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From Can to Bottle: How to Prepare Infant Formula
by Mary Silva, M.S., R.D.
reviewed by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Preparing your baby's formula properly is absolutely essential to her well-being. The use of spotlessly clean, sterile equipment is especially important, since an infant's immune system is still immature and therefore isn't always able to fight off food-borne illness. The correct measurement of formula and water also plays a key role, in that it ensures your baby gets the necessary calories and nutrients she requires for healthy growth.
How to handle tools, containers
- If you're washing equipment by hand, first scrub the sink with detergent and then rinse with water.
- Make sure you have bottle and nipple brushes on hand in order to clean hard-to-reach places.
- Wash and rinse bottles, nipples, measuring cups, and can opener thoroughly. Take special care to look for--and remove--milk residue on the nipples and neck of the bottles.
Sterilizing your equipment, generally by boiling, is not necessary if
- you use commercial formula
- the water that you use comes from a supervised municipal filtration plant
- you wash your hands before both preparing the formula and feeding
- you wash the utensils and containers in warm soapy water or run them through a complete cycle in the dishwasher
- you refrigerate the formula immediately after preparing it
Water-use tips
- Formula manufacturers recommend boiling water for five minutes, then cooling it before mixing in powder or concentrate.
- Boiled water can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- Bottled water is not always sterile, so be sure to boil it.
- If you don't know whether your tap water contains lead, run the cold water for a few minutes before collecting some to boil.
Preparing concentrated formula, step-by-step
- Rinse or wipe the can's lid.
- Shake the can well, then pour contents into a container.
- Fill can with water, add to concentrate, and stir; cover and refrigerate.
- If you prefer, you can pour the concentrate directly into bottles and add an equal amount of water. For example, if you pour 2 ounces of formula concentrate into the bottle, add 2 ounces of water. Be sure to read the volume marks on the bottle at eye level, and use this method only with glass bottles; the liners in plastic bottles make it too difficult to measure correctly.
Preparing powdered formula, step-by-step
- Before you begin to mix up formula, read the manufacturer's directions on the can. Some powders should be packed into the measuring cup; others are intended to be measured loosely. While preparing formula may seem like a very routine task, if it is not mixed correctly, it can pose a risk to your child's health.
- For individual servings, pour the water into bottles and mix in the powder just before feeding your baby.
- If you're leaving the house, fill bottles beforehand with the measured amount of water along with small plastic bags that contain a premeasured serving of formula powder. That way, you can simply add the powder to the water when you're ready. If you don't want to measure out the powder yourself, you can buy premeasured formula powder sold in individual servings--just be ready to pay more.
General guidelines
- Always refrigerate formula after preparing it--and be sure to use it within 48 hours.
- If your baby drinks a partial bottle, throw the rest away; otherwise, you run the risk of bacteria growing in it and making your baby sick.
- To prevent waste, make some bottles with a smaller amount of formula ahead of time, just in case your baby wants a little extra to drink after she finishes a bottle.
- Refrigerated formula will pick up odors and tastes from other foods, so always keep it covered. Otherwise, the odd taste may cause your baby to refuse to eat.
- If your community's water supply does not contain fluoride, ask your pediatrician about a supplement for your baby.
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Created January 22, 2001
Reviewed January 23, 2001
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