Debate is growing about whether dangerous chemicals leach from plastic baby bottles into the breast milk or formula they contain. The State of California has banned baby products containing more than trace amounts of plastic-softening phthalates. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has urged parents to make sure that nipples and bottles are not made from PVC plastic, which also contain the toxins. Children should also avoid Bisphenol A (BPA), an industrial chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic, the key ingredient in clear, shiny baby bottles and many other plastic products (like reusable water bottles). When heated or stressed, BPA can leach out of the bottle and into the liquid it contains. Research indicates that at very low levels, BPA can disrupt normal hormone function, cause hyperactivity, impair learning, and affect the onset of puberty, among other health problems.

To be safe, avoid all polycarbonate plastic bottles. They’re generally clear, rigid, and may have the recycling symbol 7 marked on the bottom. Don’t heat breast milk and infant formula in plastic; dangerous chemicals are more likely to leach when plastic is heated. For the same reasons, avoid disposable plastic nursers. Finally, discard scratched, cracked or chipped glass or plastic bottles.

What options does that leave you?