Jonnie's Herbs with Honesty

Hello wildflowers, (Luke 12:27)

If you read my about page, you already know a little bit about me. If you haven’t, hello. I am a new young mother battling against the plastics and toxins in this world, just trying my best to keep my baby safe.

The Dangers of Plastic

If you are interested in what baby products are poisoning your child, let me inform you, ALL OF THEM. Okay, that was a little dramatic, but most of them contain microplastics, Bisphenol A, and Bisphenol S, which are chemical disrupters and we recently learned they are causing respiratory and heart diseases.

“Lee, Y., Cho, J., Sohn, J., & Kim, C. (2023). Health Effects of Microplastic Exposures: Current Issues and Perspectives in South Korea. Yonsei Medical Journal, 64(5), 301. https://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2023.0048“

(If you are interested in how plastics are made, check out this article by the UK.)

“Federation, British Plastics. “How Is Plastic Made? A Simple Step-By-Step Explanation.” British Plastics Federation, www.bpf.co.uk/plastipedia/how-is-plastic-made.aspx”

In 2012 Bisphenol A (BPA) was banned. The FDA specifically banned BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups. However, “BPA-free” products often contain Bisphenol S (BPS) a similar chemical, with worse health hazards and reproductive harm.

Here’s more on BPS.

“Thoene, M., Dzika, E., Gonkowski, S., & Wojtkiewicz, J. (2020). Bisphenol S in Food Causes Hormonal and Obesogenic Effects Comparable to or Worse than Bisphenol A: A Literature Review. Nutrients, 12(2), 532. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12

Ocean Blue Project writes: “Sterilizing a bottle releases anywhere from 1 to 16 million tiny particles per liter of formula prepared. It’s estimated that adults consume around 100,000 particles. This means bottle-fed babies could be consuming over 160 times more than a typical adult! And to make matters worse, shaking the bottle to mix the formula causes an even higher shedding rate.”

Ocean Blue Project. “Microplastics. Are They Really That Bad for My Baby? | Ocean Blue Project.” Environmental Nonprofit Organization, 5 Aug. 2021, oceanblueproject.org/microplastics-in-humans

So, after learning this, I immediately started chunking plastic into the trash. (Sorry Ocean!) I started looking for stainless steel milk storage, however there is practically nothing that doesn’t involve silicone or plastic in some way.

Use Glass for Storing

Glass is the best alternative I have found for storing, compared to plastic bags and storing bottles. I ordered some Mason jars and they are LOVELY. I suggest leaving an inch of space from the top of the jar, for expansion. Using Mason jars for pumping, storing, and feeding prevents breastmilk from coming into contact with tons of harmful microplastics. If you are not using Mason jars, please be aware of the jars you buy. Some bottles use lead paint, which your baby can ingest by getting it on their hands or if it is scratched and ends up in the bottle.

However, flanges, connectors, and bottle nipples are still made of plastic or silicone that will leach microplastic. The best thing for babies is to breastfeed straight from the source. If you are in a situation that prevents that, glass is the best containment vessel I have found, as long as you use lead-free glass without painted details. I have 8 oz Ball Mason jars that are freezable and lead-free. With new adapters, you can pump directly into your Mason jars. I recommend stainless steel lids and a jar sealer to prevent any priceless milk from being spoiled.

Disclaimer: The white coating found on the bottom of Mason jar lids contains microplastics and BPA or BPS and will release such particles when heated or subjected to friction.

“Frasquet, Rébecca. “Glass Bottles Found to Contain More Microplastics Than Plastic Bottles.” Physics.org, 20 June 2025, phys.org/news/2025-06-glass-bottles-microplastics-plastic.html“

A Treehugger article recommends: “Using stainless steel lids instead of Mason jar lids.” Silicone lids are also available, however, silicone is still plastic and therefore not immune to releasing micro-plastic under certain conditions.

“Martinko, Katherine. “The Problem With Mason Jars.” Treehugger, 9 Nov. 2020, www.treehugger.com/problem-mason-jars-4858761“

If you have an older child, there are sippy cup converters for the Mason jars. However, it is best to teach children early how to drink from a cup. There will be many spills, but this prevents unnecessary microplastics from being ingested into our precious babies.

Stainless Steel Bottles

Stainless steel bottles are your safest bet for reducing microplastics! However, some stainless steel bottles use lead in the insulation “button” on the bottom of the bottles. (Similar to Stanley). Stainless steel bottles are also lighter and way less breakable than glass bottles. I ordered the Pura kiki bottle to try because they are supposedly compatible with multiple nipples. Stainless seems to be the most durable and safe product if there is no lead insolation.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Plastic is harmful for everyone and we should take similar precautions to keep ourselves safe. For more information on plastic found in baby clothing and bedding, as well as tips for cloth diapering and the dangers of disposable diapers, please check the blog every week for new posts.