Caring for an infant is one of the most nerve-wracking circumstances you could be in.
On a worldwide setting, 8.2 million children below the age of five pass away because of various reasons. The risk of death for infants is 15 times greater during the first four weeks of their life, as compared to any other time before their first birthday.
It’s for this reason you’ll want to get the best baby formula.
Choosing one free from harmful additives can keep them safe from health issues. However, the right milk formula isn’t your only concern. You need the right kind of water too to complement the effects of the baby formula preparation.
The Right Water for Baby Formula Preparation
Water can look the same but there are several types that have their own benefits and drawbacks.
There are some water types that you must avoid in baby formula preparation. You need to be on the lookout when it comes to the chemicals and minerals present in the water supply you have before you use it for your baby formula.
Baby Formula and Fluoride in the Water
There are a lot of concerns when it comes to using water with heavy concentrations of fluoride present.
Having this chemical has some degrees of benefit to it when it comes to adult consumption, but it can have some detrimental effects on your baby. Using water with high levels of this chemical on baby formula preparation can cause enamel or dental fluorosis.
This condition isn’t a disease but it does cause discoloration on your baby’s developing teeth. These manifest as white spots or streaks on your baby’s enamel. This type of discoloration develops on their permanent teeth while they’re still forming in the gums.
It’s not recommended for you to use water with added fluoride on it because a lot of baby formulas already have some of this chemical in it.
Extra fluoride is not necessary and it will lead to dental fluorosis either way. If you have no choice but use fluoridated water, check with your water company and make sure that the levels of fluoride present in the water is less than 0.7 mg per liter.
If you’re breastfeeding your baby and only do occasional baby formula preparation, check with your pediatrician.
They can tell you if the limited dosage of fluoridated water won’t harm your baby. There are ways to remove fluoride in water if it becomes too dangerous for your little one.
Baby Formula and Well Water
In more rural areas where you’d rather have well water rather than the public water system, it’s best to have your water tested at least. This offers a great way of assuring that the water you’re going to use for your baby formula preparation is safe for your infant. Boiling the water and assuming it’s safe to drink isn’t a great idea.
While boiling it can kill off most bacteria, the water from your water well might contain some minerals like Iron and other nitrates. These won’t go away when you boil them. Some mineral concentrations might become higher when you boil the water.
Baby Formula and Bottled Water
When you’re in a situation where tap water is not an option, whether you’re at home or in public areas, the most viable option is to get bottled water. There are a lot of safe options out there, like “Nursery Water,” a type of bottled water marketed for baby consumption. A good rule when looking for bottled water are those that have low fluoride content as well as these traits:
- Purified
- Deionized
- Demineralized
- Distilled
- Prepared using reverse osmosis
When buying bottled water to use for baby formula preparation, it must meet the European Standards for water quality. That ensures that the water is safe for you and your baby to drink.
When to Boil Water for Baby Formula Preparation
There was a time when all baby formula packaging said that you should boil water before using it. However, those days were long past since you now need to ask your doctor whether you need to boil your water before preparing the formula.
Some packages explicitly say this, and even if your area has no specific policy on the topic, the World Health Organization has some guidelines for it.
Discuss your baby formula preparation plans with your doctor and see if they agree with it. They can suggest the things they deem necessary for your baby’s situation and pick the best course of action. You can check with your local health department to know if the normal tap water is safe enough for your baby’s bottle.
If you’re not sure about your area’s water safety, boil the water for one minute. Afterward, let it cool down before you use it for your baby’s formula. Make sure that you don’t water down your infant formula for the sake of making it last longer.
Giving your baby too much water can result in dangerous situations like water intoxication. Make sure to follow the instructions on the formula in a precise manner. It helps avoid unnecessary dangers to your little one.
How to Prepare the Best Water for Baby Formula
There are things you need to consider when preparing the baby formula. You need to think about the quality of water and the cleanliness of the equipment you’re using. Take care of these aspects will let you prepare the best baby formula around.
Here are some things you need to remember when preparing the baby formula:
Check the Expiry Date
This is the first thing you need to remember especially since some stores can stock up on these formulas for long periods of time. It’s important for your baby to consume the baby formula within the specific time limit set in the package. It prevents you from wasting it or accidentally feeding it to your baby, resulting in vomiting and other digestive illnesses.
Wash Your Hands
Before you begin preparing the formula, you need to make sure that the process is clean all throughout. The best way for you to do so is to wash your hands in a thorough manner. Use the proper antimicrobial soap and rub it for some time.
With this method, you can get rid of all the dirt and other contaminants that your hand has. It reduces the risk of your baby getting illnesses. It helps you and your baby stay healthy.
Prepare the Bottle
The first step is to clean the bottle properly by adding the right washing liquid on the bottle.
Cleaning each and every part of the bottle ensures that your baby’s health isn’t affected in any way. The best water for baby formula preparation won’t matter if the bottle where it’s stored isn’t cleaned properly.
Heat the Baby Formula Properly
When you’re using the wet blend for baby formula preparation, you need to heat it up for it to stay effective. Whatever you do, never use the microwave when heating it up with the bottle. This can get you into trouble since the plastic bottle might melt with the intense heat.
If you need to heat up your baby formula, put it in a vessel. Heat the vessel on the gas stove and let it cool down a bit before handing it over to your baby. That way, it doesn’t become contaminated by the plastic and make them sick.
How to Store the Baby Formula
When you finish the baby formula preparation, it’s important to know how to store it in a proper place. Failing to do so can expose it to harmful particles that can affect your baby’s health. An unhealthy practice when it comes to storing baby formula is keeping it in a refrigerator.
When you’re done feeding the baby, the bacteria from the mouth might get transferred to the nipple or other rubber parts of the bottle. When you refrigerate it, the number of bacteria increases because of the cold conditions.
The best way to store your baby formula is to use some vessel and keep it covered somewhere in your kitchen. That way, your baby formula doesn’t become contaminated and it doesn’t cause the bacteria to multiply fast enough to endanger your baby the next time you feed them.
Get More Baby Formula Preparation Tips Today!
Getting the best water for your baby formula can become a hard task depending on where you live. The safest method of getting water is through the purified bottled ones you get from convenience stores.
Make sure that the brand you’re getting follows the guidelines set by the European Union when it comes to water safety.
If you’re looking for a good baby formula, we can help. We have a wide selection of baby formula that can fit your baby’s requirements. We have non-GMO formulas that can help nourish your baby in a more natural way.
We offer free shipping if you buy products with a total amount of $100 or more. We ship it out the same day you order it as long as it fulfills our requirements.
