In this article, we shall talk about the pros and cons of glass baby bottles. Glass baby bottles were quite popular for many years before plastic bottles came into the market.
Plastic bottles quickly gained popularity when they were introduced mainly due to their durability and being light in weight.
However, when several studies revealed that these bottles contained BPA (Bisphenol-A), a highly toxic substance, people moved back to glass bottles, and most recently to silicone bottles.
Glass bottles are more user-friendly in terms of cleanliness, but they are also more costly, cumbersome, and breakable than alternative bottle materials. Additionally, they are more difficult to hold for infants.
Some parents, however, insist that their babies only drink from glass bottles. You don’t seem like one of those parents, do you? In the space provided below, we would love to hear more about your time spent working with glass bottles.
See also: 3 Ways On How To Warm Comotomo Bottles.
The pros and cons of glass baby bottles
Let’s start with the positive features that make glass bottles more desirable than plastic bottles or silicone bottles.
The pros of glass baby bottles
- Free of BPA
This is probably one of the main reasons why parents go for glass bottles over others.
Some years ago, manufacturers used BPA to line the inside of bottles as a protective layer. This practice was later banned by the FDA when studies showed that BPA was harmful to humans and particularly to infants.
For instance, according to a study by Mohapatra et al. (2014), exposing children to BPA leads to health complications such as liver toxicity, heart diseases, increased anxiety, and depression and affects their behavioral and neural systems. Read the full study here. Bottles can be Toxic
Although BPA’s usage in bottles has been outright outlawed in many countries, some producers may still occasionally use it in trace amounts. So, the main worry with BPA-containing bottles is that the chemical might seep into the infant’s breast milk.
Glass baby bottles do not contain BPA, so you are 100% sure that your baby’s health is safe when using them.
- Easier to clean
Glass baby bottles do not scratch, so the milk does not get stuck inside the bottles as plastics do. Scratches provide a good environment for bacteria to hide and grow, which can result in health complications in your baby.
Therefore, glass bottles are more hygienic than plastic bottles.
- Do not absorb color or odor.
I once gave my son watermelon juice in a plastic bottle, and it stained terribly. To date, the bottle has a reddish-like appearance even after being used and washed many times.
Glass bottles do not absorb color, so they do not stain. You can give your baby watermelon in it, and it will be sparkling clean after washing. The only thing you may need to worry about is the nipple because it is made of either silicone or plastic; hence, it may discolor.
These bottles do not absorb odor, too, as plastic and silicone bottles do. After giving my son watermelon, the bottle absorbed the odor. The absorbed odor may affect the taste of milk or formula, and so the baby will refuse to drink it. With glass, no odor is absorbed, so the taste of the milk or formula remains the same.
- Microwave and dishwasher safe
There are several ways through which you can warm baby bottles. Some bottles can withstand high temperatures while others cannot.
Glass bottles can withstand high temperatures, so they can be heated in a microwave or washed in a dishwasher. In addition, they do not contain any chemicals; hence, they can be heated without the fear of chemicals leaching from the bottles into the milk.
Although most plastic bottles are BPA-free, they may have traces of chemicals with Estrogenic Activity. So when subjected to high temperatures like in a microwave or dishwasher, the chemicals may leach and mix with the baby’s milk. This poses a health risk to your baby, as we discussed earlier in this article.
- Do not lose shape
I have seen plastic bottles that have lost their shape due to being subjected to high temperatures. In addition, if you freeze your baby’s milk in a plastic bottle, the bottle swells and loses its shape.
Glass bottles do not lose their shape when heated. However, they may break if kept in the freezer, and the cap is tightly closed.
- Durable and environmentally friendly
These bottles can last for years without changing color or getting scratched. You can reuse them for your second, third, or more children, and all you have to change is the nipple.
The fact that you can keep reusing glass bottles means that they are more environmentally friendly than plastic and silicone bottles, which cannot be reused since they do not last long.
With plastic and silicone, all the washing with detergent and brushes, sterilizing in hot water, and heating them with milk make them deteriorate very fast. Thus, they can hardly survive past one kid.
Moreover, it is recommended that plastic bottles be replaced regularly for hygiene purposes.
Related – Mimijumi vs. Comotomo Bottle Review 2023
Cons of using glass baby bottles
- Prone to breaking
Glass baby bottles do not break easily since they are made from tempered glass.
However, they have a higher chance of breaking when accidentally dropped compared to silicone or plastic bottles. In fact, silicone and plastic bottles do not break at all when dropped unless extraordinary force is used.
The broken pieces of the glass bottle can cause injury to the baby, so you must always be very careful during feeding.
In addition, if a glass falls and chips, do not be tempted to reuse it no matter how small the size of the chipping is. It is recommended that you throw it away because it may continue to chip, and tiny bits of glass may get into the baby’s milk and become a health hazard.
- Quite costly
Unlike plastic, glass is neither abundant nor inexpensive. This means that producing glass bottles incurs more expenses than producing plastic ones. The price of glass infant bottles has increased because of this.
The good thing is that they are longer-lasting, so you might use them for a long time without buying replacements. On the other hand, while plastic bottles are cheaper, they will not serve you for long so you end up spending more on new bottles.
- Heavy in weight
Glass is heavy. This not only makes it hard for your baby to hold but also hard to travel with.
When traveling with your baby, you may need to carry at least two bottles; one with milk and another one with water and juice.
Your diaper bag will be definitely heavier when you carry two glass bottles compared to two plastic or silicone bottles.
- Hard to grip
These bottles are not easy to grip. This is probably due to their heavyweight and smooth surface.
Fortunately, some manufacturers noticed there is a need to help babies hold their glass bottles when feeding and introduced silicone sleeves.
While some glass bottles come with sleeves, you will have to purchase them to help your baby to grip the bottle. This also protects the bottle from breaking when dropped.
- Not readily available
While there are hundreds of plastic bottle brands each with unique designs, sizes, colors, and patterns, there are only a handful of companies that manufacture glass baby bottles.
This means that you might not get the shape or color you desire rather you have to settle for the ones that are there. The Lifefactory glass bottles have many positive reviews, maybe you should try them.
Also, Take a Look at Bottle Warmer for Formula and Frozen Breast Milk
Conclusion
Glass baby bottles, plastic baby bottles, and silicone baby bottles all have their advantages and disadvantages, and now you can make an educated choice thanks to this article. However, keep in mind that your baby’s preference for bottles will ultimately determine your decision.
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