LOS ANGELES, April 15 (Xinhua) — A chemical in plastic packaging such as baby bottles might be harmful to the development of children’s brains and reproductive organs, a U.S. government report said Tuesday.

There is some concern about bisphenol A, or BPA for neural and behavioral effects in fetuses, infants and children at current human exposures, said a report released by the National Toxicology Program, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

A lot of studies have been done and this is only one of the many news I found on the net regarding the danger hiding in plastic baby bottles.

The report said laboratory rodents exposed to BPA levels similar to human exposure developed precancerous lesions in the prostate and mammary glands. It noted the possibility that BPA may impact human development cannot be dismissed and more research is needed.

The federal institute is the first U.S. government agency to conclude that low levels of BPA could be harmful to humans, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

Some scientists suspect that exposure to BPA early in life might disrupt hormones and induce gene mutation which increases risks for infants or children of developing breast or prostate cancer, premature female puberty, attention deficit disorders and other reproductive or neurological disorders later in life.

Please read the full news from Xinhua at this URL

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/16/content_7988756.htm

(Note: Articles mentioned are properties and copyrighted by the respective publications. If anyone or website wish to re-use the articles, you need to get the permission from the publications mentioned at each article.)

1. For the love of the child - Coverage in The Star during World Breast-feeding week in August 2003.- The Star dd July 31st 2003
2. Balancing career and breastfeeding On 7th March, 2004 MyMomsBest’s members, Dr Teoh Mei Shi and Fazidah were interviewed by Fit For Life, Sunday Star.
3. ‘How to express successfully’ In the same article, Dr Koe Swee Lee also shared some very useful information for working mothers.
4. Mum’s the Best During Mother’s Day on May 9th, 2004 MyMomsBest initiated a gift giving event for all mothers who have ill children in the University Malaya Medical Centre.
5. Galakan ibu susukan bayi melalui internet - News from Berita Harian about MMB’s Mother’s Day event.
6. Resources for nursing moms - A feature in The Star InTech (computer section).

Lilian also contributes periodically to the newspapers and parenting magazines. Here are a few articles from The Star, Parenting Column.

1. Working at breast-feeding -The article that starts this group.
2. In good hands About coping with hospital stays
3. Coping with death Helping children to cope with losses
4. Giving first aid Importance of knowing life-saving skills
5. None the worse for caning About discipline and children
6. Be prepared at all times Another follow-up article on CPR
7. Passing on traditions Instilling traditions in children
8. Strengthening ties Breastfeeding article

Other articles for reading:

1. Breastfeeding at Work.

“The first time I used FTP however, I accidentally deleted the entire website. It was hilarious,” she says.

According to Chan, by creating MyMomsBest.com, she hopes to provide parents with a local resource of information about breastfeeding.

“I noticed that many parents rely heavily on information found on the Internet. Although the Internet provides useful information, not all of it is reliable or applicable to Malaysians.

“I feel that it is important for us to have our own local resources which we can turn to instead of relying on cultures, practices and things foreign to us.”

According to Chan, one of the highlights of MyMomsBest.com is the useful articles written by Malaysian doctors.

“Our forum is not your regular public forum. We have a dedicated group of members monitoring the topics closely to make sure that all information provided is accurate,” she says.

According to Chan, she was taken aback by the success of MyMomsBest.com.

“Thanks to the passion and dedication of our members and the generosity of our local medical experts, MyMomsBest.com is now one of the most talked about groups in town,” she says, adding that the group has been featured in local magazines and newspapers as well as TV and radio programmes.

“I believe that the breastfeeding support group is one of the best things that has happened on the Malaysian breastfeeding scene,” she adds.

“Our group has really made a big difference because now breastfeeding is seen as the modern, smart and healthy choice of intelligent and bold women. I am happy to know that more babies are being nurtured with the best – breastmilk.”

The breastfeeding support group currently has 130 members (for those without Internet access) and almost 500 members on the MyMomsBest.com forum.

Copyright © 1995-2004 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)

Resource for nursing mums
CHAN Lilian’s web development adventures do not just concentrate on grief, pain and illnesses. Last February, Chan helped a fellow breastfeeding mother to start a breastfeeding support group for mothers in Malaysia. (Ten months after her son Vincent’s death, Chan and her husband were blessed with another baby boy, named Matthew.)

“I actually stumbled onto the breastfeeding group by accident,” explains Chan.

It all began with an article she wrote on breastfeeding for Star Two’s Parenting column, which she contributes to occasionally.

“When the article was published, a few mothers started writing to me. One of the mothers, Sze Sze, said that she was interested in starting a breastfeeding support group. I thought it was a good idea and so I agreed to help her set up the group.

“We were surprised when the group’s membership started growing. It grew so big that within six months, we could not handle the bulk of the e-mail anymore,” she says. “That’s when I decided to create a website on breastfeeding (www.mymomsbest.com) with a forum.”

According to Chan, MyMomsBest.com was set up with the help of Johannes Tjoa, the husband of one of the group’s members.

Now, they have come up with another new findings. As parents, I do not know what to believe anymore. So, do just read this news found on ConsumerAffairs :

Although parents, consumer groups and many retailers are shunning bisphenol A — commonly called BPA — the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has once again asserted that the chemical is safe.

BPA is a “hardening agent,” widely used in baby bottles, canned food and other consumer products. It acts as both a seal to keep contaminants out of canned goods and makes plastics shatterproof.

Its defenders say it makes modern life safer, especially for infants. Its detractors say babies would be safer without it.

The FDA has previously found that the substance was not cause for concern. And now, after revisiting the question, it has come to the same conclusion. An outside committee of experts will study the FDA’s latest findings in September and issue recommendations. But that’s not likely to settle the question.