Sterilising/bottles etc - so I can just use tap water, right?

[oysterpots]

DS is coming up to 7 months now, and drinks his tap water from scrupulously clean but unsterilised cups.

For his formula feeds I tend to wash and sterilise bottles every morning, and use water from the kettle to fill all the bottles for the next 24 hours. DH pointed out to me today that the advice on making up formula is to make them up when needed, to use water from the kettle that has cooled for 30 minutes, add the powder and cool the feed. It's just not practical for us to do this each time.

I understand that the powdered formula is not sterile, and the advice to use boiled water is in order to kill off anything that might be in the powder. Is that correct?

So if I'm using water that is boiled but possible cooled down to room temperature, then boiling the water is pointless, is it not? Therefore can I use water from the tap?

Or would I be better off making up 24 hours worth of feeds with boiling water and storing them in the fridge?

Am a little confused...

[theangelshavethephonebox]

I believe that if you're not making the feeds in the recommended way (i.e. as needed), then the next best thing to do is to make them up with hot water (not boiling but boiled then cooled for half an hour - as per the box instructions) then cool straight away in the fridge. I have read this on a Dept of Health leaflet giving advice for nurseries but have looked for it again and can't find it, sorry.