A guide to prepare the formula for my bottle fed baby
If you are mixing breastfeeding and bottle feeding, or you’re not breastfeeding,
infant formula is the only alternative to breast milk for the first 12 months.
Most infant formula is made from cows’ milk and is treated to make it more like breast milk. Follow-on formula isn’t suitable for babies under six months.
When you start to prepare a feed, it’s very important to
clean the work surfaces and wash your hands first. You’ll also need to
sterilise bottles and teats before you use them. Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully, especially if you’re making powdered infant formula.
You should also do the following:
- use fresh tap water or a bottled water that says it is suitable for infants
- boil the water in the kettle
- then leave the water to cool, but for no more than half an hour
- always put the boiled water in the bottle first, before the powder
Test the temperature of the formula milk on the inside of your wrist – it should be body temperature, which means it should feel warm. If it feels too hot, put the cap over the teat and hold the bottle under cold running water.
- Wash hands thoroughly and clean preparation area. Sterilise bottles and teats.
- Boil fresh water and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes so that it feels warm to the wrist. Pour the required amount of water into a sterilised feeding bottle.
- Fill the scoop provided with formula and level off with a clean, dry knife. Do not press the powder into the scoop. Only use the scoop provided.
- Add the prescribed number of scoops of formula to the water. Replace the cap on the bottle and shake until the powder dissolves. Before feeding ensure that the formula is at the correct temperature by placing a few drops on the wrist.
- Formula remaining in the bottle after one hour of feeding should be discarded. Formula must not be rewarmed during feeding.
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If there is any made-up formula milk left after a feed, throw it away. Ideally, you should make up formula milk freshly for each feed, just minutes before feeding. Using formula milk that has been stored may increase the chance of your baby becoming ill.
When you are going out, you can put boiling water in a flask and make up fresh formula milk when you need it. If you need to take a made-up feed with you, make it up in the morning, cool as above, then put it in the fridge for at least one hour before putting in a cool bag with a frozen ice brick. Feeds stored in a cool bag should be used within four hours.
You should do the same if you need to take a made-up feed to a nursery or childminder – when you get there, take the feed out of the cool bag and put it straight in the fridge. Try to make sure the made-up feed is used on the same day you take it in, because it isn’t ideal to store feeds, especially for young babies. You should never store feeds for more than 24 hours. Remember, it’s always safer to make up a fresh feed whenever possible. You could also use a ready-to-feed liquid formula.
Milks based on goats’ milk protein have not been approved for use by the European Food Safety Authority for babies under a year old, so avoid this as a formula choice. Only use soya-based infant formulas if you have been advised to by your GP.