🍼 Feeding · 0 – 12 months
🍼 Measuring and preparing a formula bottle
Whether your family uses formula alone or alongside breastfeeding, careful preparation matters. Powdered formula is not sterile. WHO guidance is to mix it with safe water still at least 70°C, using the exact water-to-powder ratio printed on that product.
What you'll need
- A cleaned and sterilized bottle, teat and preparation equipment.
- Safe drinking water and a way to boil it.
- Infant formula appropriate for baby, with its own scoop.
- A clean preparation area and a suitable thermometer if available.
Prepare one feed safely
1. Clean and check
Wash your hands, clean the work surface and check the formula's expiry and opened-container storage instructions. Keep the scoop clean and dry.
2. Prepare safe hot water
Bring fresh safe drinking water to a boil and let it cool only enough that it remains at least 70°C when mixed. Bottled water is not necessarily sterile. If water safety is uncertain after a flood or supply interruption, ask the rural health unit about a safe source.
3. Measure water first
Pour the product's specified water volume into the bottle. Then add the exact number of level scoops using that container's scoop. Ratios differ between products; never dilute or concentrate a feed.
4. Mix and cool
Close the bottle and mix as directed. Cool under cold running water or in a cold-water container, keeping water below the cap and away from the teat. Test a few drops on your inner wrist before feeding.
5. Feed responsively
Hold baby close and semi-upright, keep the bottle supported, and allow pauses. Follow hunger and fullness cues rather than requiring a fixed volume or an empty bottle. Your pediatric team can assess intake against growth.
6. Discard and clean
Use promptly, within two hours of preparation and within one hour after feeding starts, whichever comes first. Discard leftovers after the feed. Clean feeding equipment thoroughly; never save a partly used bottle.
Classic mistakes
- ❌ Microwaving or propping a bottle Microwaves can create scalding hot spots. Propping leaves baby without responsive support and increases choking risk.
- ❌ Adding extra powder, cereal or water Changing the recipe can cause harm. For a specialized formula with different preparation instructions, ask your pediatric team how to prepare it safely.
A local detail, or your own experience with this guide? Write to the team
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When in doubt, contact your doctor or midwife. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911.