Sterilizing water for formula feeding - until what age?

[.rollinn.]

I asked the hospital what to do before leaving,and they told me to use warm tap water. So that's what i've been doing and my baby is alive. Oh and to add if my babies forumla isn't warm he throws a fit.

Of course using tap water isn't going harm all babies, I wasn't saying that, just saying that everyone does their own thing and I am too chicken to use tap/cooled water so this is how I do it. I'm sure it would make life much easier to use tap water but I would be a nervous wreck if anything happened, so to the original poster, if you're not comfortable using non-sterilised water then don't pay any mind to what your friend says, just do what you are comfortable with - it's your kid.

I know,that's why i love chatting with other mommies from all over the world,because every place has different guidelines.

 

[MumToEva]

I suppose i'm coming from the point of view of someone who used cooled boiled water from a jug in the fridge to speed up the bottle process, which I know isn't how you are meant to do it, but to follow the instructions on the formula box to the letter meant anticipating LO being hungry at least half an hour before hand, as you have to boil the jettle, let it cool down to 70 degrees, then add formula and flash cool. I know my child isn't predictable like that, so it ended in her screaming hysterically waiting for her bottle, and there's a lots of research to say that a baby crying hysterically for half an hour does them harm, Never mind the effect it had on me, so i made a decision that seemed best for me and my LO.

And then when you see the American women on here who never sterilise water I think why are different countries giving such different advice?

I got really good advice from a lady in the FF forum here about how to do it safely but quickly, and it's super easy.

Let's say your LO eats 6oz. You boil water, put 3oz (so half the amount of the feed) in a bottle, put the lid/teat on, stick it in the fridge so it gets cold.

When your LO is ready to eat, boil the kettle, let it sit for a sec when its done, put 3oz into a different bottle, put all of the powder in (so in my case six scoops into 3oz of boiled water, so it's double concentration). Put the lid on and shake it. This kills the nasties.

Then grab your other bottle from the fridge with the cold 3oz of previously boiled water, dump it in the other bottle, shake, and it's the perfect temp with no nasties.

Then while you have an empty bottle sat there, fill it with 3oz of water again and stick it back in the fridge for the next time.

I only do 1-2 bottles of formula a day and I find this really easy to do, may be different if you're exclusively FF but may be worth a try.

I know there is sooooooo little chance of anything happening but I was happy with the procedure above.

See you hear so much conflicting advice. I was told that adding the powder to just boiled water (ie 100 degrees) actually kills some of the nutritional value of the formula! That's why it says 70 degrees on the boxes? Which is why I Mix some freshly boiled water with a little cold waster (now from the tap) to get it to approx 70 degrees, add the powder and mix it up, then top it up with the rest of the cold to get it the right temperature?

 

[.rollinn.]

I suppose i'm coming from the point of view of someone who used cooled boiled water from a jug in the fridge to speed up the bottle process, which I know isn't how you are meant to do it, but to follow the instructions on the formula box to the letter meant anticipating LO being hungry at least half an hour before hand, as you have to boil the jettle, let it cool down to 70 degrees, then add formula and flash cool. I know my child isn't predictable like that, so it ended in her screaming hysterically waiting for her bottle, and there's a lots of research to say that a baby crying hysterically for half an hour does them harm, Never mind the effect it had on me, so i made a decision that seemed best for me and my LO.

And then when you see the American women on here who never sterilise water I think why are different countries giving such different advice?

I got really good advice from a lady in the FF forum here about how to do it safely but quickly, and it's super easy.

Let's say your LO eats 6oz. You boil water, put 3oz (so half the amount of the feed) in a bottle, put the lid/teat on, stick it in the fridge so it gets cold.

When your LO is ready to eat, boil the kettle, let it sit for a sec when its done, put 3oz into a different bottle, put all of the powder in (so in my case six scoops into 3oz of boiled water, so it's double concentration). Put the lid on and shake it. This kills the nasties.

Then grab your other bottle from the fridge with the cold 3oz of previously boiled water, dump it in the other bottle, shake, and it's the perfect temp with no nasties.

Then while you have an empty bottle sat there, fill it with 3oz of water again and stick it back in the fridge for the next time.

I only do 1-2 bottles of formula a day and I find this really easy to do, may be different if you're exclusively FF but may be worth a try.

I know there is sooooooo little chance of anything happening but I was happy with the procedure above.

See you hear so much conflicting advice. I was told that adding the powder to just boiled water (ie 100 degrees) actually kills some of the nutritional value of the formula. Which is why I Mix some freshly boiled water with a little cold waster (now from the tap) to get it to approx 70 degrees, add the powder and mix it up, then top it up with the rest of the cold to get it the right temperature?

I've heard that too,they tell unless alot of different things.

 

[MumToEva]

I suppose i'm coming from the point of view of someone who used cooled boiled water from a jug in the fridge to speed up the bottle process, which I know isn't how you are meant to do it, but to follow the instructions on the formula box to the letter meant anticipating LO being hungry at least half an hour before hand, as you have to boil the jettle, let it cool down to 70 degrees, then add formula and flash cool. I know my child isn't predictable like that, so it ended in her screaming hysterically waiting for her bottle, and there's a lots of research to say that a baby crying hysterically for half an hour does them harm, Never mind the effect it had on me, so i made a decision that seemed best for me and my LO.

And then when you see the American women on here who never sterilise water I think why are different countries giving such different advice?

I got really good advice from a lady in the FF forum here about how to do it safely but quickly, and it's super easy.

Let's say your LO eats 6oz. You boil water, put 3oz (so half the amount of the feed) in a bottle, put the lid/teat on, stick it in the fridge so it gets cold.

When your LO is ready to eat, boil the kettle, let it sit for a sec when its done, put 3oz into a different bottle, put all of the powder in (so in my case six scoops into 3oz of boiled water, so it's double concentration). Put the lid on and shake it. This kills the nasties.

Then grab your other bottle from the fridge with the cold 3oz of previously boiled water, dump it in the other bottle, shake, and it's the perfect temp with no nasties.

Then while you have an empty bottle sat there, fill it with 3oz of water again and stick it back in the fridge for the next time.

I only do 1-2 bottles of formula a day and I find this really easy to do, may be different if you're exclusively FF but may be worth a try.

I know there is sooooooo little chance of anything happening but I was happy with the procedure above.

See you hear so much conflicting advice. I was told that adding the powder to just boiled water (ie 100 degrees) actually kills some of the nutritional value of the formula! That's why it says 70 degrees on the boxes? Which is why I Mix some freshly boiled water with a little cold waster (now from the tap) to get it to approx 70 degrees, add the powder and mix it up, then top it up with the rest of the cold to get it the right temperature?

Oh, another thought (not being critical of you erika b, as I know you are trying to help me minimise the risk - just trying to think through the risks involved in different methods of doing it ), but you aren't supposed to put foods into the fridge until they have fully cooled (eg leftover dinner etc), because it increases the interior temperature of the fridge which encourages bacterial growth on the other foods one fridge. Does the same thing not apply to putting bottles with boiling water in them straight into the fridge?

That was why I put the boiled water in a jug, flash cooled it in the sink and then stored it in the fridge once it was cool?

 

[Lauki]

Correct my if I'm wrong. I thought you had to use boiled water to kill the bacteria in the formula powder. Not to actually sterilize the water?

So if I were to use formula, I'd always boil the water.

 

[skunkpixie]

In the UK the guideline is to use boiled water cooled to no less than 70c to make up formula, no matter what age the baby. Like others have said this is to make sure any potential bacteria in the formula powder is destroyed, not to sterilize the water. Its safe to give babies water as a drink straight from the tap from 6 months old though. xx

 

[Mummythree]

wow really. here in the uk your advised to boil the water until baby comes off formula, your not advised to use tap, bottled or filtered water. i wouldn't anyways so until Lo comes off formula he will be having sterilised water in his bottles.

 

[Vickie]

sterilized until Hannah was off of bottles and will do the same with Rhys

 

[bubbles123]

I do wonder if many us ladies who don't sterilise do in fact wash their bottles in a dish washer though. The steam drying cycle at the end of a dish washer cycle is pretty much exactly the same as using a microwave steriliser like we do in the uk. I follow the UK guidelines, so formula always made with 70+ water to kill any bugs and regular tap water in a beaker from 6 months.

 

[Lady_Bee]

I'm going to keep using boiled water until LO is 1. Just personal preference as I am a very cautious person.

As for nutrients being destroyed at temps above 70C, the way I do it even if the water is hotter than that the powder is only in it for about 20 seconds until I add more cooled water on top. I looked into this and found information that suggested even the most heat sensitive nutrients would need to be boiled for about 15 mins before they start to degrade. And hey nobody is doing anything even close to that. So I'm not at all worried about it.

 

[ceejie]

I looked up the actual Canadian guidelines and it specifically says to use boiled then cooled (to room temperature) water. It's kind of wishy-washy on how long, in one part it said until at least 4 months, another part said 1 year. For the most part it emphasized that it was most important for preemies (which DD was). So I am a little confused but will keep using boiled water!!

 

[Bats11]

I'd say to one year, when they are old enough to have normal cow milk!