With the safety of some plastic baby bottles in question, parents face a mountain of information in determining what type of bottle is best for their baby.

Since a report came out in February 2008 showing the possible harmful effects of several common and widely used plastic baby bottles, the debate again has resurfaced as to what bottle is best for baby – glass or plastic? Parents are faced with mountains of information to sort through when a new baby arrives, much of it conflicting, and when it comes to baby’s health, many parents find themselves desperate to make the right choice.

Parents need to be aware of their options and aware of both the positive and negative aspects of the bottles they choose feed their babies. Here are some of the options available to today’s parent and some of the pros and cons for each:

Polycarbonate Baby Bottles

These are the bottles that have been under scrutiny and have been shown to leach bisephenol A (BPA), a potentially harmful byproduct of this type of plastic, on to the fluid inside the bottle when heated to 175 degrees F. They tend to be clear plastic bearing the recycling number 7. Popular brands such as Avent, Dr. Brown’s, Playtex, and Disney are made of this type of plastic.

This type of plastic is popular because it makes bottles lightweight, durable, and virtually unbreakable, all positive attributes when it comes to baby’s safety. They also offer the most variety to parents who may have children who are particular about the type of bottle or nipple that they feed from. The FDA does claim these bottles are still safe and if precautions are taken, such as only serving formula at room temperature, running the bottle under warm water to heat the formula, washing the bottles only under warm water with soap, and not storing liquids in the bottle, some parents may prefer to use these bottles.

Other Plastic Baby Bottles

Other plastic bottles available are made safer types of plastic and bear the recycling numbers 1, 2, and 4 for polyethylene and 5 for polypropylene. Bottles made from these materials tend to be opaque and do not seep bisephenol A so they are safe to heat for sterilization and warming. They also better withstand detergent used for daily washing and are not easily breakable.

There is a newer market of honey colored bottles made from Polyamide (PA) that is becoming popular with some of the “green” retailers. It is also bisephenol A free and has similar qualities to the above mentioned plastics. Another alternative is plastic bottles with disposable liners. These bottles are pre-sterilized and convenient, but can leak or the liner can break. There have also been cases of babies choking on tabs that have broken free.

Glass Baby Bottles

Glass bottles are the original baby bottle. The positive side to these bottles is that glass has none of the concerns found with the plastic bottles. It is also durable, long lasting, and inexpensive. The downside is that they are heavy and breakable, which could be hazardous to baby. Some companies are now making rubberized covers to protect glass bottles from breaking, but they can be expensive. Evenflo has been making glass bottles for years, weathering the ups and downs of bottle trends, while most bottle makers opt for polycarbonate because of its positive qualities.

Since most companies don’t offer their particular style of bottle in glass, glass bottles don’t offer the variety that plastic bottles do, so if baby doesn’t feed well from the bottle or nipple that is available, glass may not be an option. However, in light of the increasing evidence and concern regarding BPA, many companies are now providing glass and safer plastic versions of popular bottles.