The Death of Plastic Bottles

Since the Canadian government sparked consumer panic with its decision to ban the import of consumer goods made with Bisphenol A (BPA), plastic baby bottles have taken a major hit to their image – glass bottles now line baby department shelves as confused shoppers try to figure out what they should be using to safely feed their babies.

Bisphenal A’s Bad Rap

Bisphenal A, commonly called BPA, is a chemical used to give great strength to clear plastics including some baby bottles. BPA is also used to make CDs and household electronics, and has even had use as a fungicide. In the wild, BPA has been shown to interfere with the endocrine systems of animals and there have been suspicions since the 1930s that low-level exposure can have toxic effects to humans as well, with bottle-fed infants being particularly at risk.

According to Wikipedia:

Studies by the CDC found bisphenol A in the urine of 95% of adults sampled in 1988-1994 and in 93% of children and adults tested in 2003-04. Almost all exposure is through diet, and infants fed with liquid formula are among the most exposed.

Although Canada in 2008 and the United States by 2009 plan to eliminate infant bottles containing BPA, the health agencies of both countries assure us that the levels of BPA found in consumer products are far below what would be considered dangerous and in fact infant bottles made with BPA do not pose a health risk to our children.

Not All Plastic Bottles Are Harmful

PANIC! The message seemingly spread by mainstream media is that all plastic bottles are bad for your baby’s health. This stems from a general lack of understand on the problem and the laziness of outlets to properly report and inform.

The point the government was trying to make is that some plastics are shown to have harmful effects, and even though the levels in infant bottles are well below what would be considered unsafe, the government take is that any margin of danger is unacceptable for our young.

Self-Educate: Know How To Read the Ingredients of Your Food Containers

The world is buyer-beware. You must hold yourself accountable for what you choose to put into your body and into your children’s bodies, and so you need to be aware of how to tell whether your containers are considered safe or not.

Resin Codes

The resin codes – sometimes known as recycling symbols – printed on the bottoms of plastic bottles and cans are in fact standard identifiers for the materials used in the making of that container.  Bisphenal A is a component in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) which is identified by resin code #3.

Resin code #7 refers to “Other” types that aren’t included in the rest of the numbers.  “Other” may include safe organic biodegradable materials, but it may also contain materials made with BPA.  If you see #7 at the bottom of a bottle, you need to confirm with the manufacturer that the material does not contain BPA – if you are unsure do not purchase it.

Recommended BPA-Free Plastic Numbers

To summarize, “they” recommend we purchase products made with safer plastics and identified by resin code #1, #2, #4 and #5

Concerned About Baby Gas – Farts and Fluffs

Today my baby made a funny face, lifted his leg high, and let one rip.  Then a satisfied smile and some cooing.  I couldn’t help laughing – grown men do that all the time (minus the cooing, usually) but I never would have imagined my son would too, at this age!

As sure as the sun rises, every animal on the planet passes wind.  Today’s article is devoted to the baby’s take on flatulence – a.k.a. nature’s pressure valve.

The Movement of Gas

Farts originate in the intestine and are caused by gas being absorbed by the blood, chemical reactions and bacterial excretions.  In most people the result is mostly nitrogen but about 1/3 of the population produces methane as well.

The muscles of your lower intestine are so sensitive they are able to detect the difference between gas and stools – this is why we don’t poop our pants half the time we think we are going to far.

A baby has not yet developed control over these muscles, which is why they seem to be straining to poop but all they produce is a lot of tooting.

Moving the Legs in a Bicycle Motion Helps it Along

If baby is uncomfortable or if you want to help along the gas (this works for poops too) move their legs in a circular motion as if they were riding a bicycle.  Most babies love this, and it gets the pooper going, sometimes – alas not always – breaking a spell of constipation.

Relief at Last

A fart may be preceded or followed by fussing from the baby.  Adults can be uncomfortable when they have to pass gas – imagine having that feeling without knowing how to relieve it.  My little one generally looks quite pleased after he fluffs – let alone after bowel movements.

When Gas Isn’t Normal

Excessive gas combined with discomfort can be a sign that your baby is exhibiting lactose intolerance and should be taken to see a doctor.  Some babies require a switch to soy-based formula in order to do well.

For those parents of babies who are just naturally gassy, take heart!  As your baby becomes more mobile, the issues will work themselves out.  We try to do all we can to help our children but sometimes only mother nature can fix the mess.

How a Thermos Makes Bottle Time Easier

When we found out we weren’t able to breastfeed our newborn son, it wasn’t a big deal to switch to bottle. But because of his temporary health issue, we had to prepare a meal for him every 1.5 – 2 hours. We realized that if we didn’t find a way to make bottle time as fast as possible, we were going to sink fast.

One of my wife’s aunts had a brilliant suggestion. At the beginning of every day, boil a kettle and put the hot water inside a thermos. The water stays hot overnight, and is always ready for the bottle.

Let me say that cooling down a hot bottle is a lot faster than warming up a cold bottle. All we have to do is run cold water into a glass, and put the bottle in for a few minutes while we perform the ritualistic diaper change. By the time we’re done, the bottle is almost always at the correct temperature.

Nighttime feedings are the hardest but this method makes them take 10-15 minutes rather than 20-30, which makes for a smoother sleep cycle for everybody.

Baby Sleeps on His Back

We can’t stress enough the importance of placing newborns to sleep on their backs. Research has shown that babies who are placed on their backs to nap are less likely to succumb to SIDS.

The ‘Back to Sleep’ campaign is a new phenomenon. While the jury is out on exactly why sleeping on the back is better, the number of SIDS-related deaths in the USA has dropped from 5,000 to 3,000 annually since back-sleeping parents has been recommended to parents.

Some babies – especially newborns – are soothed when placed on their stomachs. If you do need to place you baby on their stomach, supervise them the entire time. Place them on their back when they are to sleep.

In regards to choking and vomiting, babies are hard-wired to spit up and placing them on their back does not increase their risk of choking.