Author Topic: Water for making formula  (Read 1419 times)

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Offline runningbighair

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Water for making formula
« on: December 08, 2012, 20:45:46 pm »
Hi! I have a 6 day old baby that I am currently feeding 2 oz. prepared nursettes. I want to switch to the powdered formula and mix with water. My water is safe for drinking ad I don't plan on boiling, however I am running it thru a Brita pitcher water filter. My question is as follows: Can I store the pitcher full of water to be used for bottle preparation on my counter or should it be stored in the refrigerator? Any information you can give would be great!!!

Offline *Kara*

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Re: Water for making formula
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2012, 21:35:11 pm »
Where do you live hun?

The reason for boiling water is that while it is safe for you and I to drink, baby has a very weak immune system and does need a bit of time to allow it to mature naturally.

I live in Canada and we have some of the best water around, I still boiled until DD was 6 months old, just as an extra precaution.  Also, it's good to note that water can be contaminated randomly despite a city's best safeguards.

If you still do not plan to boil it.. I would keep it in the fridge.  Any bacteria present (Brita does nothing for pathogens/bacteria) will likely multiply faster at room temp.

I do have a few other ways to make your life easier in terms of time spent prepping bottles once I hear back where you live ;)



Offline Mashi

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Re: Water for making formula
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2012, 21:44:48 pm »
I think that the regulations will depend on where you live, but the reason for boiling the water is not just due to the water quality
The reason for boiling water is that while it is safe for you and I to drink, baby has a very weak immune system and does need a bit of time to allow it to mature naturally.

Formula itself is not sterile - the water needs to be boiled to make sure it is hot enough to kill off any potential bacteria that has managed to live in the formula. It's not a case of water quality but an issue with the powdered formula.



Offline *Kara*

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Re: Water for making formula
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2012, 21:53:04 pm »
^^  Very true Mashi - here in Canada, they do recommend that you boil water for any type of infant formula, including concentrate, which is sterile.



Offline barbaraz78

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Re: Water for making formula
« Reply #4 on: December 08, 2012, 22:27:30 pm »
Here they reccommend to boil everything goes in the baby's mouth and water for formula, but they say to put the formula powder only when the water is around 60C, because the formula protein are denatured at 100C. I think that 60C should be enough to kill the majority of bacteria...
We sterlized everything until ds was 4-5 mo. After he started to put everything in his mouth, even found on the floor ::) the doctor said that id didn't make sense sterilyzing anymore....

I am curious: is water from brita fine for formula? Here doctors reccomend mineral water for infants, even if our water is totally safe.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2012, 22:29:14 pm by barbaraz78 »
Barbara


Offline *Kara*

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Re: Water for making formula
« Reply #5 on: December 08, 2012, 22:35:15 pm »
I am curious: is water from brita fine for formula? Here doctors reccomend mineral water for infants, even if our water is totally safe.

Yes in Canada and the USA.  Bottled waters are not recommended as they are not sterile.



Offline runningbighair

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Re: Water for making formula
« Reply #6 on: December 08, 2012, 23:16:22 pm »
Kara - I live in the United States. Would love to hear some input as how to make the whole process of preparing bottles easier!! Good advice to store the water in the fridge. So you just boil tap water? Do you store the boiled tap water in the fridge after you boil it?

Offline *Kara*

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Re: Water for making formula
« Reply #7 on: December 08, 2012, 23:26:17 pm »
Which formula are you using?  Can you get it in concentrate?  In Canada, all of our major brands (GoodStart, Enfamil, Similac etc) are all available in concentrate and you just add equal parts water...

So, I bought a small 1.5L Starfrit juice jug (it's got a silicone seal to keep odours from mixing in the fridge) and would boil water to make enough formula to last a day or two (depending on what her consumption was at the time - we started with a single box of concentrate - makes 24 ozs). Store the jug in the fridge and just pour a bottle as you need it... I had a bottle warmer too :)  Worth every penny.

If you are using powder, you can do the same thing... prep the bottles using water that has been boiled a cooled down to about 70F (this is the temp recommended by most formula companies)... make the bottles, shake em up and put in the fridge right away... warm as needed - and reshake ;)  Some powder formulas will separate all weird when you do this, just shake when warm :)



Offline Lolly

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Re: Water for making formula
« Reply #8 on: December 16, 2012, 16:59:15 pm »
If you are making botttles up with formula powder and storing them you need to make sure that you cool them rapidly (under running water is quickest) and then store them right at the back of the fridge not in the door (don't put warm bottles into the fridge) where it is coldest and only keep them for 12 hours.

The WHO's preferred method (and all manufacturers) is to make each feed fresh as you need it with water at 70 degrees, cool and feed.

Make sure that a bottle of formula is discarded by an hour after a baby has started drinking from it but an untouched freshly made up bottle is ok for 2 hours at room temp.

Laura