If you’re feeding your baby formula, you’ve no doubt spent time reading and researching to determine the best type for your little one. So now that you’ve chosen the formula, are you ready to properly prepare it in baby bottles for consumption? If you need to buy baby bottles, visit this website.

The tips below can help you ensure that your baby is getting the right nutrition and reduce the possibility of food-borne illness.

Sanitize and prep your materials

First and foremost, wash your hands! Make sure to scrub with soap and warm water thoroughly for as long as it takes you to sing the “Happy Birthday” song. Then, take a close look at your formula container to ensure that it’s not expired.

Before you begin, you will need to sanitize all your baby bottles and the area you’ll be using to prepare the formula. This process includes sterilizing any baby bottle parts you plan to use, including the nipples, rings, and caps. To do so, you can boil the bottles in hot water for five minutes, use a microwave bottle steamer, or use an electric steam sterilizer.

Carefully measure and add water

Powdered formula and liquid concentrate require that you add water before giving it to your baby. However, if you use too much water, the formula won’t provide your baby the right amount of nutrition. And if you use too little water, your baby could get dehydrated. Refer to the formula’s container for specific instructions on how much water to use.

TIP: Always add the water first and the formula second. Close baby bottles tightly before shaking the contents to mix well.

You can use any clean water to make formula, whether it’s tap or bottled water. If you use well water, boil it for a minute or two first and then cool it to about 98 degrees Fahrenheit before mixing it with powdered formula or liquid concentrate.

You can warm the formula up by running it under the tap or filling a bowl with warm water and letting the bottle rest in it for a few minutes. Some babies prefer it at room temperature or even cold, so you’ll have to learn what your baby likes through trial and error.

Store formula properly

If you’re preparing multiple baby bottles of formula simultaneously, make sure to refrigerate them all and label them, so you know what date they were made. Don’t use any formula that’s been sitting in the fridge for longer than 24 hours.

Read a similar article advice about breastfeeding your twins here at this page.