Preparing & warming formula

• Why use boiled water?
• Preparing powdered formula
• Warming formula
• Warming breast milk

Why use boiled water?

Depending on your child's age, the quality of your local water supply and when you prepare formula in relation to feeds, advice on whether to boil water can vary among health professionals.

To provide the safest care, we recommend boiling the water to be used in bottles, just prior to formula preparation, for all babies up to the age of 12 months.

1. Empty and refill the jug with fresh water and bring to the boil.
2. Prolonged boiling is unnecessary. Kettles and jugs with no automatic cut-off should be switched off within 30 seconds of boiling.
3. Allow the water to cool in the jug to lukewarm (approx 10-15 minutes cooling time before preparing the formula).

Please note: Many Anti-Regurgitation (AR) formulas are made up once boiled water has cooled completely. Check the formula manufacturer's guidelines for water temperature.

Preparing powdered formula

The simplest way to prepare formula is directly into the bottles. However, you may prefer to mix formula in a jug and then pour into the bottles (in which case the jug also needs to be cleaned and sterilized).

Using the previously cleaned and sterilized equipment, prepare the formula as follows:

1. Wash your hands.
2. Read the instructions on the formula container.
3. Boil the water to be used for making the formula and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
4. Measure the required amount of water into each individual bottle.
5. Add the correct number of scoops of powdered formula as the instructions recommend.

6. Measure powder by using the special scoop which is supplied with the formula. Use a knife to level off the scoop. Don't compress the powder in the scoop.
7. Mix the formula by capping the bottle and shaking well.

IMPORTANT TIPS TO REMEMBER

• It's important to be aware that the ratio of water and formula powder varies from brand to brand and the scoops are often not interchangeable between brands.

• Some powdered formulas need to be mixed while the water is warm, others when the water is cooled. If your formula doesn't mix well (i.e. it's lumpy), the water may be too hot or too cold.

ALERT! Never water down the formula OR make it stronger by adding extra scoops of formula. Improper mixing of formula can be harmful to your baby, as it can result in abdominal pain, improper caloric intake, constipation or other serious problems. As your baby grows he needs more milk, NEVER stronger milk.

Warming formula

Many babies prefer formula to be warmed, however this is not necessary. There's no physical reason why a healthy baby can't drink cold milk. It's more a matter of what your baby gets used to.

To heat formula, you can either place the bottle of formula in a jug of hot water or use a microwave

Shake the bottle well after heating. Test the temperature of the formula by splashing some onto your inner wrist. It should feel close to body temperature, which means you will hardly notice when it touches your skin.

If you find you have accidentally overheated the formula, the quickest way to cool it down is to run cold water from the tap over the outside of the bottle. Shake the bottle frequently.

Safety tip! It's recommended to discard any unused formula after an hour of originally heating it. Never offer leftover milk at the next feed, as it can grow bacteria and make your child sick.

Warming breast milk

Breast milk should NOT be warmed in a microwave because breast milk contains living cells which can be destroyed by overheating. To warm breast milk, place the bottle in a jug with warm (NOT boiling) water.

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See also:
How long should bottle feeding take?
How to bottle feed a baby

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