Guide to Baby-safe Bottles and Formula

Nipple: Start with a clear silicone nipple.

Latex rubber nipples can cause allergic reactions and can contain impurities linked to cancer.

Bottle: Use glass.

Plastic bottles can leach a toxic chemical called bisphenol A (BPA)
into formula. Avoid clear, hard plastic bottles marked with a 7 or “PC.”

Plastic bottle liners: Don’t use them.

The soft plastic liners may leach chemicals into formula, especially
when heated.

Water: Use filtered tap water.

If your water is fluoridated, use a reverse osmosis filter to remove fluoride, which the American Dental Association recommends avoiding when reconstituting formula. If your water is not fluoridated use a carbon filter. If you choose bottled water make sure it’s fluoride-free.

Formula: Choose powdered.

A toxic chemical called bisphenol A (BPA) can leach from the lining of metal cans and lids. Liquid formulas have higher levels. Powdered formula is a better bet. If you’re concerned about BPA, click here to tell infant formula manufacturers to remove it from their product packaging.

FORMULA BUYING GUIDE

1. Your first choice should be powdered formula in a can with as little metal as possible, such as the brands in this order:

BETTER	Nestlé, Enfamil & Similac powdered (BPA in top and bottom of can)
GOOD	Earth’s Best & Bright Beginnings powdered (BPA in entire can)

2. Second choice: concentrated liquid formulas

3. Avoid all ready-to-eat liquid formulas in metal cans

Heating: Warm bottles in a pan of hot water.

Microwaving can heat unevenly and cause chemicals to leach from plastic bottles into formula.

Article extracted from Environmental Working Group, www.ewg.org. For the full article, please visit http://www.ewg.org/babysafe .