Even as a breastfeeding mom, I wanted to find the best non toxic baby bottles to have on hand. (The hope was that my babies would accept nighttime bottles of pumped milk from my husband, although this didn’t exaaaactly turn out to be the case.)
If you’re pregnant and and plan to bottle-feed full time or even only on occasion, you’re probably also on the hunt for the best non toxic baby bottles.
Here is how to find them!
1. Avoid Plastic Baby Bottles, Including “BPA-free” Ones
Plastic bottles are tempting—they are inexpensive, readily available, lightweight, and hard to break. But plastic leeches chemicals, some of which are known endocrine disruptors.
Don’t be fooled by “BPA-free” labels. BPA-free plastics that contain BPA substitutes like BPS are possibly just as bad, if not worse. This recent study revealed that infants could potentially consume up to 4.5 million plastic particles every single DAY when they are being fed by plastic bottles.
Bottom line: If you want the best non toxic baby bottles, you’ll have to avoid all plastic.
2. Be Choosy with Glass Baby Bottles
Glass has long been considered the safest material for baby bottles. In theory, glass bottles won’t leech anything into milk or formula.
Unfortunately, recent investigations by Mamavation and others have revealed that some glass bottles are contaminated with lead. In all cases, the lead was not on the bottle itself but rather the painted logo or other print on the outside of the bottle. Even though lead was not found inside any of the bottles on these tests, it could of course get onto your hands or your baby’s hands from the outside. For this reason, we recommend choosing bottles made of completely clear and unmarked glass (more on the brands we like below).
Glass baby bottle brands to avoid include:
- Comi
- Lansinoh
- Nouri
- Pigeon
- Simba
Bottom line: Watch out for painted logos on the outside of glass baby bottles, and avoid the five brands above.
3. Consider Stainless Steel Baby Bottles
Food-grade stainless steel is great option for safer baby bottles. Another plus: stainless steel bottles are lighter and less breakable than glass.
You’ve probably heard that some stainless steel water bottles–like Stanley–can contain lead. This mostly isn’t something to worry about, since there is really no way for the lead that’s used inside the insulated part to touch liquid in the cup OR the hands of the person holding the cup. If the “button” on the bottom of stainless steel baby bottle is compromised or falls off, then you should throw the bottle away.
Better yet, choose a stainless steel baby bottle that doesn’t use lead at all, such as Klean Kanteen or Pura.
We love Pura’s infant bottles because they are totally plastic-free, come in two sizes, are available insulated and non-insulated, and can be converted into bottles for toddlers, kids, and adults.
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Bottom line: Some of the best non toxic baby bottles are made of stainless steel, which is lighter than glass.
4. Silicone Baby Bottles Are Okay
My bottle-feeding friends love silicone baby bottles because they are lightweight, durable, and flexible. In terms of safety, silicone bottles are better than plastic, but probably not as safe as glass or stainless steel.
Research on silicone’s safety is relatively limited, but do know that silicone may leech at very low and very high temperatures. You might consider skipping silicone bottles for hot liquids and avoid putting them in the freezer.
Bottom line: Silicone baby bottles are a safer alternative to plastic bottles, but may leech at extreme temperatures.
5. Don’t Forget the Nipples
When possible, we prefer natural rubber nipples from a credible company like Natursutten. Food-grade silicone is also a durable and hygienic material for baby bottle nipples. Definitely skip synthetic latex nipples (like these by Gerber), which can contain a number of concerning additives.
Bottom line: Use bottle nipples made of natural rubber or medical-grade silicone.
6. Gimme-Approved Best Non Toxic Baby Bottles
It’s easy to become overwhelmed when researching the best non toxic baby bottles. Even the most inert material in the world–glass!–can be contaminated with lead when it is painted upon. And as more tests emerge, brands that you would think make super safe bottles are turning out to be the very ones you should avoid.
We hope this post has helped make baby bottle shopping easier. But if you still feel confused, don’t worry. We’ve done the research for you!
When we considered all factors and testing available, we came up with the following seven brands that we feel are the best non toxic baby bottles out there. (These are listed in alphabetical order, not order of preference!)
