by Joanne Lewsley|
Medically reviewedbyGemma Caton, Specialist health visitor|September 2020|
Yes. You should always boil water before using it to make formula milk.
Powdered infant formula milk is not sterile. Even though tins and packets of milk powder are sealed, they can still contain bacteria. Water that hasn't been boiled can also contain bacteria.
Formula therefore needs to be made up with water hot enough to kill the bacteria, which is at least 70 degrees C. This means boiling the kettle and leaving it to cool for no longer than 30 minutes, so that it remains at a temperature of at least 70 degrees C.
To make your baby's feed, put the boiled water in the bottle first, while it is still hot, before adding the powdered formula.
At 70 degrees C, your baby's milk is still hot enough to scald them. To cool it, hold the bottle, with the cap covering the teat, under cold running water.
Before you give your baby a bottle, test the temperature of the feed by dropping a little on to the inside of your wrist. It should feel warm, not hot.
Don't use artificially softened water or water that has been boiled before.
If you have to use bottled water, you still need to boil it. Look for Na on the label, which means sodium, and choose one that contains 200mg or less of Na per litre. Check the levels of sulphate (SO or SO4), too. The sulphate levels should be no higher than 250mg per litre.
Most restaurants and cafes will provide freshly boiled water for you to make a fresh feed if you ask. Or you can fill a good-quality vacuum flask with freshly boiled water and take it with you. This will keep water hot enough for around four hours.
More advice and information on formula feeding:
Joanne Lewsley is a freelance copywriter and editor, and specialises in creating evidence-based parenting, health and lifestyle web content.
