Do you boil water for formula?

[charbaby]

I Always boiled and sterilized till 1 year with my 2 children couldn't imagine not doing it

 

[RileysMummy]

With Millicent I've always, washed her bottles out, boiled the kettle, put the water in her bottles to cool then added formula...all of my friends do this and Millicent has never been poorly. I stopped sterilising around 8 months.
x

 

[summer rain]

I'm shocked at the different advice between the us and uk! In the uk we are told we should always boil water to make up formula and we have perfectly safe drinking water and we are also told never to give babies bottled water as the mineral (and in particular) sodium content is too high for them.

How very strange!

There is a simple reason for the conflicting advice ... World Health Organisation covers the world, which includes many countries where the water supplies aren't safe, bottle sterilisation/washing facilities may be poor, formula powder may be exposed to all sorts of bugs and refrigeration of made up formula may be inadequate or non existent...and so they advise boiling the water and making up feeds as and when needed.

Strictly speaking it isn't necessary to boil water in a developed country where water supplies are of a high quality (and our water is just as safe as in the US), and most western Gov'ts recognise this and advise mothers accordingly. Ours just takes a blanket approach to WHO guidelines and advises Mothers to follow WHO guidelines to the letter

It's perfectly safe to do as they do in the US, Canada and Australia and make bottles with tap water, we are just conditioned not to do so over here

The reason the water is recommended to be hot/previously boiled is NOT because of water quality, it is because of food poisoning bugs one of which is found exclusively in infant formula and which ARE killed by water at 70 degrees. These bugs have been found in batches of formula in most developed countries including the UK, US, Canada, Belgium, Holland, France, New Zealand and some developed countries in the far east such as Singapore. Here is a very sad article which tells of a baby who was left brain damaged due to an Enterobacter Sakazakaii infection from formula in Scotland, not in Africa, not in India, and not in any other developing country

https://www.scotsman.com/news/health/nightmare_baby_formula_advice_for_parents_1_1413417

I remember a few years ago a batch of SMA powder was recalled due to it containing salmonella. Many batches may slip through the net though which is why its important to use 70 degree water. At the moment the methods of manufacturing infant formula worldwide do not create a sterile product. I have read the WHO paper on this and it clearly says this is the reason for the recommendation, not water quality. One could heat the water to 70 degrees in a microwave or something but it is easier and safer to boil a kettle and let it cool down; at least in the UK (I understand in the US they don't have instant electric kettles as we tend to)

https://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/en/qa2.pdf

https://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/pif_guidelines.pdf

The US CDC (center for disease control) also advises heating the water used to make up formula to a minimum of 70c; so it is not just the UK giving this advice. xx

 

[StarBoHo]

Boiling then waiting 30 mins means the formula is made at approx 70 degrees. Much hotter and you destroy the nutrients (hence why pre-making and rapid cooling isn't ideal but not too bad as I understand). Much cooler and you don't kill the bacteria.

I remember someone on here posted a while ago that the formula companies have said the waiting 30 minutes isn't because of killing nutrients, but to reduce the risk of scalding?? I do mine straight from boiling, and Pud's thriving so don't think she's lacking nutrients!

I do exactly the same and my LO is putting on weight. I do it that way because there's no way my LO will wait half an hour. Plus, with her being sick after some feeds, she can want her feed sooner so most of the time we have to wait for her signal.

 

[TattiesMum]

The reason the water is recommended to be hot/previously boiled is NOT because of water quality, it is because of food poisoning bugs one of which is found exclusively in infant formula and which ARE killed by water at 70 degrees. These bugs have been found in batches of formula in most developed countries including the UK, US, Canada, Belgium, Holland, France, New Zealand and some developed countries in the far east such as Singapore. Here is a very sad article which tells of a baby who was left brain damaged due to an Enterobacter Sakazakaii infection from formula in Scotland, not in Africa, not in India, and not in any other developing country

https://www.scotsman.com/news/health/nightmare_baby_formula_advice_for_parents_1_1413417

I remember a few years ago a batch of SMA powder was recalled due to it containing salmonella. Many batches may slip through the net though which is why its important to use 70 degree water. At the moment the methods of manufacturing infant formula worldwide do not create a sterile product. I have read the WHO paper on this and it clearly says this is the reason for the recommendation, not water quality. One could heat the water to 70 degrees in a microwave or something but it is easier and safer to boil a kettle and let it cool down; at least in the UK (I understand in the US they don't have instant electric kettles as we tend to)

https://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/en/qa2.pdf

https://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/pif_guidelines.pdf

The US CDC (center for disease control) also advises heating the water used to make up formula to a minimum of 70c; so it is not just the UK giving this advice. xx

I hear what you are saying and it makes sense to follow guidelines and reduce risks as much as possible

Just out of interest though ... do you wash all of your clothes at 70 degrees plus? and are you aware that salmonella, e coli and many other food poisoning bugs have been found to be present in laundry which has not been washed at higher temperatures, regardless of what washing powder/liquid is used.

Obviously a bit out of place on a thread talking about formula - but something that needs to be considered if we are talking health risks

 

[HellBunny]

Always have done!

 

[summer rain]

The reason the water is recommended to be hot/previously boiled is NOT because of water quality, it is because of food poisoning bugs one of which is found exclusively in infant formula and which ARE killed by water at 70 degrees. These bugs have been found in batches of formula in most developed countries including the UK, US, Canada, Belgium, Holland, France, New Zealand and some developed countries in the far east such as Singapore. Here is a very sad article which tells of a baby who was left brain damaged due to an Enterobacter Sakazakaii infection from formula in Scotland, not in Africa, not in India, and not in any other developing country

https://www.scotsman.com/news/health/nightmare_baby_formula_advice_for_parents_1_1413417

I remember a few years ago a batch of SMA powder was recalled due to it containing salmonella. Many batches may slip through the net though which is why its important to use 70 degree water. At the moment the methods of manufacturing infant formula worldwide do not create a sterile product. I have read the WHO paper on this and it clearly says this is the reason for the recommendation, not water quality. One could heat the water to 70 degrees in a microwave or something but it is easier and safer to boil a kettle and let it cool down; at least in the UK (I understand in the US they don't have instant electric kettles as we tend to)

https://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/en/qa2.pdf

https://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/pif_guidelines.pdf

The US CDC (center for disease control) also advises heating the water used to make up formula to a minimum of 70c; so it is not just the UK giving this advice. xx

I hear what you are saying and it makes sense to follow guidelines and reduce risks as much as possible

Just out of interest though ... do you wash all of your clothes at 70 degrees plus? and are you aware that salmonella, e coli and many other food poisoning bugs have been found to be present in laundry which has not been washed at higher temperatures, regardless of what washing powder/liquid is used.

Obviously a bit out of place on a thread talking about formula - but something that needs to be considered if we are talking health risks

not every load but I do at least one load a week on 90 degrees and most of the time I wash my youngest's white clothing on 90 degrees, I also use oxygen bleach in most, if not all of my loads which is antibacterial (vanish have started doing one with additional bactericides in but peroxide kills germs anyway so its a bit of a marketing gimmick). I live in an ultra-hard water area and for some reason if I don't do this; you can actually smell the bacteria in the machine very quickly; which is not nice at all-the laundry will have a really 'stinky' smell xx

 

[bunnie2]

when he was on comfort milk i boiled then added powder,rapidly cooled and put in the fridge, now hes on staydown so i boil,rapidly cool,put in the fridge and take out as needed and add powder.

 

[chichestermum]

i always boiled the water for my eldest DD bottles, i used to put the boiled water in bottles then in the fridge (once cooled) and just add a few ounces of boiling water in a bowl with the milk powder mix it and add it to a bottle from the fridge when needed, that way the milk was made with water above 70 to reduce any bacteria risks. i suppose the bottles in the fridge could of been made with tap water but were conditioned to boil it first.

Am i the only 1 who has been told not to use filtered water? when my health visitor saw me boiling the kettle with filtered water she told me off and insisted i emptied all the bottles and just use tap water, i cant remember the reasons for it, but it scared the hell out of me and i have never gave DD filtered water since!

 

[summer rain]

Its because the water filter jugs can harbour bacteria, even the fridge ones. It said in the instruction book for ours to be aware of this xx

 

[chichestermum]

Its because the water filter jugs can harbour bacteria, even the fridge ones. It said in the instruction book for ours to be aware of this xx

yep harbouring bacteria sounds like something that would of scared me into never letting DD have filtered water again!

im 1 of those people that never read instruction manuals on anything! maybe i should start!

 

[Elphaba12]

I boil the water, let it cool a bit and then add the formula. I'll rapid cool it in a jug of water if needed or else let it cool on the worktop before giving it to little one.

 

[v2007]

I used to boil the water, let it cook for 30 mins then add it to the bottles then add the milk later in the as and when she was hungry.

Never had a poorly baba.

V xxx

 

[TattiesMum]

not every load but I do at least one load a week on 90 degrees and most of the time I wash my youngest's white clothing on 90 degrees, I also use oxygen bleach in most, if not all of my loads which is antibacterial (vanish have started doing one with additional bactericides in but peroxide kills germs anyway so its a bit of a marketing gimmick). I live in an ultra-hard water area and for some reason if I don't do this; you can actually smell the bacteria in the machine very quickly; which is not nice at all-the laundry will have a really 'stinky' smell xx

We live in a hard water area too and have the same problem with the smell ... horrible

Most people just don't realise the amount of bacteria present in laundry especially if you are washing underwear/towels/nappies with just washing powder on low heats

 

[summer rain]

Yep I wash all underwear (except synthetic stuff), towels, cleaning cloths/teatowels, and white/very light coloured baby clothes on 90c, and most other stuff on a 40c or 60c intensive wash with vanish oxy action, the only time I use the 30c wash is if I need something washed very quickly. I know it isn't considered good for the environment to use such a hot wash temperature but we don't have many high drain appliances in this house and rarely need to switch the heating on so we probably save enough energy in other areas xx

 

[Chelsea.ann1]

Nobody I know has sterilized and boiled their water while making a bottle.
All their children are and have been perfectly healthy and thriving..

Idk maybe it's different????
or it's just an extreme precautionary measure???
idk i've never heard of that before this forum and i've been around many infants and children my entire life..
Even worked in a daycare..

Honestly though.. I wouldn't bother... If it was such a huge risk and such a big deal idk why I haven't seen any sick, food poisoned infants around here. Not even one.

 

[summer rain]

There have been poisoning outbreaks in the US due to formula though; maybe not in your area but it doesn't mean they are non-existent. Also its only in the past few years that they have found that this bug is present in a lot of batches of infant formula; the FDA themselves did one study and found 14% of batches of powdered formula in the US that they tested, contained the enterobacter bacteria at dangerous levels. Also a lot of times in previous years when serious gastro infections occured in FF infants they presumed it was due to other factors when it may well have been down to this bacteria. In the US there is a huge formula lobby; which has somewhat been subdued by legislation in other countries-the difference between the information that public health bodies can give out about safe FF in the US and in other countries is vast. A few years ago the FDA started putting on their website that formula should be made with water at 70c but formula companies made a big broohahah saying that nutritional content may be compromised and their customers may be scaled; the reality is they probably didn't think it looked very attractive for advice to be out there that powdered formula isn't sterile and if prepared incorrectly it could well make your baby ill or even kill them, lets face it that simply isn't good marketing. xx

 

[cat lover]

Wow, I really would encourage sterilising - to me its kinda dangerous not to

 

[QuintinsMommy]

I did till quin was weaning

 

[Chelsea.ann1]

There have been poisoning outbreaks in the US due to formula though; maybe not in your area but it doesn't mean they are non-existent. Also its only in the past few years that they have found that this bug is present in a lot of batches of infant formula; the FDA themselves did one study and found 14% of batches of powdered formula in the US that they tested, contained the enterobacter bacteria at dangerous levels. Also a lot of times in previous years when serious gastro infections occured in FF infants they presumed it was due to other factors when it may well have been down to this bacteria. In the US there is a huge formula lobby; which has somewhat been subdued by legislation in other countries-the difference between the information that public health bodies can give out about safe FF in the US and in other countries is vast. A few years ago the FDA started putting on their website that formula should be made with water at 70c but formula companies made a big broohahah saying that nutritional content may be compromised and their customers may be scaled; the reality is they probably didn't think it looked very attractive for advice to be out there that powdered formula isn't sterile and if prepared incorrectly it could well make your baby ill or even kill them, lets face it that simply isn't good marketing. xx

Never said it didn't happen but that is good to know. The heat would destroy some vitamins etc. however not nearly enough to do any harm I'd imagine.