The Baby Bottle Blues

When I was a baby, my mother used a glass bottle for me. I have 9-year old-twins and they were given plastic bottles. All three of us are alive and well. How is this possible?

It is true, glass baby bottles rarely break. Who ever determined that toddlers need to carry around bottles or sippy cups of any kind? Children can be easily taught to retrive a sip of their drink from a cup or bottle that is available to them from a kitchen counter or table. Imagine how the generations before us ever survived and even prospered without plastic baby bottles...they did and we can too.

For decades baby bottles were made of glass and they seldom shattered. they could be boiled to sterilize and were cheaper than the plastic (especially those awful 'disposable' ones). Unless you have a hard granite floor, and a determined toddler throwing the bottle from a high chair, the glass is strong and does not break. And they made cool bud vases after weaning.

If people are so worried about the health of their babies, why give them glass bottles instead of plastic? So they can drop the bottle on the floor and play with the broken glass? Plastic is a MUCH safer alternative that won't shatter and pose injury to young children. Seriously.

Regarding those women who keep on talking about the breast being the best...well if you watched a CNN special about the chemicals in our bodies...even when we are breastfeeding...we are passing these toxins to our babies. We have polluted our environment with our man made conveniences and its our future that is and will be paying the price. FYI I breastfed my first born 24 months (it was very hard at the beginning...but she was very interested), my second one breastfed for 3 months (she preferred the quickness of the bottle nipple and seemed to have less gas from formula) and my third one was given breastmilk for 1 month via bottle (he was premature). All I can say is that all 3 are amazing, bright, healthy children regardless of whether they had breast or formula. Though suprisingly, my fbreastfed irstborn ended up with dental caries whereas my formula bottlefed ones do not have dental issues. I am very thankful that the improved formulas are available.

Regarding those women who keep on talking about the breast being the best...well if you watched a CNN special about the chemicals in our bodies...even when we are breastfeeding...we are passing these toxins to our babies. We have polluted our environment with our man made conveniences and its our future that is and will be paying the price. FYI I breastfed my first born 24 months (it was very hard at the begining...but she was very interested), my second one breastfed for 3 months (she preferred the quickness of the bottle nipple and seemed to have less gas from formula) and my third one was given breastmilk for 1 month via bottle (he was premature). All I can say is that all 3 are amazing, bright, healthy children regardless of whether they had breast or formula. I am very thankful that the improved formulas are available.
Regarding nursing with an infection...I had a painful infection with my first born at 8 months...and I did breastfeed her...made by toes turn...but it did clear. However, my sister-in-law had severe infection in both breasts after the birth of her twins. She had to go on v. strong meds...there was no way she could breastfeed. So at the end of the day, you must decide what is best for your well being and your baby's health.

I have purchased the Born Free glass bottles for my then 7 month old...now 9 month old. He was a bigger baby and is sometimes freakishly strong...so with that said...he had no problem using the glass bottles. I actually much prefer them to the Dr. Brown's I was using because the parts are sooo much easier to clean. I hated the colic-free insert thing that they boast about. The Born Free glass is more natural and just feels much cleaner. I always hold him while he's drinking and I just support him when the formula runs low because he is too distracted to hold the end of the bottle up to finish...by that point he is bored and ready to move about. I also purchased the bottle sponge that they advertise and I feel that it cleans much better than a bristle brush because I can be sure it covers all the surface area. Lastly, I don't put my bottles in the dishwasher (which can be a pain...) but I found that tiny food particles would stick to the plastic parts of my old bottles and I wanted to keep these squeaky clean.

As for the breastfeeding debate...I did nurse my son for 8 months. I made up my mind that I was just going to do it and there was no other option. I had to fight for support when the going got tough because those around me always quickly defaulted to formula. Breastfeeding is the HARDEST thing I have ever had to do. I have a new appreciation for those who attempt it because it is far from a natural process when you start out. I am all for doing whatever works for you! A happy mom makes for a happy baby...hold your head up whatever your choice! My son weaned me after he started solids because looking around the room was much more interesting. I tried pumping but I didn't get milk. I let it go and shifted to formula. I do buy the organic and give him only distilled water because that makes me more comfortable.

IMPORTANT: I do want to mention though that while there is much debate about BPA...I found some articles/studies that state that BPA is also used in the lining of formula containers...the sides are lined with cardboard but the tin tops and bottoms are lined with BPA!!! Since we assembled as a marketplace to boycott the bottles...I suggest that we move to change the way formula is packaged so that those of us who don't really have choices can feel comfortable that our children are safe!!!

Oh my God! How did anyone ever survive without being breast fed? I'm amazed that anyone who was bottle fed ever lived to tell! Let's pause a minute people and take the time to think about this with some sense of reality. Yes, breast fed IS best. However, if one cannot breast feed and/or chooses not to breast feed for whatever reason, that is their choice, not someone else's. And let's stop making them feel guilty for not breast feeding. My daughter recently had a baby and wanted desperately to breast feed but was taking medication for depression that would cross over to her breast milk and was not good for the baby. My daughter had already cut back on the med during the pregnancy to protect the baby but needed to up it right after giving birth. If she had not done that, Lord knows what would have happened to her ability to care for her child. Her mental health was more important than breast feeding. She's doing very well and her child is thriving. So all you breast-feeding Nazis - back off on the women who make the choice to bottle feed. You have NO idea why they made the choice they did, and it is, quite frankly, none of your business!

No, not everyone can breastfeed.
I had infection issues that forced me to stop breastfeeding after 18 days.
Heartbroken and stressed that my boy wouldn't grow or be as healthy as breastfed babies...I fed him carnation formula and went on to healthy foods (NO Mc Donalds until after 4th birthday!)
We drink lots of water (no soda) eat lots of veggies and fruits...exercise...generally practice common sense and "everything in moderation"
He graduated from High School May of 2007 at 190 lbs and 6' 3".
* He missed over 15 days of school since Kindergarten due to illness...

I have purchased the Born Free glass bottles for my then 7 month old...now 9 month old. He was a bigger baby and is sometimes freakishly strong...so with that said...he had no problem using the glass bottles. I actually much prefer them to the Dr. Brown's I was using because the parts are sooo much easier to clean. I hated the colic-free insert thing that they boast about. The Born Free glass is more natural and just feels much cleaner. I always hold him while he's drinking and I just support him when the formula runs low because he is too distracted to hold the end of the bottle up to finish...by that point he is bored and ready to move about. I also purchased the bottle sponge that they advertise and I feel that it cleans much better than a bristle brush because I can be sure it covers all the surface area. Lastly, I don't put my bottles in the dishwasher (which can be a pain...) but I found that tiny food particles would stick to the plastic parts of my old bottles and I wanted to keep these squeaky clean.

As for the breastfeeding debate...I did nurse my son for 8 months. I made up my mind that I was just going to do it and there was no other option. I had to fight for support when the going got tough because those around me always quickly defaulted to formula. Breastfeeding is the HARDEST thing I have ever had to do. I have a new appreciation for those who attempt it because it is far from a natural process when you start out. My son weaned me after he started solids because looking around the room was much more interesting. I tried pumping but I didn't get milk. I would pump for hours for just a few ounces and I couldn't keep up with him. I let it go and shifted to formula. I do buy the organic and give him only distilled water.

IMPORTANT: I do want to mention though that while there is much debate about BPA...I found some articles/studies that state that BPA is also used in the lining of formula containers...the sides are lined with cardboard but the tin tops and bottoms are lined with BPA!!! Since we assembled as a marketplace to boycott the bottles...I suggest that we move to change the way formula is packaged so that those of us who don't really have choices can feel comfortable that our children are safe!!!

Some people absolutely CANNOT breastfeed their child. We started out nursing but at a couple of weeks she was diagnosed her as having Galactosemia. We immediately had to stop all dairy intake. In fact, if I had continued nursing I could have caused irrepairable neurological damage to her, maybe even death. So please before you judge a person because they fed formula to their child consider that they may be doing what's best for their child.

This is a disease that she will NEVER grow out of....something that she will have to live with for the rest of her life. She will constantly have to be careful of what she eats and drinks...otherwise lactose can build up to toxic levels in her body and since she can't break down lactose that means that one by one systems in her body would begin to shut down. And if she eats a slice of bread made with milk or butter she will never know she ingested it until it begins making her feel sick...which can be a LONG time and by then damage will already have been done.

When we were given this diagnosis it was hard...and I hate having to explain why I don't breastfeed my child...since that it is the "best and natural" way. When and if we decide to have another child we will have a 50% chance of him/her having this too.

Some people absolutely CANNOT breastfeed their child. We started out nursing but at a couple of weeks she was diagnosed her as having Galactosemia. We immediately had to stop all dairy intake. In fact, if I had continued nursing I could have caused irrepairable neurological damage to her, maybe even death. So please before you judge a person because they fed formula to their child consider that they may be doing what's best for their child.

This is a disease that she will NEVER grow out of....something that she will have to live with for the rest of her life. She will constantly have to be careful of what she eats and drinks...otherwise lactose can build up to toxic levels in her body and since she can't break down lactose that means that one by one systems in her body would begin to shut down. And if she eats a slice of bread made with milk or butter she will never know she ingested it until it begins making her feel sick...which can be a LONG time and by then damage will already have been done.

When we were given this diagnosis it was hard...and I hate having to explain why I don't breastfeed my child...since that it is the "best and natural" way. When and if we decide to have another child we will have a 50% chance of him/her having this too.

I am astonished at the number of women on here who find themselves to be so noble for exclusively breast-feeding their children. Lucky you to have employers who allow you to take breaks at all, especially to express milk, or to be able to keep your children at work with you in order to breast feed them. God forbid you stop looking down your noses at the rest of us to consider the circumstances under which other women live and work.

We were warned about this and other hazards regarding plastics, containers and even pvc pipes years ago at the Womans World Conference in Beijing. What amazes me is that it has taken so long for them to finally do something. I breastfed my babies ,watche my own diet, and switched back to glass containers that I had from my mum and Grandmother. I made all my own babyfood as well which was easy and a lot cheaper. than buying it,and healthier too! What am