Bisphenol A, otherwise known as BPA, has been in the news for the last couple of years and, as many of you already know, is a known endocrine disruptor. The endrocrine system is basically the body’s hormone control center and is directly related to reproduction. Unfortunately, it is our children who tend to get the most exposure to BPA. Baby bottles and water bottles have gotten quite a bit of attention regarding BPA but what about those handy dandy little cups that keep spills at bay?

Sippy cups

These are generally made out of #5 plastic and are considered relatively safe. BPA- free is, of course, a safer choice, with food grade stainless steel being the best choice.

I believe that liquid should not be left in plastic of any kind for more than a few hours. This includes BPA free sippy cups.  Why? Because I don’t trust plastic. I have lost all confidence in the FDA to keep us safe from plastics and just because they claim that anything BPA free is safe doesn’t mean that next year there won’t be another plasticene that is found to leach. I would rather just be safe and stay away from all plastic. That being said, stainless steel sippy cups can be pricey and I know that even I still have two sippy cups made with BPA sitting in my cupboard. So my general guidelines for plastic sippy’s of any kind are:

• A good rule of thumb is to use a new sippy, with new liquid in it every day. If water has sat overnight in a sippy, it’s a good idea to dump it and get a new one out of the cupboard.
• If you wash your sippy cups in the dishwasher (top rack only) I highly advise to replace them every 6 months to a year. Anything that’s been through the dishwasher many times, chewed on, or is damaged in any way is worth replacing frequently. (Keep this in mind when pricing stainless steel sippy’s which do not need to be replaced ever.)
• Never leave in the sun, a hot car or microwave.
• Anything acidic such as juice makes plastic leach. If at all possible serve juice in a glass or stainless steel sippy.
• Anything fatty such as milk makes plastic leach.  If at all possible serve milk in a glass or stainless steel sippy.

Where To Buy Safe Sippy Cups

In the past two years manufacturing of stainless steel sippee cups has drastically increased. Plastic used to be the only choice. Now BPA free sippy cups are even available at such places as Target. However finding stainless steel sippy’s can be a bit more challenging. personally, I really like the Kleen Kanteen stainless steel sippy cups. They can be used as a regular water bottle or converted to a sippy. I got mine online at Reusable Bags and have been very happy with it. We also have a cute OGGI brand pink stainless steel sippy that has yet to leak.

Amazon is always a great place to read comments from other moms. There are many brands out there so, do a little research, find which brand you like best and then Bing it. Overstock.com and other discount online stores often have just what you were looking for only in last years color. That being said, I will again, suggest Reusablebags.com. They have excellent customer service, reasonable shipping prices and a wide variety of brands and designs to choose from.

I have found that REI has pretty comparable prices when it comes to water bottles and sippy cups. They don’t have a lot of sippy cup selection but if you’re near an REI they’re worth checking out.

Don’t Be Fooled by Aluminum

I have been fortunate enough to find stainless steel sippy’s for really good prices at discount stores such as TJ Maxx and Ross. However, usually when I find what is seemingly a stainless steel water bottle or sippee for a really good price, they are actually aluminum. I don’t recommend aluminum because it has to be coated with……drum roll please………. plastic in order for it to be food grade. Like  in the aluminim cans that our canned goods come in, that plastic coating contains BPA.

Washing Sippy Cups and Water Bottles

Since sippy cups and water bottles have become an “investment” I now wash all of them by hand. Especially the lids (which I’ve ruined in the dishwasher, even the top rack). The key to keeping germs and creepy crawlies out is to let that container dry out completely. Moisture is bacteria’s best friend so make sure it’s completely dry between uses (and before putting the lid on and putting in the cupboard).

There’s no need to buy special cleaners for your stainless steel bottles. Simply use dish soap or, for the bottle with a really small neck, spray in some hydrogen peroxide and (from a separate bottle) spray in some white vinegar. This combination has been proven to kill bacteria such as e.coli and salmonella as well as bleach. I keep a baby bottle brush around just for my water bottles and sippy cups. This gets all of the hard to reach places and makes the job go quickly.

Baby Shower Gift Idea!

Although I do love to buy a cute outfit for a baby shower I now spend that money on a stainless steel sippy or two. For the price of an outfit you can give a gift that will be used on a daily basis, carried countless miles, and most importantly, you will play a part in lessening that child’s exposure to a truly toxic chemical.