When can I stop boiling water?

[missjess]

I wanna know when I can start using bottled water?

 

[ColtonsMom]

I've never had to bottle Coltons water because we have "city water" which is filtered, here.
I think everywhere else though it's 6 months.

 

[Donna79x]

My friends here at the moment and she said 6 months and no longer need to boil water/sterlise bottles... per her HV anyway

 

[sam's mum]

They can have tap water from 6 months. If you're using bottled water make sure the mineral content isn't high though, as some are unsuitable for babies x

 

[tinytoes]

at 1 montzh my doc said we could use Evian.....i assume that means all bottled water?..

 

[sam's mum]

at 1 montzh my doc said we could use Evian.....i assume that means all bottled water?..

Some are ok - anything that's labelled as mineral water or spring water shouldn't be used because it may have unsafe levels of minerals for babies.

From Food Standards Agency (I think the boiling and cooling only applies for babies under 6 months):

Water

This is the best alternative drink to milk, but fully breastfed babies don't need any water until they start eating solid food. For babies under six months old, take water from the mains tap in the kitchen and boil it. Remember to allow the water to cool before giving it to your baby.

Some natural mineral waters have mineral contents unsuitable for babies. However, there are other bottled waters that are suitable for infant feeding and you might see the statement 'suitable for infant feeding' on their labels. Remember that bottled water is not sterile, so, like tap water, you need to make sure you boil and cool it before giving it to your baby.

 

[sam's mum]

Looks like most bottled water is ok (and like tap water, doesn't need to be boiled from 6 months). Found this (probably far more info than anyone wanted, sorry ):

Bottled waters, other than those labelled 'natural mineral water', are expected to conform to essentially the same standards as the public water supply and they are therefore suitable for giving to infants or for preparing feeds. As with tap water, bottled waters should be boiled and cooled before using to make up infant formula feeds.

'Natural mineral water' is covered by less comprehensive regulations than tap water and may contain higher concentrations of solutes such as nitrate, sodium, fluoride and sulphate which might lead to solute overload if these waters are given to young infants.

The tap water that we drink every day contains only chloride and flouride - all minerals are removed during the treatment process. However, with mineral water the composition is unchanged - extra minerals are neither added nor removed from it.

Concentrations greater than the following should be avoided for infant feeding according to the Department of Health guidelines:

Maximum mineral concentrations for drinking water (UK Department of Health)
Sodium 200 milligrams per litre (mg/l)
Nitrate 100 mg/l (best below 50 mg/l)
Nitrite 3 mg/l
Sulphate 500 mg/l

(From https://www.babymilkaction.org/pages/bwater.html#3)

 

[hypnorm]

I was told by my midwife that you should not use bottled water for babies or toddlers due to unreliable mineral content, occasional use is ok but not for making up bottles.

 

[Newt]

Looks like most bottled water is ok (and like tap water, doesn't need to be boiled from 6 months). Found this (probably far more info than anyone wanted, sorry ):

Bottled waters, other than those labelled 'natural mineral water', are expected to conform to essentially the same standards as the public water supply and they are therefore suitable for giving to infants or for preparing feeds. As with tap water, bottled waters should be boiled and cooled before using to make up infant formula feeds.

'Natural mineral water' is covered by less comprehensive regulations than tap water and may contain higher concentrations of solutes such as nitrate, sodium, fluoride and sulphate which might lead to solute overload if these waters are given to young infants.

The tap water that we drink every day contains only chloride and flouride - all minerals are removed during the treatment process. However, with mineral water the composition is unchanged - extra minerals are neither added nor removed from it.

Concentrations greater than the following should be avoided for infant feeding according to the Department of Health guidelines:

Maximum mineral concentrations for drinking water (UK Department of Health)
Sodium 200 milligrams per litre (mg/l)
Nitrate 100 mg/l (best below 50 mg/l)
Nitrite 3 mg/l
Sulphate 500 mg/l

(From https://www.babymilkaction.org/pages/bwater.html#3)

I always knew that people who bought mieral water were mad.

There is plenty in nthe tap and it's already paid for

I stopped sterilising at 6 months but is till boil the kettel for formular.

 

[Yuki]

My baby is 11,5 months and i still use boiled water for drinking and formula making. Tap water contain to much chlorine here. Stopped sterilise bottles around 6 monts. I think i will give here tapwater when she is 1,5 year old. I don´t use bottled water.

 

[leedsforever]

ooh 6 months.... I thought it was 12 months that you stopped sterilising etc!!

 

[sam's mum]

I was told by the HV this week that Sam can have tap water (unboiled) as a drink with meals now...but as my kettle is nearly always on anyway I usually do still boil it for him! x