Like all parents, you want the best for your child. And when baby suffers from stomach aches and squirms after each meal: the first thing to do is obviously to equip himself with a anti colic bottle .
But did you know that not all baby bottles are created equal? If you have read our other articles, you know that the baby bottles in circulation have:
- characteristics,
- shapes,
- and different textures.
Anti-colic bottle: what are the dangerous materials for your baby?
Although new laws have been created over the last two decades in order to preserve the health capital of the population, it is always good to remember that certain bottles for babies, designed BEFORE these same laws were pronounced, are unfortunately still accessible to parents.
The second-hand market is the main cause.
→ What are the dangerous materials that really make up a baby bottle, anti-colic or not?
→ What are the risks if ingested by your baby?
→ And how can you protect yourself from it as early as possible?
As usual, Élhée takes stock and helps you put in place the healthiest solutions for your baby!
Bisphenol A: a toxic component for health
Bisphenol A, also called BPA, is a toxic component and banned in the composition of baby bottles since 2010 in France, following numerous studies demonstrating the consequences in the event of repeated ingestion. However, we still find it:
- inside soda or beer cans,
- in the preserves metallic
- and in the bottles plastic ...
Bisphenol A has the particularity of spreading more easily in food when subjected to a temperature above 30 degrees . However, when you give a bottle of powdered milk or breastmilk thawed to your baby, you obviously take care of it warm up to make it better. It is therefore important to ensure that the bottle used is completely BPA-free.
Phthalates: invisible and less and less present in infant foods
Phthalates are principles used in the manufacture of plastic materials such as cellophane or cling film. They are formidable endocrine disruptors , which also harm the fertility in men and women. They can also affect the cardiovascular system.
Fortunately, phthalates and their resurgence in food are subject to analysis and strict standards faced by manufacturers of food products. It is therefore today very rare to find phthalate in your food, obviously invisible to the naked eye.
However, some foods can be prey to phthalate contamination. Tap water , although treated in a treatment plant, can in fact carry pollutants and heavy metals . Hence the interest in filter water before giving it to your child!
The reason for this pollution? THE pipes cast iron, often old, which carry water to your tap.
To improve the quality of your water and give it to your child with complete peace of mind, remember to protect yourself:
- of a screw-on filter directly on your mixer
- or a filtration fountain Stainless steel.
Beware of plastic filter jugs, which carry BPA!
Polypropylene: a component of your harmless anti-colic bottle?
In a study carried out at the University of Dublin in 2020, it was found that for every bottle of milk prepared and under the effect of heat, up to 10 million plastic microparticles were released per liter of milk!
Worrying figures when we know how fragile babies' immune systems are. No need to be premature for that !
The study nevertheless specifies that at this stage of our scientific knowledge, it is not possible to say whether or not there is a risk to the health of our children. And the possibility that this plastic content is entirely excreted by babies cannot be ruled out.
In order to limit the spread polypropene in baby milk formulas, it is however recommended to no longer sterilize baby bottles, since this sterilization phase accentuates the diffusion of plastic microparticles.
Pitfalls to avoid when choosing your anti-colic bottle
To avoid endangering your baby's health, and although fewer and fewer baby bottles containing harmful substances are circulating on the market, it is preferable to be familiar with all the applicable recommendations:
Beware of the second-hand anti-colic bottle!
The law abolishing the manufacture of baby bottles containing BPA only appeared in 2010, so it is better not to look too much into the second-hand market and risk acquiring a bottle from before that year.
Likewise, it is not recommended to recover old bottles with which you yourself were bottle-fed out of nostalgia, although this seems to please the baby's grandparents very much...
Beware of plastic baby bottles
Generally speaking, and according to the study that we summarized above, plastic baby bottles are those most likely to release plastic microparticles into baby's meals.
But then, what to do?
When we know that the majority of anti-colic bottles on the market are made of plastic and that the glass baby bottles may turn out to be too heavy to take in hand for your little one and what's more, they risk to break easier ?
Anti-colic baby bottle: the medical grade silicone baby bottle solution!
If you are a regular visitor to the Élhée site, you already know the solution!
Using a medical grade silicone baby bottle, in addition to promoting the awakening of your baby's senses, protects you against most plastic microparticles.
Unlike a glass baby bottle, Elhée's innovative bibRonds:
- are unbreakable and safer for your child
- are easy to hold by your baby during feedings
- are ultra- light
They are also odorless, which could possibly upset baby and interfere with your attempt to weaning , for example.
At Elhée, we advocate the choice of a medical grade silicone baby bottle, due to its multiple benefits. But if you're having trouble getting used to it silky texture or to his ultra-trendy design , it's up to you!
In this case, you can opt for other baby bottle materials, such as glass baby bottles for example, which have the advantage of not generating plastic microparticles, provided you have a nipple made of medical grade silicone or natural rubber.
If you persist in thinking that a plastic bottle is best for your child despite reading this article, then make sure when purchasing that the packaging is properly the words “BPA-free”, “phthalate-free”.
What you must remember
If you are looking for an anti-colic bottle, check that its composition respects your baby's health. Many chemical compounds such as BPA or phthalates are responsible for health problems among the world's population every year. A medical grade silicone baby bottle offers the advantage of not spreading plastic microparticles into your infant's food.
