What Type of Water Should I Use for Baby Formula

Verywell / Bailey Mariner

All water essentially looks the same, but water sources are not created equal. It'south non just a matter of gustation—information technology's also true in terms of drinking water safety. If you are mixing infant formula at home, you lot might wonder if your tap h2o is rubber enough to use for making formula.

Fluoride Concerns

The American Dental Clan (ADA) has issued concerns nigh water that contains higher concentrations of fluoride (greater than 0.7mg/l). Fluoride can be protective for dental health, but higher levels can cause fluorosis on developing teeth.

Fluorosis is not a molar disease. Rather, it appears as discoloration on your babe's developing teeth, which may announced as white spots or streaks on the enamel. This imperfection of coloration develops on your infant'due south permanent teeth while they are all the same forming in the gums.

Most powdered babe formulas contain fluoride. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that if an babe is exclusively consuming infant formula reconstituted with fluoridated water, parents should use de-fluoridated bottled water part of the fourth dimension. This will help reduce the risk of too much fluoride, which tin lead to dental fluorosis.

If you are using fluoridated water, the ADA suggests checking with your local water company to make sure that the fluoride level in your water is less than 0.7 mg/L. This information is also available online via the CDC'south My Water's Fluoride tool.

If you are mostly breastfeeding, and merely using an occasional canteen that may accept a slightly college concentration of fluoride, ask your pediatrician if the limited exposure is acceptable.

Well Water

If your home is supplied by well water rather than by a public h2o organisation, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends having your water tested for nitrates every 3 months for a year to make certain information technology is safe for your baby.

Nitrates naturally occur in plants and are used in fertilizers. They can also brand their way into the groundwater. When ingested regularly by infants (such as through formula) nitrates can lead to methemoglobinemia, a unsafe and potentially fatal condition that causes interference with the circulation of oxygen in the claret.

Boiling h2o will non reduce the nitrate concentration and could fifty-fifty increase it as the water evaporates. Mechanical filters also do not remove nitrates.

Bottled Water

If y'all are in a situation where you practise non want to or cannot use tap water (whether at home or in public), the other selection is to buy bottled water. You'll find some "nursery water" products that are marketed specifically for babies.

You can as well choose low-fluoride bottled h2o that's labeled as purified, deionized, demineralized, distilled, or prepared by reverse osmosis.

By constabulary, any water y'all purchase in the U.s.a. must meet the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s standards of water quality.

When to Boil Water

Product packaging used to make clear that all water used to make infant formula should be boiled. However, if yous read the label on an infant formula today, you lot will near likely encounter a argument urging you to enquire your doc whether or non you lot should boil the water before preparing formula for your babe.

The AAP instructs parents to employ water from a safety source to mix baby formula. If yous are concerned about your h2o source's rubber, use bottled water or boil your h2o for one minute and allow it to cool for up to xxx minutes before using it to make the formula.

Nevertheless, keep in listen that boiling h2o will only address bacterial contaminants, not chemicals. Powdered infant formula is not sterile and therefore it runs a hazard of bacterial contamination.

The Globe Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for preparing formula state that all water (whether tap or bottled and purified) should be boiled before it is used, and mixed with the formula before the temperature drops beneath 70 degrees C (158 degrees F).

The WHO also states that if boiled h2o isn't bachelor, a safe h2o source tin can be used to mix formula, just the reconstituted formula should be used immediately and non stored.

Ask Your Pediatrician

Discuss your plans for making formula with your pediatrician and find out what they recommend as the safest option. In add-on to talking with your baby's doctor, the AAP too recommends checking with your local health department to find out if you can apply unboiled tap water in your baby's bottle.

Think that the WHO recommends humid all water and using the hot h2o to reconstitute the formula to kill leaner that could be lurking in the formula itself.

Recommendations and h2o safety vary by location. This is why it'due south important to talk to your pediatrician about what is all-time for your family.

The AAP besides stresses that parents should never water down babe formula—either to give their baby actress water or to make formula last longer and salvage money. Giving babies also much h2o can be dangerous and may lead to h2o intoxication.

Watered-down formula as well delivers fewer nutrients in each feeding, which tin tedious growth and development and result in electrolyte imbalances that could cause seizures.

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What Type of Water Should I Use for Baby Formula

Source: https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-water-to-use-for-formula-284337