishwasher safe.
But since they’re soft, silicone bottles may not stand up on their own very well, depending on their shape. They also may not last as long as other types of bottles, and they tend to be on the expensive side.
Babies may like using silicone bottles since they’re soft like a breast, especially compared to other types of hard bottles. They’re also lightweight and easy to pack.
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