- Plastic bottles are popular because they are lightweight and inexpensive. Glass bottles can chip and break, but plastic ones do not. The overall benefits of plastic bottles, however, have been called into question because of BPA leaching into the baby's milk. Breakability has become less of a worry as makers of glass baby bottles have begun to surround the bottles with silicone, rubber or neoprene sleeves. This protects the glass against breakage when dropped and keeps the pieces of glass contained if the bottle does break. Borosilicate glass, which some manufacturers are using, is more resistant to breakage from heat shock (going from fridge to microwave) than traditional glass.
- Because glass baby bottles are becoming more popular, they are easier to find than they were a few years ago. Companies that traditionally produced plastic bottles, such as Medela, Dr. Brown's and Munchkin, are now making glass bottles. Evenflo (one of the few companies that have always sold glass baby bottles) has updated its bottles, which are now surrounded by a rubber sleeve. There are companies that manufacture just the sleeves, including Wee Go (www.lifefactory.com) and Silikids (www.silikids.com). Handmade sleeves can also be found at Etsy (www.etsy.com; search for "baby bottle sleeves").
- The increased demand for glass baby bottles has led to not only an increase in the number of companies making them, but also retailers who offer them. Brick-and-mortar businesses such as Target, Babies 'R Us, Kmart and Walmart have more glass baby-bottle choices on their shelves than ever before. Many small locally owned businesses such as drugstores and maternity shops offer a selection of glass bottles, too. If a store doesn't carry what you want, the staff may be willing to order it for you. Internet retailers are also good places to search for glass bottles. Such mass marketers as Walmart and Target, and virtual stores like eBay and Amazon.com, have a large selection. It also pays to look in local papers, at garage sales or on craigslist.com. Glass baby bottles tend to be more expensive (even more so if they have sleeves), which makes people more apt to sell them than simply recycle or throw them away.
