Yet another (different Q) about making up Formula

[DialsMavis]

When I am working and DP gives DD a bottle he often uses the method of mixing the powder with recently boiled water and topping up the bottle to the correct size with pre-measured cooled boiled water and using immediately. He would like to know why he can't just use tap water to top up the bottle? DD is 8.5 months and drinks tap water at every meal. Thanks in advance learned ones

[BertieBotts]

I don't see why you couldn't, BUT I'm really not an expert at these things.

If she's having it immediately I probably would. But I don't know if that's the right thing to do. It might be that there are impurities or something present in tap water which disappear when it is boiled which might make it not mix properly with the formula.

[RightUpMyRue]

The reason for using boiling water is to kill off the bacteria present in the powder. Even if he tops up with water he's still using the boiling (or at least 70 degrees C hot) water to do the job of killing off the bacteria. I don't think it will make any difference if he uses boiled water, which has cooled, or water straight from the tap because the danger isn't from the water it's from the potential bacteria in the powder.

[shuckleberryfinn]

I suspect it's because the tap water passes through all sorts of pipes which means it could be contaminated with anything. Now those bacteria etc in that water once introduced to the nice warm yummy formula could have a field day... Mind I could be wrong or over cautious but it's worth thinking about.

[EldonAve]

agree with RightUpMyRue - it's about the bacteria in the formula powder
link the the guidance

[narmada]

Have to say I top up the bottles with tap water now my baby is 9 months. He drinks it with meals straight from the tap so it seems pretty pointless to insist on using cooled boiled water. Like your DH I dissolve the powder in recently boiled water above 70c first, though.

[DialsMavis]

Yep, we have read the guidelines and the bottle is drunk straight away so I guess it is OK. I saw someone top her baby's bottle up with water from the hot tap once when it had gone cold . So not drinking water and the wrong mix of formula powder to water...