What's with the glass bottles?

[mamahill]

So I was at BRU with Ainsleigh and DH on Saturday, praying to the god of bottles to reveal to me one that DD will actually take, when we noticed packs of glass bottles. Do people still use these? If so, why? DH speculated that maybe some babies are sensitive to plastic bottles? But the nipples are still silicone. I'm curious as to why these are around -- they seem like they'd be heavier and easier to break. Anybody know?

BTW, we came away with an Especially for Baby and cheap Evenflo, since the playtex and avent bottles aren't cutting it for her. Will see what happens...

[Rachels]

Does she take a pacifier? Abigail refused bottles for a good while (after taking them just fine-- go figure). We finally got her to accept a Nuk bottle with a nipple that matched her Nuk pacifier.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[KathyO]

I've heard from some sources that glass is better for EBM because all the good antibodies and whatnot tend to cling to the plastic bottles, and hence stay in the bottle and not go into the baby. I am a tad skeptical, but there you are.

There are also some species of plastic (too busy to look it up right now) which have been found to release not-good chemicals into the milk when the bottle was heated in a microwave. As I understand, these plastics are being withdrawn from the market, but I think it has really spooked some folks off of plastic in general.

And yes, they're heavier and easier to break. To go off on a momentary tangent, I am fascinated by the subject of war brides, and the whole phenomenon of marrying a man and travelling to a completely new continent to take up your life with him. What an act of faith! Most of these women left urban environments like London, and most found themselves in rural North America, often without plumbing or electricity! Anyway, for the sea voyage over, they were instructed to wean their babies onto bottles (I'd love to know who thought this was a good idea. Gotta love the government.) Inevitably the glass bottles rolled off of tables or got dropped on the tossing ships, and broke, so there were never enough to go around. On top of that, the water to mix up the formula was often contaminated, so the poor babies got diarrhea. Diaper-washing arrangements were cramped and primitive (these were troop ships), so that was a stinky, messy nightmare. And of course everyone was gruesomely seasick, AND horribly homesick, and the pregnant ones were morning sick on top of it all... How can one not have enormous respect for these tough, adventurous women?

Anyway, way off topic, but I can't resist a good story.

Cheers,

KathyO

[Rachels]

I've heard the microwaving-in-plastic thing, too. Here's something I read about it:

As a seventh grade student, Claire Nelson learned that di(ethylhexyl)adepate
(DEHA), considered a carcinogen, is found in plastic wrap. She also learned
that the FDA had never studied the effect of microwave cooking on
plastic-wrapped food. Claire began to wonder: "Can cancer-causing particles
seep into food covered with household plastic wrap while it is being
microwaved?"

Three years later, with encouragement from her high school science teacher,
Claire set out to test what the FDA had not. Although she had an idea for
studying the effect of microwave radiation on plastic-wrapped food, she did
not have the equipment. Eventually, Jon Wilkes at the National Center for
Toxicological Research in Jefferson, Arkansas, agreed to help her. The
research center, which is affiliated with the FDA, let her use its
facilities to perform her experiments, which involved microwaving plastic
wrap in virgin olive oil.

Claire tested four different plastic wraps and "found not just the
carcinogens but also xenoestrogen was migrating [into the oil]..."
Xenoestrogens are linked to low sperm counts in men and to breast cancer in
women.

Throughout her junior and senior years, Claire made a couple of trips each
week to the research center, which was 25 miles from her home, to work on
her experiment. An article in Options reported that "her analysis found that
DEHA was migrating into the oil at between 200 parts and 500 parts per
million. The FDA standard is 0.05 parts per billion." Her summarized results
have been published in science journals. Claire Nelson received the American
Chemical Society's top science prize for students during her junior year and
fourth place at the International Science and Engineering Fair (Fort Worth,
Texas) as a senior. "Carcinogens -- At 10,000,000 Times FDA Limits,"
Options, May 2000; published by People Against Cancer, 515-972-4444.

On Channel 2 (Huntsville, AL), they had a Dr. Edward Fujimoto from Castle
Hospital on the program, and who is the manager of the Wellness Program at
the hospital. He was talking about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He
said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave in plastic
containers. This applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the
combination of fat, high heat and plastics releases dioxins into the food
and ultimately into the cells of the body. Dioxins are carcinogens and
highly toxic to the cells of our bodies. Instead, he recommends using glass,
Corning Ware, or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same
results without the dioxins. So such things as TV dinners, instant soups,
etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else.
Paper isn't bad, but you don't know what is in the paper. Just safer to use
tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He said we might remember when some of
the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper; the
dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

As Saran-wrapped foods are nuked, the high heat will actually drip poisonous
toxins into the food. Use paper towels instead.


FWIW, I don't microwave in plastic anymore, just in case. Bummer, because I make Abby's baby food and freeze it in those little Glad-ware things,, and it would be great to just nuke it when I needed it. If anybody finds out how you know which plastics are safe, please post!

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[cara1]

KathyO, I heard that the antibodies from EBM stick to glass, not plastic, so go figure...

[twins r fun]

This is what I've heard, too.

Nicole

[mamahill]

Spooky - I never knew! I guess that makes sense why people would use glass bottles - but isn't it a no-no to stick the bottle in the microwave?

And no, Ainsleigh does NOT take a pacifier. Well, not in the way it is intended. She LOVES to play with it. She'll gnaw on it and turn it around and talk to it, but she won't suck on it for more than two sucks before it flies out of her mouth. She'll stick the nipple part on the side of her mouth and chew on it. Same with bottle nipples. But we're trying (I even point out all the babies sucking away and say, "See how happy he/she is!" she's not impressed). I guess I'll be just be thankful that she eats her cereal and anything else I spoon-feed her with gusto. I'd just like to take up DH's work on their offer of a one-night stay at the W Hotel where their holiday party is. It's been SO LONG since we've done something like that. Oh well. I love being a mom and they're not small forever, right?

[jen lehman]

Someone I work with forwarded this article in an e-mail, then did some research. I believe this is one of those "urban legend" articles. I just didn't want anyone to freak out.

Jennifer H. Lehman
EDD--12/28/02

[mamahill]

Oooh, urban legends make me mad. Well, sometimes I find them funny at how people really believe them. But anyway, I always check this one site before taking what people say as truth. Here's the lowdown on the plastics thing...

http://www.urbanlegends.com/ulz/plastic.html

It has recommendations from the USDA and links to other articles. HTH anyone who is still confused...

[Rachels]

I hate them, too. That was just the email I got. But I also remember seeing something about it on a health news website. Better safe than sorry, I figure, although I would be delighted to be wrong about this.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02