Open my cabinets and guess what I find?

[Lovingliv]

So, in light of the whole #7 plastic issue we have decided to get rid of Avent bottles. I start to investigate the different plastics in my kitchen. I find that Gerber baby food containers are made from #7 and so is the single serve no sugar added applesauce I buy.
What have I been feeding my kids? How could I not have taken more of an interest in this issue 2 years ago with Liv?
I just feel so bad....that I have not listened to Brittone's posts...I mean I read them, and I learn from them....but I never acted on the info she presented.
SO,,,THANKS Brittone.....now post so I can rate you!

Please someone, tell me it will be alright. I just want to cry.

[gatorsmom]

Oh my gosh! I was almost certain that the Gerber food containers were a softer type of plastic (they felt like a #5) but you are right!!! I just checked and sure enough- #7 on the bottom!!! I really hated it when they started to move away from the glass jars to go to the plastic. Ugh, why did they have to do that??

It will be alright, it will. Our babies ate from those containers for such a short time in their lives. There is nothing you can do now so just be vigilant going forward. And be proud of yourself for taking action now- instead of in 10 years.

Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005
and surprise! twins due 11/07!

[punkrockmama]

Rachel, baby. It's okay. A great big, huge hug from me to you.

You're a good mama. We live in some crazy times. I bet our moms said that, and their moms. We do our very best. Somedays we feel like that's enough, others not so much.

We do what we can, with the info we've got. Remember back in the day when a "healthy" everyday breakfast was bacon, eggs, whole milk, etc? What can I say.....You can't beat yourself up. You can be informed, interested, curious, but you can't be *freaked* out. You can't.

You have two little happy, healthy sweeties who thinks their mom rocks.

They're right. :)

[Melanie]

You are doing your best! I'm afraid to look (though we don't have many like that) and it's not like soft plastic is all that safe either, but don't get me started on that.

Just think of what our mom's did, that they thought was best that we're horrified at (hello - how about stuffing baby FOOD down my mouth at 2 weeks old??), it was best then.

Now you know what is better and now you're doing it.

[Lovingliv]

EGADS!!!

I just checked my FAVORITE food EVER....hummous....and sure enough #7 container. We eat a TON of it.
Now what do I eat?????


You ladies rock....thanks for taking the time to say such kind words...
I need to hear it tonight!

[Jenny_A]

Okay, isn't the problem only when you heat this type of plastic up and it breaks down over time?

I use the Gerber containers too but I never heat them up. I always transfer the food. And do you heat the hummus up in the container?

Jenny

[janeybwild]

Perhaps I'm wrong in my reading of this, but risk is lower if you have not subjected them to high heat and repeated use/scratch. One time use carries much lower risk of harm than driving in a car IMO. Just a thought.

[JBaxter]

SOmething to think about is... Most food packaged are put into containers hot so they can be sealed so even if you dont heat them they were once hot in the container.

[Jenny_A]

Yeah, but again... isn't the problem the plastic breaking down over time? Not just by putting hot food in them?

Please don't misunderstand, I take the information about BPAs, plastic, and the recommendation withdrawal by the Fields very seriously. But, I feel like there's a panic being started here.

I plan to toss my Avent bottles and will check my sippy cups because I wash those in the dishwasher a lot and I can understand how the plastic could break down over time because of that. But, I don't think I will discontinue buying all foods that come in #7 plastic containers.

I guess I just am getting a vibe from this board that all plastic (toys, bottles, sippy cups) is a bad thing and, as parents, we are somehow harming our child by exposing them to plastic. It's difficult and expensive to avoid plastic in today's society and I don't think it's necessarily an inferior material.

Am I crazy or naive here? I write this with sincere respect to those who feel passionate about this issue. I think it's a great topic and am always open to new information or differing opinions!

Jenny

[brittone2]

Oh goodness, don't feel like you should have "listened" to my posts. Eeek! Heck, I have been concerned about this stuff for quite some time, yet I did braces while pg with DD (invisalign is polycarbonate, and the cement material used for regular braces contains BPA as well. Retainers are often polycarbonate...I'm not sure if there are any that aren't somehow capable of leaching?). It is so, so hard to avoid entirely.

I think the biggest thing, and this is just my two cents, is to push for the government to get this stuff away from our food. Really. It is so hard to avoid everything that might have BPA that I feel it needs to be removed from anything contacting food entirely. Trying to shop around BPA is so difficult since it isn't exactly labeled as being present on the lining of canned goods, kwim?

There are studies saying yes, BPA leaches into food/water even at room temperature. Also consider that a lot of food (like the Gerber babyfood containers) takes a long ride to its eventual destination in a very hot truck. It isn't refrigerated, kwim? So even in cases like that, our food does end up heated in #7 plastic.

You do the best you can. I'm not a perfect mom by any stretch (believe me!). I'm just particularly into reading about this topic because I personally feel there may be a connection to the PCOS that has affected my own body, and I worry for my DD (and DS, since things like insulin resistance are tied to PCOS and also to BPA).

It will be okay. For me, the biggest thing is trying to get this stuff OUT ASAP so that our children's children aren't riddled with an environment (or bodies) so permeated by this stuff that there's no turning back, kwim?

The science on this topic has been so clouded by conflict of interest since a large portion of the safety studies were done by the plastics industry (in many cases done by Sciences International, later contracted by the government to examine the safety of BPA before they realized there was a conflict of interest issue....inexcusably IMO). I don't think individual parents can fault themselves whatsoever. No way! As far as some of the internal industry studies...yeah, I hope some of those people have a tough time sleeping at night.

[kusumat]

Do you know whether the plastic #6 is safe to use?
Thanks

[ett]

The safer plastics are #1, 2, 4, and 5. The ones to avoid are #3, 6, and 7.

[katydid1971]

Add the little containers peaches come in. My go to on the road snack for DS is in #7, on top of that I have half a case from costco left. It kills me to waste food, but I don't want to poison DS. When I was teaching all the kids food came in little containers like that, I'm wondering about them?!?!?! Plus I just bought a bunch of polycarbonate drinking glasses for DH and I. We are so hard on glass one (we seem to break about 1 a week) does anyone have any suggestions for a dishwasher and clutz safe alternative for adult drinking glasses?!?!
ARRGG!!!!
Sarah

[AmyZ]

We have been drinking Culligan water as an attempt to drink water that has filtered out all the nasties from Pittsburgh soil. Yesterday, DH tells me that the bottle that contains my water is #7!!! I'm sure it is washed and sanitized a zillion times over....

Sigh... I thought I was doing something good by drinking non-tap water, but I guess not.


Amy Z

Eliana 2/04
Abigail 1/07
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url]

[Lovingliv]

Hi Beth,

Thanks for the post. I always enjoy your posts...and I listen but don't act on it....good thing I hate those awful flame retardant pajamas. :)

You have great info and I have read your concerns before...and always thought "won't happen to us, we are not at risk."
I am just realizing that we are all at risk......
I agree with you about the government waking up to all of this.

I am just so totally overwhelmed....and then you look around and realize the stuff is everywhere.

Thanks for being so well informed.

[Lovingliv]

I have already rated you....wish I could do it again!!!

Thanks again!!!

[overcome]

How could this be??? I did a double take when I checked the bottom of the container.

I am soooo sad...

[daniele_ut]

>So, in light of the whole #7 plastic issue we have decided to
>get rid of Avent bottles. I start to investigate the
>different plastics in my kitchen. I find that Gerber baby
>food containers are made from #7 and so is the single serve no
>sugar added applesauce I buy.


The disposable containers that things like pudding, applesauce and Gerber baby food are marked #7, but they are NOT made of polycarbonate which is a transparent, rigid plastic. The #7 is merely the code used for recycling and not all #7 plastic is polycarbonate. Gerber has confirmed that their baby food packaging is made from BPA free plastic.