HELP: Moms of FF Babies, BPA scare?

[ha98ed14]

I would like some feedback from moms of FF babies about how they are dealing with/ reacting to the BPA scare?

I switched to BPA free bottles when DD was 3 mo old, BUT I have been using the powered Similac formula that comes in cans. Now I am hearing that BPA is in the lining of the cans! I am mildly freaking out that I have been feeding my DD this toxin despite my best efforts to avoid it! She is 10 months old! I have been giving her this stuff since Day 1. I am returning my 2 unopened cans today and will but the ready-to-feed IF it comes in a safe plastic number (1,2,4 & 5, right?). I feel SO bad for not BFing, but I needed to go back on medication that is PROVEN to cause delays in mental development in fetuses and babies exposed to it. I feel like my choices were to have made my kid developmentally slow to set her up to begin puberty at age 8 or get breast cancer! That is what they are saying BPA does to girls, early puberty onset, reproductive cancers, and prostate cancers in boys . I feel horrible. Can anyone else relate? Please tell me I haven't been poisoning my kid?

[KBecks]

I fed both my kids with avent bottles and formula from cans. They were combo bf and ff, but a lot of their meals were formula. This was before I was aware of BPA and there's nothing I can do, so I've moved on. The kids are healthy and doing great.

Don't beat yourself up, change what you can and no use stressing over what's in the past.

[lowrioh]

I believe that the issue with the BPA is with Ready to Feed in cans not powdered formula. As far as I know there are no studies that link BPA to powdered formula.
I'd stick with the powdered formula if you are concerned about BPA.

[MontrealMum]

I am not entirely sure, since the information out there right now is so confusing, and people are really panicked...but I *think* the formula concerns are about ready-made formula in cans (with the pop-top lids) and glass jars (lining of lid). *If* the plain powder containers are lined with BPA it isn't quite as bad as using the bottles, since it's high heat that causes BPA to leach in greater quantities...as in pouring boiling water in bottle, especially one that's older and scratched, then mixing the formula in it. I did notice earlier in the week that someone posted a notice here about Nestle good start powder cans being BPA free.

It's extremely frustrating, I know. You try to make the best choices possible for your child and can't help but beat yourself up when it's not perfect. Try not to feel bad and obsess :)

[ThreeofUs]

I'll chime in here. BPA is generally used to line cans that hold liquids. As PP's said, I'd worry more about the ready-made. I believe powder cans do not use BPA, but you could always call the consumer-info line and ask.

Besides, it's liquids that leach the most BPA into food/drinks. Powder would have a much lower ability to do so.

[lovin2shop]

I emailed Nestle about it a few days ago. The highest risk is with ready to feed formula in cans as the cans are lined with BPA. The ready to feed formula in glass has less BPA as only the lid contains BPA. The powder formula is the lowest risk, as BPA is present only in a very small part of the container. They recommended powdered in a BPA free bottle if you have concerns over the issue.

Now if I could just figure out how to make Ethan take the powdered formula. I have a little formula snob, he only likes the ready to feed. Fortunately, I only have to supplement occassionally.

ETA: I could not find any brand or type of formula that is BPA Free after a fair bit of research.

[jerigirl]

I emailed Nestle about it a few days ago. The highest risk is with ready to feed formula in cans as the cans are lined with BPA. The ready to feed formula in glass has less BPA as only the lid contains BPA. The powder formula is the lowest risk, as BPA is present only in a very small part of the container. They recommended powdered in a BPA free bottle if you have concerns over the issue.

Here is a link to Environmental Working Group's findings on this topic:
http://www.ewg.org/node/25570
It pretty much coincides with the above info.

jeri

[ha98ed14]

Ok, This info makes me breathe a little sigh of relief because I have been using powdered formula in a BPA-free bottle, which seems to be about the best I'm going to get given my situation.

I called Abbott Labs (maker of Similac) and they told me that the lining of the powered formla cans do contain "minute" amounts of BPA, but that the ready-to-feed in the white opaque 1 liter bottles (#2 plastic) does not contain BPA. The "singles" powdered 1 serving travel envelopes are also BPA-free. So, for now I think I will try those and see how DD does. I have never bought ready-to-feed in cans (Thank God!).

Thank you ladies, so much. I LOVE that I can come here and get the best wisdom of the moment!

As an aside, I was on such a crusade to rid my house of the BPA that I took back the formula cans. I also pickd up some gerber baby food while I was out, brought it home, opened it and realized that it is packed in #7 clear plastic containers! Argh! I felt SO dumb! So now, I'm just going to buy baby food in glass jars!

[GeekLady]

#7 doesn't mean polycarbonate, it means miscellaneous. Check with Gerber to see what plastic the containers are actually made from.

[JBaxter]

I just heard Walmart ( of all places) is going to BPA free bottles by the first of the year. I just saw they are carring the parents choice brand BPA free bottles along with the Playtex drop ins.

[cvanbrunt]

Ok, This info makes me breathe a little sigh of relief because I have been using powdered formula in a BPA-free bottle, which seems to be about the best I'm going to get given my situation.

I called Abbott Labs (maker of Similac) and they told me that the lining of the powered formla cans do contain "minute" amounts of BPA, but that the ready-to-feed in the white opaque 1 liter bottles (#2 plastic) does not contain BPA. The "singles" powdered 1 serving travel envelopes are also BPA-free. So, for now I think I will try those and see how DD does. I have never bought ready-to-feed in cans (Thank God!).

Thank you ladies, so much. I LOVE that I can come here and get the best wisdom of the moment!

As an aside, I was on such a crusade to rid my house of the BPA that I took back the formula cans. I also pickd up some gerber baby food while I was out, brought it home, opened it and realized that it is packed in #7 clear plastic containers! Argh! I felt SO dumb! So now, I'm just going to buy baby food in glass jars!


I heard an interview on NPR with one of the authors of the study and I found his response to questions very telling. When asked if he would recommend changing baby bottles to BPA-free ones he hesitated and wouldn't answer saying they don't give recommendations. When pressed, he still hedged and said that this is one factor of many to consider. I keep thinking of all the findings in rodents that alarm or excite people that don't translate to humans. Remember when aluminum was the cause of Alzheimer's Disease? That data didn't transfer from mice to people. Or when they discovered obese mice lacked a hormone called leptin. Give a fat mouse leptin and the weight falls off. Turns out, obese people have plenty of leptin. There's a huge amount of work of translational work to be done. I'm beginning to think there's a lucrative industry of making parents question every thing they do. But I digress....