It is easy for your baby to get sick from formula contaminated with bacteria. However there are some guidelines you can follow to prevent this from happening.

What to do when your baby doesnt finish a bottle

You have  to feed your baby with warm  formula right away. Do not heat in advance. The warm environment is conducive for bacterial growth. If you leave a bottle of formula out at room temperature for more than an hour, toss it out.

You should also toss formula that your baby started but doesnt finish within an hour. Do not refrigerate or reheat leftovers.  Bacteria in your mouth can get  into the formula and make your baby sick.

How to make a bottle for later use

• prepared formula :After you’ve mixed the powdered or water concentrate with water, put it in closed bottles or a tightly covered container and refrigerate immediately. Don’t let it cool outside the refrigerator first. You need to toss what is left over after 24 hours because bacteria may have formed.
• ready to use formula : Once you’ve opened the ready to use liquid formula, store it in a closed container or tightly cover the container and refrigerate immediately. Discard any left overs after 48 hours because bacterial may have formed .

NOTE

Label the bottles with dates and time you prepared or open the bottle.  Place the bottles at the back of the fridge where it is coldest. Put the newest ones far back and rotate the oldest ones to the front.

How to prepare formula on the go

Prepared formula : It is safest to carry an unopened can of premixed formula and a clean , empty bottle. Pour formula into the bottle and feed right away when the baby is ready for feeding. However this formula can be expensive.

Powdered formula :  Pre-measure powdered  formula in a clean bottle before you step out . Boil water and keep it in thermos . This will keep it hot for about 4 hours. When ready to feed baby , mix formula and water and check the temperature  by sprinkling  a few drops on your wrist to make sure its comfortably  warm not hot for the baby. Feed the baby right away.

Pre-made bottle : You can also mix the formula and then chill it for about an hour at the back of the refrigerator where is is the coldest before you step out. You can then store it in a cooler with ice packs for about 2 hours. After 2 hours, discard left overs.

NOTE

Some babies prefer warm formula . There is no medical reason for it. If your baby prefers room temperature or cold formula ,you can feed him that.

How to warm a bottle from the fridge

You can run it under warm or hot water and gently swirl the liquid for a few minutes. If you’re using a pot, remove from heat source before placing  bottle in it. You can also use a bottle warmer.

Do not use a microwave  to warm baby bottle. It can heat the liquid unevenly  and create hot spots that can burn the baby.