? for parents that bottle feed?

[kylie&haley'smom]

Do you boil bottled water? My dh says I'm crazy for boiling bottled water!! He says "your only suppose to boil if it's tap water". Well am I being over cautious? However you spell it. Then, he asked how I was going to boil it while we were on vacation. I said I'll figure it out.

 

[LauraMc]

Wait...you boil all water for bottles?

Um...I don't think I ever boiled any water for bottles, unless there was a boiling restriction for flood or something, and even then I just used bottled water.

Can I ask why you are boiling it? Bottled water is already heavily purified. And most areas that are not using well water have great purification systems.

Laura
(both sons bottle fed for over 6 mo)

 

[Jenn]

Nope - and I also only sterilized the bottles/nipples once when brand new - after that it was the dishwasher all the way.

I think you are fine with bottled water - but even tap water should be fine - the regulations on the water plants are pretty strict. Think about it - everyone eats food prepared with tap water and we would all be sick if the water was contaminated.

 

[prplcrzy]

I guess my first question for you is how hold is your baby?

We took my son when he was 10 weeks and then when he was 6 months. I think I boiled the water his first trip and then used spring water the second trip. We are DVC members and I've always had a kitchen so boiling wasn't an issue.

You can check with your doctor to see what they recommend.

I'm assuming that you are using powder...they have great dispensers you can get so you can measure out the powder and bring the bottles filled with water. When you need to make a bottle you just shake the powder into the bottle and you're done. (you can get them at Babies R Us or Toys R Us)

Have a great trip!!

 

[jcemom]

I used bottled water for the first week or so (unboiled) then switched to tap water because our tap water contains flouride which isn't in the bottled water (that's what I was told, anyway). I boiled the tap water for about the first six weeks or so. DD is not 10 months and I've been using water straight from the tap with no problems for quite a while now.

I sterilized the bottles/nipples when brand new, then washed in the diswasher for a few months. Now I just wash them in the sink with hot water and regular dish detergent.

As far as formula, I've used the concentrate and the powder. I did find that the hotter the water, the better the powder mixes, but I can usually get it pretty hot straight from the tap. (Guess we'll have to be turning down the temp on the water heater soon, huh? Wouldn't want baby to turn it on in the bath and be scalded!)

 

[LKS]

You should ask your pediatrician. I nursed, so only gave supplemental bottles at an older age, but our pediatrician said as long as we were on city water (ie, not a well) we did not need to boil the water.

 

[BevS97]

it;'s so strange how the advice is different in different countries. We are advised to boil the water for bottles, and also to sterilise for the first 12 months.
Saying that, I've never boiled bottled water which we have used on vacation to places where I wouldn't drink the water (even boiled.)

we use the same dispensers as prplcrzy and I never had any trouble getting the powder to mix with cooler water.

How to boil water on vacation? Well, we used an electric travel kettle, but then being british, a kettle is a pretty important item in our packing list!

I think when I lived in the States you could buy a small electric pot that would boil water, we used to use them at university for heating up soup.

Bev

 

[Jordan's MOM]

I used bottled water per directed by my doctor. We had treated well water and we had it tested but she advised us to use bottle water. It's not very expensive and so easy. We did also use a lot of ready to feed formular. I did boil bottles for abouot 6 mo. but then went to the dishwasher. putting the nipples in one of those special racks. I think what would work well would be to fill your bottles with bottled water in the hotel and then add premeasured powder formular at feeding time. If your child demands a heated bottle, ask a food service area for a cup of hot/boiling water and just place the bottle in the water for a few minutes until warm.


Jordan's mom

 

[onecoolmama]

I bottle fed both of my kids, but I have to admit I am the queen of convience (or however you spell it ) When I was home I heated the water in the microwave just to get the kids to fall asleep (the whole warm milk thing.)

However when I went anywhere, I bought the just add a nipple when my baby was little and then the pour cans when my kids were older. Not the big cans, but the 8 ounce cans you feed then toss. My DH always got annoyed on long trips becuase it would cost a lot more for formula, but he always appriciated it once we were there and not struggling to find water or trying to mix the formula with extreme hot water that you get from restuarants. So that was my solution.

I do Gymboree play and learn and all the other moms that bottle fed with my first and second all of them used bottled water that they kept on the side or a cabinet. Most of them didn't heat it up and their reasoning was it is easier to not heat up the water so if you are out the you aren't burdened with having to find warm water.

If you are staying on site I think you can ask for a microwave to heat the water and I think there are some in the food courts..if the water has to be hot. If you are worried about sterillity, I say if you are worried buy the cans..save yourself some time and energy worrying while on your vacation!

 

[GJM]

The first time we went to Disney my DS was 8 months old. I just had the bottled water and I mixed the formula. I didn't refrigerate the water so my DS was able to drink it warm. Before we left I would heat the bottle a little less each time so he was drinking it warm. At home I used tap water and always boiled it. I tried the pre made pour cans and he would not drink it. I didn't have any problem in the parks, I had bottles filled with water and would add the formula and mix it

 

[athena's mommy]

I buy Nursery water (bottled) from Walmart and mix the powdered formula in. I have never boiled the water or the nipples. She has been bottle fed since birth and she is now a healthy 9 months. When we go in December, I plan on makeing a pit stop at a Walmart/Kmart and picking up a few gallons. They are only .98 cents. I also buy the to-go Prosobee packs that are pre-measured and you just pour into the water and shake up. When we hit the parks, I will pack 2-3 bottles that already have the water in them (with lids on, of course) and take the to-go packs with me. I have also just put the powdered formula in a sandwich bag with the scooper and measured it as I needed to.

 

[kylie&haley'smom]

Thanks everyone,I guess I'm too paranoid!! I'm calling my dd pedi tomorrow. I think I will stop boiling the bottled spring h2o. Prplcrzy,my dd is 8 months old. She will be 10 months when we go to WDW. We had a lot of problems with her in the beginning. Went through different formulas,she had gas really really bad!! Not even Mylicon would help her. We finally went with Prosobee. Athena's mommy where do you purchase the to go packs of Prosobee,because I have never seen them before? I do you powder,because I think she spit up more when we fed her the ready to feed formula.

 

[FreshTressa]

Hmm, I always thought bottled water was more likely to be contaminated than tap water.

Especially if you store an open container of water in the cupboard. That could easily become contaminated. So, unless you use single serving bottles, and make sure they are from a reliable source, I would stick with tap water as long as you are in an urban area.

When traveling, we used the single serve bottles because those gallon jugs can become contaminated once they have been opened. The tap water in other cities, while mostly safe, could contain microbes that your baby isn't used to and it is no fun to have a baby with a tummy ache on vacation!

 

[SueM in MN]

Originally posted by onecoolmama
If you are staying on site I think you can ask for a microwave to heat the water and I think there are some in the food courts..if the water has to be hot.

Back a long time ago when I taught prenatal classes and did public health visits to new moms, we advised against using a microwave to heat bottles or any food for babies. You get hot spots in foods and the microwave action actually keeps the food ccoking for a time after you take it out. You may have seen this when you heated a cup of water to make instant coffee; the water never boiled, but you put in the instant coffee or a spoon and the liquide erupts. There were reports of babies getting burns in their mouths because the bottle feels cool and it's assumed that the liquid is too.
So, if you do use a microwave, stri or mix the food and let it sit for a few minutes, then check the temp before giving it to baby.

 

[BevS97]

if your baby likes warm bottles, then we found that by putting warm/hot water in the bottle (but no formula) and then putting those bottles in an insulated bag (like a cool bag, cause they will also work to keep things warm), you can produce a bottle of warm water from your bag, add the formula, shake, and you have an instant bottle of warm milk.

Definitely only carry water in the bottle though, because a bottle of warm milk in an insulated bag will grow germs pretty quick.

But, it's much easier if you can convince baby that room temp milk is good

I have heard that about microwaves, SueM in MN, but figured if I heat the water in a microwave and then add the powder and shake, there shouldn't be any hot spots, do you think that is ok?


PLEASE, if you are going to use a cup of boiling water to heat a bottle at your restaurant table, be very very careful. I see this so often, and it always scares me. We saw a little baby knock over the cup last weekend at IKEA, and his mum had to rush off to the bathroom to stick his hands under the tap. I hope he was ok. Personally, I think it takes SO long to get the bottle warm enough this way, that it's just not worth the effort.

Bev

 

[crisi]

My son is adopted and didn't arrive home until 6 1/2 months. We were told at that age there is no reason to boil water or sterilize bottles (other than what the dishwasher does).

My daughter was bio, and though breastfed, didn't nurse the first week because my milk didn't come in. We steralized her bottles and boiled her water that week, but then we mixed the formula and let it warm in a crock pot from the fridge. By the time she gave up the breast (at about 6 1/2 months) we no longer bothered.

My son did like his bottles warm - not hot. 20 seconds in the microwave and shake.

 

[Denine]

My doctor wanted me to boil water for the 1st 3 months. I took and still take bottled water on vacation. He said there was no need to boil the bottled water. My DD is now 11 months old.

 

[dcgrumpy]

My pediatrician told me that sterilizing wasn't necessary with both of my kids. We have a water cooler at home, I use that for DD's bottles. DS always liked his bottles warm, so it was a pain when we were out. I always give DD her bottles at room temperature, it makes it much easier. At WDW, I buy one or two 1 liter bottles of water and carry that with powdered formula. I use Playtex nursers, so I just carry 2 bottles and a bunch of dropins.

 

[tink2]

I've taken 2 6 month olds to WDW. The first one I used tap water. My second child was born with respiratory problems- still has them at 2- and at the time of our trip I was still boiling water. When I asked my pediatrician about this issue, he told me bottled water was fine. Also, I started using luke warm water at home so he wouldn't necessarily want it heated. Good luck with your decision!

 

[Nette]

I breastfed (w/ pumped milk for bottles at day care) but never sterilized anything after the one boiling when it was brand new.

By the time your baby can get his/her hands in his/her mouth, what is the point of boiling/sterilizing anything?