As a mother, the first and foremost duty is to feed your little one. Breastfeeding is the only food the baby needs for the first 6 months. But not all babies get a chance to have breastfed. It depends upon the formation of the breast milk supply of mothers.
In this article, you will opt to know about the facts that you are not aware of storing formula milk (R) and the guidelines for storing formula milk.
How To Store Formula Milk:
1. Select The Right Equipment:
Whatever you do, what matters is the right equipment. Then storing formula milk becomes easy and healthier for the baby. While shopping for the baby bottles and storing equipment like vessels, make sure you choose the leading brands in the market. Whiling choosing the right container you should look-
- The container of the baby bottles should be of good brand and plastic of it should be branded. Make sure you check with the nipples of the bottle.
- The feeding bottle should be a micro-wave safe bottle. The hit resistance of the container should be the most important priority for the baby feeding bottle.
- The bottles should be in good condition before you buy them. Check with its external and internal damages.
- The vessels and containers should be reliable and pick the ones that come with lids.
- The bottles and the containers have to be washed and cleaned every time they are used. Select good washing products that will help you in effective cleaning.
- There should be 3-4 varieties of feeding bottles with different sizes.
2. Sterilizing The Bottles:
Sterilizing the baby bottles before the feeding process is a must and compulsory. Sterilizing helps to get rid of microbial life such as bacteria and viruses.
- Sterilization has to be done with heat and chemicals. These are two powerful agents that are required to store formula milk.
- Take a large vessel and boil water in it. Try to use warm water.
- Once the water starts boiling, put all the baby bottles in the rolling boil for at least five minutes. Make sure you add the nipples in it too.
- You also choose countertops and microwave friendly sterilizers available in the market.
- After sterilizing, wash the bottles and nipples in warm soapy water.
3. Preparing The Formula Milk:
Now comes the main part where you have to prepare the formula milk to feed for your baby. The pack of formula powder will have specific instructions about the quantity to be taken per feed. Keep the feeding bottle sterilized and protected.
- First the boil the minimum amount of water you needed for your baby to feed.
- Then mix the formula powder with water as per the level of ml in the bottle you are needed to feed your baby.
- Make sure that water is not very cool while preparing the feed as it will not mix with the powder effectively.
- The amount of formula and the amount of water to be mixed will be specified on the pack. This ratio will give a perfect consistency for baby milk.
- Make sure you make it not so thick or not so watery. The consistency should be minimal.
- Close the bottle and shake it well enough so that formula mixes properly.
- Ensure that the formula is prepared with adequate thickness. It should not be too thick or too runny.
- Check the temperature of the formula milk before feeding your baby. Make sure that the milk is not very hot or very cold. A warm feed is just perfect for your infant.
- Test the heat by pouring a few drops on your elbow
4. Cleaning:
No matters what cleaning is one of the important aspects of each and every aspect of hygienic. The baby is being bottled feed so bottle hygienic is a must. This helps to fight against the build-up microbes of the feeding bottle.
- Make sure you do it with each passing time your baby finished the milk from the bottle.
- Don’t feed with the same bottle again until it is cleaned.
- Trow the bottle which is old enough. Do repeat it once it loses its durability.
- Check with the quality of water in your home before you use the water for storing formula milk.
- When the formula is in powder form, it lacks the moisture that is necessary for bacteria to thrive. However, once you mix it with water, it becomes an ideal habitat. This is why experts recommend that the formula that you have already mixed should not be kept out for more than an hour.
- Wash your feeding equipment in warm water and soap after each use.
- Sterilise equipment prior to use as equipment, though sterilized, will lose sterility on prolonged exposure to air.
5. Storage:
The babies need to be fed round the clock, and making fresh formula milk each time can cut into your sleep. Sometimes it is difficult when you are tired enough. Here is what you need to know about how to store the formula milk.
- Keeping mixed formula outside for more than an hour makes it highly susceptible to bacterial growth.
- As I mentioned above don’t use it after an hour. Experts recommend that the formula that you have already mixed should not be kept out for more than an hour.
- If the bottled formula has been in the fridge for more than 24 hours, then just get rid of it.
- Do not store up the leftover formula milk once the baby is done with feed.
- The best way to store sterilized bottles is to place them in an airtight container and then refrigerate.
6. Re-Heating
Is re-heat can be done with formula milk. Are you aware of it. Does the expert recommended it? This question must be popping up in your mind. Well, the answer to it is as follows-
- To reheat formula from the fridge, heat water in a saucepan and turn the flame off once it is hot. Place the bottle in it and allow it to warm.
- The best temperature for babies to feed is only lukewarm. Formula milk needn’t be re-heated to a boil, like one would do with milk.
- The reheating process should be done in ten minutes or so.
- Do not microwave your refrigerated baby formula as it will be heated up unevenly.
- Electric bottle heaters are a more convenient option but these can be expensive.
[Read: How Importance Is Breastfeeding For Mother]
How Long Does Formula Milk Last?
When the formula is in powder form, it lacks the moisture that is necessary for bacteria to thrive. However, once you mix it with water, it becomes an ideal habitat. This is why experts recommend that formula that you have already mixed should not be kept out for more than an hour.
If the bottled formula has been in the fridge for more than 24 hours, then just get rid of it. It is recommended to not keep the formula milk at room temperature for more than 15 minutes as per the studies and experts had recommend.
You have to be very careful when you have to introduce the baby to the formula milk. Make sure you use the right brand of feeding bottle. Talk to your doctor when you have any doubt regarding the storing of formula milk. Do follow the above guidelines for storing formula milk.
