How you feed your baby is one of the biggest first decisions you will make when becoming a parent. Often times, no matter the route in which you feed your little munchkin, a bottle will be introduced. We only want what is best for our babies and finding the safest bottle for baby is part of that! That is why we created a guide to help you on your journey to choosing your perfect bottle. These are our favorite non-toxic baby bottles!
Are Plastic Bottles Safe?
First and foremost, we need to talk about what is in plastic bottles. Some time in history, researchers found a link between BPA and serious health effects concerning the brain, prostate glands, and behavior of infants and children. Since finding these results, the FDA banned BPA from appearing in child products like baby bottles, sippy cups, and more.
Now we have BPA-free plastic products! Yay!
But… not really. Unfortunately, there is newer research illustrating that even BPA-free plastic is causing serious health detriments. This research shows that BPA-free bottles have been linked to the release of an estrogen-like chemical in the body that disrupts the health of our little ones.
I know this can be very scary but we have many options, as parents, to provide the best and safest alternatives to our children! Non-toxic baby bottles are not hard to find.
How About Stainless Steel or Silicone?
If you are reading up on safe baby bottles or sippy cups, you will almost always find that glass is the material of choice. It is extremely safe for baby and child as no chemical will absorb into baby’s milk. However, there are a few other alternatives for parents choosing non-toxic baby bottles.
Food-grade stainless steel is the next on the list for the safest bottle and sippy cup material. Many parents love this option as they are lighter for baby to hold and more durable. Because… well… we all know why durability would be important.
Kids drop everything!
There are many safe stainless steel options as they come totally plastic-free completely avoiding our BPA issue.
As for silicone, it is last on our list. It is definitely safer than plastic but it shouldn’t be the first thing you run to. The research on this material for bottles and sippy cups is more limited than the research done for plastic, glass, and stainless steel. However, the little research that has been done has shown that silicone may release some chemical components of the material into whatever baby is drinking at either low or high temperatures. So, you should avoid these types of bottles when using hot liquids or if you are planning on storing it in the freezer.
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Don’t Forget Those Nipples!
While it is easy to get caught up in the material used to make the bottle itself, we can completely forget just how important the nipple itself can be for the safety of baby. Non-toxic baby bottles need to be just that! Completely non-toxic!
Food-grade silicone is typically considered safest for baby bottle nipples as it is highly durable and hygienic.
There are other great options like natural rubber nipples (as long as they are produced by reputable companies). However, you will want to make sure you stay completely clear of nipples made from synthetic latex. Unfortunately, nipples like these are mostly produced by huge baby bottle manufacturers like Gerber.
Top Non-Toxic and Plastic-Free Baby Bottles by Type
Glass Baby Bottles
Life Factory
The Life Factory non-toxic baby bottles are glass and come with a silicone sleeve to protect from any drops that may occur! These bottles come in both 4 and 9 oz. options which make them a perfect choice for a bottle as most babies will start off with about 4 oz. and gradually increase.
Everything about these bottles is dishwasher safe making both mom and dad’s life much easier!
Avent
Coming in two sizes, 4 and 8 oz., the Philips Avent non-toxic baby bottles are a major win. These too, are a great choice for mothers who are planning to both breastfeed and bottle feed. They come with wide breast-shaped silicone nipples that help promote a great latch. This is important as a proper latch helps prevent discomforts for baby like gas.
Dr. Brown
If you are breastfeeding, you may find that it is difficult to get your little one to take a bottle. I mean… not only are you a major point of comfort for them but they are also used to the sucking motion and eating mechanics that come with breastfeeding. Switching to a bottle can be tricky!
Luckily, bottle manufacturers caught on to this serious struggle and started making some amazing changes to their bottles. One brand in particular, Dr. Brown, made these fantastic non-toxic baby bottles with breast-like nipples to encourage a proper latch and happy eating experience.
These nipples have been clinically proven to help reduce gas, burping, and spitting-up making like even happier for parents too!
Stainless Steel Baby Bottles
Think Baby
Free of BPA, lead, PVC, nitrosamines, phthalates, PET, and biologically harmful chemicals, you can’t beat this stainless steel bottle and sippy cup combo. This option is made of extra soft medical grade silicone to give baby a soft surface to drink and chew from (because we all know this happens with baby bottles).
Klean Kanteen
Made with your baby in mind, this toxin-free baby bottle is contoured and shaped in a way that fits little hands making eating much easier for your little one. The wide mouth also allows for easy pouring making mom and dad’s life a little easier too!
Silicone Baby Bottles
Comotomo
These bottles are created with breastfeeding in mind. They are designed to closely mimic breastfeeding to reduce rejection of the bottle for nursing babes and to avoid nipple confusion issues. Coming with an ultra-wide neck design, cleaning becomes easy which is an absolute blessing as any new parent will quickly find out. These bottles are made of 100% safe hygienic silicone and are safe in several environments like the microwave, boiling water, dishwashers, and sterilizers! Again, making cleaning a breeze.
Boon NURSH
Quite different from any bottle you have seen, the Boon NURSH bottles have an innovative silicone pouch that collapses as baby drinks which helps cut down and avoid ingestion of air during feeding time preventing things like gas and reflux.
Quick Tips for New Moms Finding Their Perfect Bottle
How many should you buy?
If you are primarily using bottles, you may find that you go through a few different brands before finding your “perfect” bottle. Babies, just like us adults, can have different preferences when it comes to eating and they may simply not like a certain bottle brand or nipple. Try to be patient through this experience and offer baby a different bottle brand!
When should you give baby a bottle?
Many moms will start using a bottle with baby from the very beginning. Others choose to breastfeed for some time before introducing a bottle. Either way, most lactation consultants suggest introduction at around 4-6 weeks of age. Why?
Well, if you are breastfeeding, there can be some nipple confusion that occurs when giving baby a bottle too early. This may never occur but there is also a chance that it could and that is why these experts have made suggestions on a time frame to lessen this risk. This suggestion is to also get baby used to taking a bottle in case they will need to drink from a bottle in the future. Whether that be mom going back to work or simply a grandparent babysitting! Sometimes, if a breastfed baby isn’t given a bottle at all, they will refuse it later down the road.
What are all of these sizes?
We know there seems to be a thousand size options to choose from and it can be way too overwhelming for a new or expecting mom. BUT… believe me when I say it isn’t too hard. Most newborns will only need a 4 oz. bottle in the beginning. With time, you will gradually increase this amount to 6 or even 8 oz. bottle sizes based on baby’s cues (trust me, you will know them).
Wait… there are different nipple flows?
Most of the time, parents will start their newborn off with the slowest flow nipple available for the bottle brand they chose. This flow will change as your baby grows and needs less help feeding.
Eat Easily
Feeding your baby shouldn’t ever have to be hard or stressful. At times, it definitely will be. We know that. However, there are so many things that you will learn to make feeding time much easier. This can range from the position you are holding baby to the type of bottle you are using.
We want your baby to eat easily and we want you both to love and enjoy your feeding time together. Finding non-toxic baby bottles is just the first step to achieving this!
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