Baby bottles food

Safe Handling for Breast Milk, Formula, and Baby Food

The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled.

JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser.

Skip to Content Menu

Search

Account

Articles

Safe handling of breast milk, formula, and baby food is important because infants and young children are at higher risk for foodborne illness since they do not have fully developed immune systems.

Skip to the end of the images gallery

Bottle with milk and manual breast pump by Pavel Ilyukhin on Bigstock

Skip to the beginning of the images gallery

Infants and young children are at higher risk for foodborne illness because they do not have fully developed immune systems. Extra care should be taken when handling and preparing their milk and food to prevent harmful microorganisms from making them sick.

The first step in safe food handling is keeping everything clean. This starts with washing your hands for at least 20 seconds in warm soapy water. The simple process of washing your hands can prevent the spread of harmful microorganisms that could make your child sick. Clean bottles, nipples, and eating utensils/areas with hot soapy water after each use and sterilize bottles and accessories after being washed.

Breast milk should be collected and stored in sterilized bottles or breast milk storage bags and stored in the refrigerator at 40° F or below. Freshly pumped milk can be left out at room temperature for no longer than 3-4 hours. Any breast milk that will not be used in 24-48 hours can be frozen and stored for 3-6 months. When defrosting breast milk, do so in the refrigerator or under warm running water. Never thaw the milk at room temperature, in the microwave, or in boiling water. Once defrosted, breast milk must be used within 24 hours and cannot be refrozen. Be sure to label any milk that is stored with the date that it was pumped and to clean and sterilize breast pump pieces regularly.

Formula should be prepared in clean and sterilized bottles. Open bottles of liquid ready-to-use formula can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Formula prepared from powder should be stored in the refrigerator and used within 24 hours. Once a bottle is prepared, throw away any leftovers because harmful microorganisms from the baby's mouth may have entered the bottle during the feeding. Check expiration dates on formula, as food quality and vitamin levels decrease over time. It is not recommended to freeze formula.

According to the American Pediatrics Association, solids can be introduced to infants at 6 months of age. When you start your child on solids, there are recommendations you should follow to make sure the baby food is safe. When selecting the food, make sure the container is in good condition, free from any evidence of tampering or damage. When feeding your child, spoon the amount your child is eating into a separate bowl and place the rest in the refrigerator. Do not feed the child directly from the jar unless you plan to discard any leftovers. Saliva on the spoon can contaminate the rest of the food in the container. If you make your own baby food, make sure you clean all parts of the baby food maker, utensils, and storage containers thoroughly before beginning. Baby food can be stored for the following times:

Fruits and vegetables: 2-3 days in the refrigerator, 6-8 months in the freezer
Meats and eggs: 1 day in the refrigerator, 1-2 months in the freezer
Combination foods: 1-2 days in the refrigerator, 1-2 months in the freezer
Homemade baby food: 1-2 days in the refrigerator, 3-4 months in the freezer

If you have any questions on this topic, or any food safety questions, contact your local Penn State Extension Office.

Nicole McGeehan is a Penn State Extension educator serving Monroe County and surrounding counties in Northeast Pennsylvania.

Personalize your experience with Penn State Extension and stay informed of the latest in agriculture.

Newsletter

Email address is required to login

Glass, Plastic, Disposable, and More

Written by Wendy C. Fries

Baby Bottle Basics: Plastic Vs. Glass

You've got four basic choices:

1. Plastic

Pros: They’re lightweight, strong, and unbreakable.

Cons: Plastic baby bottles may not last as long as glass. And if you’re using older, secondhand bottles, they may have bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used to make hardened plastic. The FDA banned the use of BPA in 2012 from baby bottles and sippy cups, but older ones may have it.

2. Glass

Pros: They last a long time, and you can boil them for a deep clean.

Cons: They’re heavier than plastic and may shatter if you drop them.

3. Hybrid

Hybrid bottles have a glass liner to prevent chemicals from coming into contact with the formula, with a plastic outside that keeps them from breaking.

Pros: They're lightweight, safe, and won't discolor or retain bad smells.

Cons: They may be more expensive than plastic or glass.

4. Disposable

Pros: These reusable plastic bottles have a disposable sterilized liner for each feeding. They’re very convenient because clean-up is quick.

Cons: The disposable inserts may not be great for the environment, and the bottles are usually more expensive than regular plastic or glass. You also need to have a supply of liners, which can be costly.

Which kind should you choose? Ask for advice from friends, family, or your baby’s pediatrician. Experiment. Try a few and see which you and your baby like best.

Once you pick a specific bottle, buy at least a dozen of them. Even if you’ll be breastfeeding, you may want some extra baby bottles for pumped breast milk storage.

Nipples for Bottles

Baby bottle nipples are usually rubber or silicone. They can be rounded, wide, flat, or shaped to mimic a mother’s nipple in the baby’s mouth. Depending on the size of the nipple hole, they also have different flow rates, from slow to fast.

As with bottles, your baby may prefer a certain nipple type. The only way to find out is to try them out. To get started, ask friends, family, and your baby’s doctor about which types and brands they recommend.

Get at least 12 nipples and covers. Remember, these nipples crack and leak with use, so you may need to buy more over time. And the sizes change as baby grows.

Baby Bottle Gear

There are lots of accessories to choose from, including brushes, carrying cases, sterilizers, and dishwasher bottle baskets.

Pediatricians and parents generally agree that the following items are helpful:

1 baby bottle brush
1 nipple brush
6-12 bibs
1 breast pump with storage bottles (if you’re breastfeeding)
12 burp cloths, receiving blankets, or clean cloth diapers

Are Plastic Baby Bottles Safe?

If you’re buying brand new bottles, you can rest assured that they’re safe. Since the FDA banned BPA from baby bottles and sippy cups, those for sale today shouldn’t have this chemical.

6 Dos & Don’ts

1. Don’t sterilize glass baby bottles and nipples before every use. That practice was only necessary in the past, when local water supplies were not as reliably clean as they are now.

You may want to sterilize new glass baby bottles and new nipples by putting them in boiling water for 5 minutes. After that, you can wash bottles in the dishwasher, which cleans better than hand-washing them, or wash by hand with hot, soapy water and rinse well.

2. Do replace baby bottles and nipples if you find a certain set just doesn’t agree with your baby’s needs.

3. Do replace a glass baby bottle if it’s cracked or chipped.

4. Do replace a plastic baby bottle if it’s cracked, leaks, is discolored, or smells bad.

5. Do replace a nipple if it’s discolored or isn't in good shape (a damaged nipple can be a choking hazard), or if milk comes out too fast.

To test the flow, turn the bottle upside down. Only a few drops should come out. If more do, the hole is too big, and your baby may get more formula than they can handle. Nipple packages should state the flow rate on them.

6. Do label breast milk bottles for storage.

7. Don’t buy a baby bottle warmer unless you really want one. Standing a baby bottle in a glass of hot water for a few minutes is easier and less expensive. Also, don't heat your baby’s bottle in the microwave. That can create hot spots in the liquid because microwaves don't heat evenly.

8. Don't feed baby the rest of a bottle started earlier, even if it was refrigerated.

9. Never microwave bottles.

Baby Bottles Smoothies Plastic food Toy, toy, food, infant, baby png

photography,

baby,

smoothies,

baby bottle,

smoothies and ice,

plastic,

ice,

fragrance,

drinking utensils,

crusher,

bottle,

baby bottles,

toy,

png,

transparent,

free download

About this PNG

Image size: 700x700px
File size: 478.61KB
MIME type: Image/png

Download PNG ( 478.61KB )

resize PNG

width(px)

height(px)

License

Non-Commercial Use, DMCA Contact Us

Diaper Infant Baby shower Baby Bottles, baby shower, child, people, boy png 781x1024px 317.81KB
Pacifier milk Baby Bottles Infant, milk, digital Image, baby Bottle, infant png 1347x3145px 3.13MB
Bib, female child, miscellaneous, child, child png 878x1500px 154.46KB
pink and brown floral feeding bottle illustration, Baby Bottle Diaper Baby shower, Girls Accessories s, baby Announcement, flower, magenta png 650x975px 98.1KB
Infant Cartoon Baby bottles, child, baby holding feeding bottle illustration, baby Announcement, mammal, child png 884x1024px 475. 67KB
feeding bottle, Baby bottle Milk Infant, Milk filled baby bottle, blue, child, baby Clothes png 1000x1000px 145.75KB
Ice beer Beer bottle, beer, three glass bottles in ice illustration, label, beer, beer png 1000x596px 674.89KB
Infant Child Baby bottle Baby food, child, baby holding feeding bottle illustration, comics, baby Card, child png 803x1000px 444.99KB
two clear plastic bottles, Distilled water Bottled water Gallon Carbonated water, AGUA, plastic Bottle, mineral Water, drinking Water png 1024x1024px 842.2KB
Baby Bottles Baby Colic Pacifier, baby bottle, wikimedia Commons, infant, pacifier png 512x512px 6. 54KB
Corona Beer Food Coors Brewing Company Liqueur, beer, food, beer Bottle, beer png 500x500px 61.35KB
Baby Bottles Boss, baby, miscellaneous, boy, boy png 848x1500px 153.29KB
Soft drink Water bottle Bottled water Mineral water, Mineral water bottles, plastic bottle, glass, plastic Bottle, juice png 650x1336px 193.18KB
blue feeding bottle illustration, Infant Baby Bottle Emoji Sticker, milk bottle, united States Dollar, water Bottles, water Bottle png 530x526px 87.32KB
empty plastic cup with dome lid, Smoothie Lid Plastic cup, plastic, glass, food, cafeteria png 550x936px 168. 2KB
Baby Pacifiers Pacifiers, baby bottle, miscellaneous, child, infant png 1024x1024px 59.78KB
Plastic bottle Convenience food Packaging and labeling Toy, toy, food, label, plastic Bottle png 1181x664px 962.42KB
Baby Bottle Drawing, baby, watercolor Painting, child, people png 1200x834px 1.01MB
blue water container, Bottled water Drinking water cooler, Pure bottled water, glass, lid, plastic Bottle png 683x1024px 294.27KB
Buxton water bottle, Soft drink Water bottle Bottled water Mineral water, Water bottle, food, label, plastic Bottle png 900x1895px 1. 36MB
Baby diaper Hygiene Baby Bathing, Baby care, baby announcement, child, people png 1000x667px 352.91KB
Champagne glass Rosé Bottle, Champagne, Champagne, open champagne bottle, splash, food, champagne png 776x800px 431.73KB
Watercolor painting Glass Frasco, Acuarelas, watercolor Painting, glass, monochrome png 800x800px 430.93KB
two blue gallons of water, Water cooler Bottled water Drinking water, water bottle, glass, plastic Bottle, drinking png 770x513px 71.76KB
Bottled water Water cooler Water Bottles Pitcher, bottle, food, plastic Bottle, drinking png 800x638px 934. 46KB
Lager Brewing Grain & Malt Drinks Cider Ale, beer, beer Bottle, beer, flavoring png 540x1154px 107.48KB
Baby food Baby Bottles Baby pacifiers Computer Icons, baby bottle, child, text, rectangle png 980x980px 69.2KB
Breast milk Baby Bottles Pacifier, Hand-painted bottle material, watercolor Painting, child, infant png 532x500px 79.1KB
clear drinking glass graphic, Drinking water Glass Coffee Cup, glass of juice, glass, coffee, plastic Bottle png 600x522px 248.14KB
blue and brown feeding bottle illustration, Baby Bottles, child, people, boy png 593x1083px 1. 09MB
Water bottle Mineral water Drinking water, water can, blue plastic water bottle filled with water, can, plastic Bottle, watering Can png 1443x2253px 1.6MB
Red Wine White Wine Bottle Glass, wine bottle, wine Glass, wine, grape png 700x1067px 425.45KB
Baby Bottles Infant Boy, boy, blue, white, rectangle png 650x1253px 97.81KB
Baby food Lollipop Baby Bottles Breastfeeding, lollipop, food, infant, lollipop png 512x512px 21.42KB
baby feeding bottle illustration, Baby bottle, food, text, child png 943x1178px 41.88KB
Detergent Dishwashing detergent Cleaning Products Abrasive, Products, glass, food, toilet png 2000x1035px 1.83MB
Baby bottle Baby Es, Baby take a bottle, baby Card, painted, child png 1853x2037px 1.02MB
Baby bottle Infant, Cartoon Baby Bottle, purple, baby Products, girl png 2685x6953px 124.47KB
Champagne glass Beer Wine Sabrage, champagne, food, beer Bottle, champagne png 1000x1000px 751.59KB
blue and pink feeding bottle, Milk Baby bottle Infant, Baby bottle material, baby Announcement Card, baby, outdoor Shoe png 1000x1000px 377.33KB
GuessUp: Guess the Emoji Baby Bottles Baby milk, Emoji, child, pacifier, mobile Phones png 624x632px 339.74KB
Baby bottles Infant Diaper, bottle, child, boy, baby Announcement png 564x846px 155.58KB
blue and white polka-dot baby shaker illustration, Infant Infant Rattle Toy, Baby Rattle s, blue, child, boy png 813x1600px 231.07KB
Breast milk Breast pumps Philips Avent Comfort Electric, Philips AVENT, child, plastic Bottle, baby Products png 873x627px 294.96KB
Computer Icons Baby Bottles Icon, bottle feeding, child, infant, silhouette png 512x512px 4.35KB
water splash illustration, Drinking water Portable Network Graphics Ice cube Liquid, water, splash, drink, drinking Water png 841x517px 227.7KB
three amber glass bottles, Ice beer Budweiser Drink, Ice beer, food, label, beer Bottle png 1000x596px 196.4KB
Beer Heineken International Bottle Pincho, beer, beer Bottle, beer, bar png 600x600px 386.45KB
Baby Bottle, Cartoon Unicorn, Cute Unicorn, Baby Unicorn, Pink, Water Bottle, Drinkware, Baby Products, Tableware, Cartoon, Unicorn, Baby Products png 1000x1000px 589.66KB
Breast milk Baby Breastfeeding Bottles Infant nutrition, bottle, child, hand, toddler png 2560x1536px 1. 98MB

Lollipop Baby Food Baby Bottles Breastfeeding, lollipop, food, infant, lollipop png

baby,

lollipop,

sugar,

nuk,

midwife,

milk powder,

line,

food Drinks,

area,

flat,

works of art,

baby bottles,

baby food,

bottle,

breastfeeding,

candy,

computer icons,

feed,

crockery,