Bottle feeding
Infant formula milk is the only suitable alternative to breast
milk for infants under one year old. Formula milk is designed to
give your baby the nutrition he or she needs. Bottle feeding can
give other people a chance to help with feeding, too.
Infant formula is not a sterile product and so must be made up
with water hot enough to kill the bacteria (around 70ºC). This
means boiling the kettle and leaving it to cool for no longer than
30 minutes. It’s also essential to make up a fresh bottle for each
feed. Bacteria multiply rapidly at room temperature and can even
survive and multiply slowly in some fridges, so storing made-up
formula milk for any length of time increases the risk.
When making up feeds, follow the manufacturers'
instructions exactly. Never make milk thinner or thicker.
Do not use a microwave to heat up feeds as it may heat the
milk unevenly and scald your baby's mouth. Check the temperature of
the milk by dripping some on the inside of your wrist. Milk should
be consumed within one hour; and any milk left over must be
discarded and not reheated.
Breastfeeding
Leaflet 317
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Breastfeeding Poster 239
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Breastfeeding
Policy 233Kb