Toxic...

One thing that Mark and I wanted to do when we adopted was to be sure that our little baby had the best that she could possibly have. This is a concern that all parents have. We wanted to be sure the food we were giving her was the best. We started talking about how we were eating and how that had to change when we brought the little one home. We ate poorly, as most people do. We would get packaged prefab food. We would by ice cream (sometimes still do) and eat a couple of pints in one sitting. We never really looked at what we were putting into our bodies until we decided to adopt. Then things changed. We started to eat better and read ingredients. Prefab food for the most part was off the table. We tried to become healthier.

So when Mikayla came into our lives we wanted to start her off with the ideals. We bought only organic baby formula. Although we tired many, her taste was for the more expensive brand – Similac. There was rumor that some mothers produced breast milk after their kids stopped nursing and they were selling it for new parents. Breast milk is the best, but we didn’t want to go that far. We would know nothing of this person, so we decided to stay with Similac.

We also didn’t want to get anything that was made in China when it came to bottles because, well, we just didn’t trust that either. Part of our research was finding out who had the toughest laws when it came to their kids. All our findings led to England. They have stronger laws concerning plastics and they seem to care about what the kids put in their mouths. In 2004 “Trade ministers from across the European Union have agreed on a law to phase out six toxic chemicals used to soften vinyl plastic in children's toys - seven years after researchers found evidence of a link between the chemicals and both liver damage and reproductive failure”. (read article) So for the bottles we went with Avent. They are made in England and they are wonderful.

So for the last 10 months we thought that we were doing the best for out little girl. Now all the reports are coming out about Bisphenol-A (BPA), which is a TOXIC chemical that is being used in the linings of baby formula cans. I felt confident that Similac was not one of them, but to my surprise Similac is made by Abbott Laboratories. Not only the possible formula contaminations but now there are reports that the plastic bottles may also have significant levels of BPA. So were we giving our daughter a double dose? For the bottles, from what I can gather is this chemical leaches out when heated. So if you follow the instructions on the package and boil them, then you are letting this toxin leach out.

There are glass bottles out there, but we thought for safety sake why not use a plastic bottle and one from a country that seems to not use toxic chemicals in their kids products. So much for that. Advent is one of the products that the Canadians are testing. “Researchers tested 19 baby bottles purchased in nine U.S. states and Canada including Avent, Dr. Brown, Evenflo, Disney, Gerber, and Playtex. When the bottles were heated to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C), they all leached BPA at about five to seven parts per billion. They also found that because of the BPA’s chemical makeup, it may leach more in fatty or acidic liquids, such as milk or apple juice, than in water.”

Why am I so upset? Critics say that BPA, which mimics the hormone estrogen, causes hormonal, neurological, and behavioral problems. They say that the levels are not high enough to cause concern, but they also said that about lead paint, asbestos, cigarettes, and many more things that are bad now.

On the upside, “Trade ministers from across the European Union have agreed on a law to phase out six toxic chemicals used to soften vinyl plastic in children's toys - seven years after researchers found evidence of a link between the chemicals and both liver damage and reproductive failure.” Maybe the U.S. will follow suit. The only problem is that we get most (if not all) of our stuff from China, and we know what has been happening there lately.

Read all the articles:
BPA Leaching From Baby Bottles
Baby Formula Additives Under Scrutiny
Toxic Chemical Used To Make Baby Formula Cans Under Review
'Significant' Levels Of Bisphenol A
Toxic Softeners In Plastic Toys
Infant Formula Cans
Congress Asks: Is Baby Formula In Safe Cans?
Toxic Toys No More