How to mix baby food in a bottle
How to Make a Baby Bottle: Storage and More
Guidelines on how to mix and store baby formula for your little one
Whether you’re feeding your baby with formula only or are breastfeeding and supplementing with formula, it’s important to know the basics of formula preparation and storage. This not only saves time, but also helps keep your baby happy and healthy.
With all the mixing, storing, and warming dos and don’ts, there’s a lot to remember. We get it. And we’re here to help. If you have more questions, you can also talk to your doctor.
Choosing the right formula: 3 basic steps
To start with, here are 3 easy steps that will help you choose the right formula, plus a few things to keep in mind before you prepare it.
Step 1: Choose the right formula for your baby. If you’re not sure what formula is best, talk with your pediatrician for advice. Use our Formula Finder to get tailored suggestions.
Step 2: Choose the type of formula that works best for you: powder, ready to feed, or concentrated liquid.
Tip: Use powder or concentrated liquid for everyday use and ready to feed for convenience when traveling.
Step 3: Read all the information below before making your first bottle. We hope this will answer any questions that may come up along the way.
How to mix and prepare Similac
® powder baby formulaPreparing Similac powdered formula is simple, but it’s still important to carefully follow the directions. Your baby's health depends on it. Proper formula preparation is important in order for your child to receive the necessary nutrition.
Formula-to-water ratio: 1 level scoop of formula (not packed down) per 2 fl oz of water. Be careful not to add too much water. Watered-down formula is not recommended, as it dilutes essential nutrients and can affect your child's nutrition.
Reminder: Powdered infant formula is not sterile and should not be fed to premature infants or infants with immune problems unless directed and supervised by your doctor.
Preparing formula with boiled water
Ask your baby’s doctor if you need to use cooled, boiled water for mixing and if you need to boil (sterilize) bottles, nipples, and rings before use. If you choose to boil, follow these steps:
1. Bring water to a rolling boil for 1 minute, then turn off the heat. Overboiling can increase the concentration of impurities.
2. Let the water cool to room temperature before adding formula. Making formula with boiling water can cause clumping and decrease the nutritional value.
3. Before feeding, sprinkle a few drops on the inside of your wrist to make sure it is not too hot.
4. Feed or refrigerate the prepared formula.
Note: If you are concerned about lead or other harmful substances in your water, talk to your healthcare professional before making formula with tap water. Bottled or filtered water can contain bacteria and should still be boiled.
Mixing Tips for Similac Powdered Formula
Single bottle instructions
1.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.
2. Measure and pour desired amount of water into the baby bottle.
3. Add unpacked, level scoop(s) of powder formula to the bottle as directed. Return dry scoop to can. (1 scoop of formula per 2 fl oz of water.)
4. Put the cap on the bottle and shake.
Tip: Moving your wrist in a twisting motion helps powder formula mix more quickly and more thoroughly.
5. Feed or store immediately in refrigerator.
Multiple bottle instructions*
1. Measure 23 fl oz of water using a liquid measuring cup.
(NOTE: If using Similac NeoSure powder, use 21 fl oz of water instead of 23 fl oz of water for standard caloric density.)
(NOTE: If using Pure Bliss™ by Similac® powder, use 24 fl oz of water instead of 23 fl oz of water for standard caloric density.)
2. Add 1 cup (100 g†) of powder, unpacked and level, using a household measuring cup for dry ingredients.
3.
Add powder to water and mix well.
4. Pour prepared formula into individual feeding bottles.
5. Put the cap on and store immediately in the refrigerator. Feed within 24 hours.
Similac® For Spit-Up mixing tips
Similac For Spit-Up formula contains rice starch. This means that compared to other Similac powdered formulas, it mixes a little more slowly with water. This is true of any formula that contains rice starch.
Rice starch also makes Similac For Spit-Up look more "grainy" than other Similac formulas. What you are seeing is tiny grains of starch and not a product defect.
Try these tips to help prevent clogged nipples:
- Mix the powder and water, then wait 2 minutes
- Gently swirl, or agitate,‡ the formula in the bottle before feeding
- Or, mix the formula in a separate container, and then pour into a bottle to feed
What temperature should baby formula be?
Formula does not need to be warmed.
But, if you do want to feed warmed formula, do not microwave it. This can cause "hot spots" that could burn your baby. Instead, set the filled bottle in a bowl of warm (not boiling) water. You can also hold the bottle under warm tap water. Sprinkle a few drops of formula on the inside of your wrist to make sure it’s not too hot.
How to prepare Similac Ready-to-Feed formula (or how to make formula bottles in advance)
Preparing Similac Ready-to-Feed formula is easy. You don’t need to mix or measure anything. Just shake the bottle well before opening, twist off the cap, and pour into a baby bottle. Or, if you’re using a 2-fl-oz Ready-to-Feed bottle, just twist on a nipple and ring. This way, there’s no need to make anything in advance when you’re going out.
Baby formula storage guidelines for Similac products
Similac powder formula storage
- Once opened, store powder formula in a sealed container in a cool, dry place
- Once mixed, feed immediately or refrigerate in a sealed container; use within 24 hours
- Do not freeze mixed formula—this can cause the protein and fat to separate
- Do not store unmixed powder in the refrigerator
- Avoid extreme temperatures
- Use the product within 1 month
Similac Ready-to-Feed formula storage
- Store unopened bottles at room temperature; avoid extreme temperatures
- Store in carton until ready to use
- 32-fl-oz bottles: Once opened, store immediately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (72 hours) or 2 days (48 hours) when opening Alimentum.
If poured into individual baby bottles, store immediately in the refrigerator and feed within 48 hours - 2-fl-oz and 8-fl-oz nipple-ready bottles: Once opened, use or store immediately in the refrigerator and feed within 48 hours
- Do not reuse bottles
- Protect bottles from light
See the product labels for more instructions.
How long is formula safe to use after being mixed or prepared?
Formula made from powder must be used within 24 hours. Ready-to-Feed formulas must be used within 48 to 72 hours after opening according to label directions. Once powder has been mixed with water or Ready-to-Feed bottles have been opened, they must be stored in the refrigerator until feeding.
Check the date
Never feed expired formula to your baby or use formula from a dented container.
Now that you know how to make the perfect bottle for your little one, visit Formula Feeding Basics for helpful feeding tips.
* Makes approximately 26 fl oz of prepared formula.
† For most accurate results, powder should be weighed on a scale that reads in grams.
‡ Avoid vigorous shaking right before feeding, which can cause air bubbles that can lead to gas in your baby.
Join Similac® Rewards for up to $400* in benefits and support throughout your journey.
* Offers may vary.
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Formula Feeding FAQs: Starting Solids and Milk (for Parents)
Whether you plan to formula feed your baby from the start, want to supplement your breast milk with formula, or are switching from breast milk to formula, you probably have questions.
Here are answers to some common questions about formula feeding.
When Can My Baby Try Solid Foods?
Doctors recommend waiting until your baby is about 6 months old to start solid foods. Some babies may be ready for solids sooner than 6 months, but wait until your baby is at least 4 months old.
Babies who are ready to eat solids foods:
- are interested in foods (for example, they may watch others eat, reach for food, and open their mouths when food is near)
- hold up their heads well, and sit up with little or no help
- don't push food of their mouth (which is a natural tongue reflex that disappears when babies are 4–6 months old)
- usually weigh twice their birth weight, or close to it
Talk to your doctor about the right time to start solid foods.
How Do I Introduce Solid Foods?
When the time is right, start with a single-grain, iron-fortified baby cereal. Start with 1 or 2 tablespoons of cereal mixed with breast milk, formula, or water. Feed your baby with a small baby spoon. Don’t add cereal to a baby's bottle unless your doctor recommends it.
When your baby gets the hang of eating the first food, introduce other foods from all food groups, such as puréed meats, fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and yogurt.
Wait a few days between introducing new foods to make sure your baby doesn't have an allergic reaction.
You can include foods that are more likely to cause allergies — such as peanuts, eggs, cow’s milk, seafood, nuts, wheat, and soy — among the foods you introduce to your infant. Waiting to start these foods does not prevent food allergies.
Talk to your doctor before giving foods that contain peanuts if your baby has severe eczema or an egg allergy, as these conditions make an allergy to peanuts more likely. Eating peanut-containing foods early on may lower a child’s chances of developing a peanut allergy. But your doctor will need to decide if you can give peanuts to your baby, and the safest way to do it. Usually, this requires allergy tests.
Should We Avoid Some Foods?
Yes, don’t give your baby:
- foods with added sugars or no-calorie sweeteners
- high-sodium foods
- honey until after the first birthday. It can cause botulism in babies.
- unpasteurized juice, milk, yogurt, or cheese
- regular cow's milk or soy beverages instead of breast milk or formula before 12 months. It’s OK to offer pasteurized yogurt and cheese.
- foods that may cause choking, such as hot dogs, raw carrots, grapes, popcorn, and nuts
Always supervise your child when eating. Make sure your child is sitting up in high chair or other safe place.
When Can My Baby Have Cow's Milk?
Before their first birthday, babies still need the nutrients in breast milk or formula. But after that, they’re ready to switch to cow's milk.
Most kids under age 2 should drink whole milk. If a toddler is overweight or there is a family history of obesity, high cholesterol, or heart problems, your doctor might recommend switching to reduced fat (2%) milk.
If your child can’t drink cow’s milk, choose an unsweetened soy beverage fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Other milk alternatives, like almond, oat, rice, or coconut milk, have less protein and may not be fortified.
How Do We Switch to Cow’s Milk?
You can switch your baby from formula to whole milk by replace bottles of formula with bottles — or sippy cups — of milk. By 1 year old, your baby should be eating a variety of solid foods and drinking about 16 to 24 ounces (480–720 milliliters) of milk per day.
When Can I Start Giving My Baby Water and Other Drinks?
In their first 6 months, healthy babies drinking enough formula usually don't need extra water. Once your baby is eating solid foods, you can offer a small amount of water between feedings, up to 4–8 ounces a day.
Water that has fluoride helps prevent tooth decay. If your water does not have fluoride, talk to your doctor or dentist about fluoride drops.
Do not give juice to babies younger than 12 months. After your child’s first birthday, limit 100% fruit juice to no more than 4 ounces a day. Always serve juice in a cup, not in a bottle. Don’t give your child sugar-sweetened beverages, including soda, juice drinks, sports drinks, and flavored milks.
Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: November 2021
Doctor explains how to make formula for a newborn baby
Baby
- Photo
- Getty Images/iStockphoto
pediatrician
Hygiene first, wash the cap thoroughly, wash the bottle thoroughly
. It is best to do this with a special detergent for children's dishes - it is more gentle. Please note that the dishwasher is not your assistant here: because of the narrow neck, it will not be possible to rinse the bottle well. But you can do it perfectly with a special brush. Rinse the dishes thoroughly so that there are no traces of detergent left, and then boil them for 5 minutes. nine0003
If the formula is prepared according to the rules, the baby gains weight well, withstands the intervals between feedings, sleeps peacefully at night, makes a “big” toilet once a day, then there is no need to supplement the baby.
In case of problems with stools or in the summer in the heat, you can give up to 100 ml of water per day in several doses from a spoon before feeding.
Important Instructions
Use only boiled water to mix. Boil it for at least 5 minutes. Some pediatricians advise using baby bottled water as well. But still, if we are talking about a newborn, it is better to play it safe and boil it too. And do not try to mix boiled and unboiled water! nine0003
Usually, 1 scoop of the mixture is added for every 30 ml of water, but this does not eliminate the need to carefully read the preparation instructions, which are always placed on the package. Excess powder in the measuring spoon can be removed with the blunt end of a knife. The dry mixture is added to the water bottle, and not vice versa. Each time, the mixture is prepared no later than 10–15 minutes before feeding, and ideally immediately before a meal, because milk is an excellent environment for the development of bacteria, including harmful ones.
If you need to take the mixture with you for a walk, get special portioned containers where a certain amount of powder is poured. Water is poured into a thermos or immediately into a bottle that can be put in a thermo bag. nine0003
If the diluted mixture has been stored in the refrigerator, it must be heated to 36-37°C before eating. For this, a special heater for baby food is suitable. You can also temporarily place the bottle of formula in a bowl of warm water.
- Photo
- stevanovicigor/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Specialist's advice
Elena Fadeeva, a pediatrician, explains how to use the formula to calculate the daily intake of the mixture, what the "energy method" of calculation is, and why sometimes the mixture rolls into lumps. nine0003
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How to calculate serving size. In the first 5-7 days of life, the amount of food that a bottle-fed infant should receive per day is calculated by the formula: 70 or 80 x n, where n is the day of the newborn's life.
A coefficient of 70 is used for children born weighing less than 3200 g, 80 for those born weighing more than 3200 g.
Then, to calculate the daily volume of milk formula, it is recommended to use the so-called energy (calorie) method. It is based on taking into account the physiological need of the child for energy. In the first half of life, this figure is 115 kcal/kg, in the second - 110 kcal/kg of body weight. The calorie content of the mixture is always indicated on the packaging. To get the size of a single serving, the daily volume is divided by the number of feedings. nine0003 -
How to cook? Pour warm water into the bottle (the mixture will curdle in hot water), then pour the dry mixture into it. Then, without shaking (otherwise, dry particles that get into the nipple will clog the hole), roll the bottle in your hands. To make the nutrition homogeneous, shake the bottle. Before giving it to your baby, make sure that the mixture is warm: put a few drops on your wrist or elbow crease (this is the most sensitive place).
The mixture should be slightly warmer than body temperature, that is, practically not felt. nine0003 -
Comfortable posture. During the meal, the baby should take a semi-upright position. Since the mixture lingers in the stomach longer than breast milk, it is necessary to feed the baby, maintaining certain time intervals, which depend on the age of the child. But if 15-20 minutes before the appointed time the child begins to show anxiety, the feeding time can be shifted. To prevent your baby from swallowing air, tilt the bottle so that the milk fills the nipple. After the meal, hold the baby in a “column” for several minutes and wait until he burps the air that he swallowed during feeding. nine0003
More useful materials about feeding babies - in our channel on Yandex.Zen.
Svetlana Lyuboshits
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How to properly dilute infant formula
Properly prepare milk formula - it would seem that it is easier, read the instructions on the box and do as it is written.
But sometimes the simplest things, especially when they concern a newborn, can simply put parents in a stupor.
Content
- How to properly dilute the mixture
- How to prepare formula for a newborn
- How long does reconstituted infant formula keep?
- What water to dilute infant formula
- Water temperature for infant formula
- Preparing Night Feeding Formula
- Infant milk formula on the road
You should know that no formula, even the most modern adapted formula, can completely replace mother's milk. Transferring a child to artificial feeding should be a conscious and forced step, and not the advice of a friend and the desire to make life a little easier for yourself, to have freedom of movement or your own guesses and assumptions that there is not enough breast milk. The deficit that is formed in the child's body without mother's milk cannot be filled with anything. nine0060
How to properly mix
The first thing to do is read the instructions from the manufacturer.
It always describes how to prepare infant formula. It is worth paying attention to the following important points:
- in what proportion to dilute the milk formula (often, one scoop per 30 ml of water)
- at what temperature is the mixture prepared
- recommended amount of ready-made formula for children of different ages nine0037 how long and under what conditions it is possible to store opened packaging
How to properly prepare formula for a newborn
The intestines and mouth of a healthy baby are sterile. The task of the parent is to give the baby the opportunity to gradually adapt to the surrounding space, before starting to acquaint him with pathogenic microflora (in other words, microbes).
In all cases of contact with children's things, food and the child, be sure and always wash your hands with soap and water. Of course, in any case, the baby will have to get acquainted with the surrounding microorganisms, but when he is a few days old, it is too early.
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Since you need to prepare the formula just before feeding, be prepared to do this under the heart-rending cries of a hungry baby. It is possible that under such conditions it will not be possible to prepare sterile bottles in cold blood - it is better and more convenient to have at least two of them.
It is better to prepare and cover a clean bottle with a dry towel in advance than to rush around the house and remember where to put it after feeding when the baby is crying from hunger. Of course, in theory you need to wash the bottle immediately after feeding, but in practice, babies miraculously make adjustments to your schedule. nine0003
So, when all the necessary preparations are made, according to the instructions, we determine the desired ratio of water and dry mixture according to the age of your baby. Pour water of the required temperature into a sterile bottle or bring it to the desired temperature in the bottle. We pour the required number of measuring spoons, after removing a slide from them (you can use the back of a knife).
The measuring spoon must be dry. Follow this strictly and store infant formula in a dry place. Milk powder is very hygroscopic and perfectly absorbs moisture, and if the rules are not followed, the mixture will instantly begin to clump. nine0003
Close the bottle with a cap and shake very well so that there are no lumps left in the mixture (you can check for light). Just in case, we check the temperature of the mixture by dropping it on our wrist. After feeding, pour out the rest of the mixture.
Some mothers, trying to feed the baby more satisfyingly, increase the concentration of the dry mixture in the water. Doing this is strictly prohibited. This can lead to obesity or other metabolic disorders in the child.
To some, these measures may seem superfluous, and, of course, no one can force you to do this. But do not forget that the first three months of a child’s life without this will complicate colic and aggravate the situation with hastily washed bottles, believe me, it’s not worth it.
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How long can reconstituted infant formula be stored
A very common question of interest to all parents is how long can prepared infant formula be stored? Ideally, ready-made milk formula is eaten immediately and not stored. The longer the mixture is prepared, the more chances are given to multiply harmful microbes that love heat and milky environment. And not just the necessary bifidobacteria, for which you lovingly created the optimal temperature. The storage time of reconstituted infant formula should be kept to a minimum. Remember that prepared milk formula should be stored can not even be in the refrigerator.
The bottle and nipple must be washed and sterilized before each formula preparation. You can learn more about sterilizing feeding bottles here.
What kind of water to dilute infant formula
An urgent question for parents - is it possible to dilute formula with baby water? For decades, boiled water has been used to prepare the mixture. Now they began to think about the fact that boiling kills water, deprives oxygen and other trace elements. Today you will not surprise anyone with special baby water for drinking and formula preparation. It does not need to be boiled, it is enough to heat it to the optimum temperature. nine0003
What are the benefits of baby water?
- at all stages of harvesting, water undergoes strict sanitary control
- cleaning uses a multi-stage filter system
- unlike boiled, it is not devoid of oxygen and other useful trace elements
- mineralization decreases in baby water (in dry mixtures, they try to choose the optimal ratio of trace elements and water with increased mineralization can disrupt these proportions)
If you want to use water from a well, it is better to first hand it over for analysis to a sanitary and epidemiological station.
Water temperature for infant formula
The water temperature is of fundamental importance for the preparation of formula, which must be indicated on the packaging.
Almost all mixtures now contain bifidobacteria that are beneficial for the child's intestines. Beneficial bacteria, unlike harmful ones, are rather gentle microorganisms. At a temperature higher than that indicated in the instructions, they will simply die. nine0003
In addition, of course, the temperature of the water simply needs to be comfortable for the child, 36 - 37 ºC. This is the temperature of mother's milk. Therefore, if possible, use a thermometer to prepare infant formula. Fortunately, the assortment of baby stores is now replete with products that make life easier for moms. Well, if there is no thermometer, it does not matter. Put a few drops of the prepared mixture from the bottle on your wrist. If the temperature of the mixture is optimal, then you will not feel it on your wrist. nine0003
It is not advisable to heat the finished mixture. Adapted infant formula is not a product that can be heated and cooled without consequences. It's good bacteria, remember? And not only.
But if it so happened that while you were preparing for feeding, the mixture has cooled down, warm it up under running hot water.
Do not use the microwave to heat up the mixture! You will not be able to control the degree of heating of the liquid bottle, which can lead to an irreversible change in the structure and composition of the formula. nine0003
Night feeding formula
The safest option for the baby and gentle for the mother is to pour water into a sterile bottle in the evening and put it in the warmer. Most warmers are capable of maintaining a constant set temperature in the bottle. Pour the dry mix into the dry mix dispenser.
Now you can prepare the mixture on autopilot at night. All that remains to be done is to get from the dispenser into the bottle and mix thoroughly. Just in case, do not forget to check the temperature of the prepared mixture. Ready. You can start feeding a hungry baby. nine0003
Infant formula on the go
All modern parents want to be mobile.
