*Pure water for baby milk - where can I get?*

[Bmumski]

Visited friends on holiday in Florida last week. They used a special cartridge in their water jug to purify the water to make up baby milk. The cartridge was designed for babies not a normal one and was supposed to reduce the salts and minerals so better for baby than boiled tap water or bottled water. I liked the idea but cannot find it in the UK. Do you think it's worth it and has anyone seen one here?
Bmumski (gang of four -6,4,2,6m):)

I havd not heard of such a thing in the UK, and I understand that our tap water is good for making up formula with. Therefore if you found a cartridge designed for an overseas water supply, it might strip UK water of needed minerals etc.

Have you identified a problem with the water supply here, or do you think this could be a cynical marketing ploy?

Baby milk is breast milk, I think you will find.
What you are referring to is cow's milk or artificial milk.

Bmumski was asking about formular milk and never suggested it was better than breast milk

in the uk the best water to use is boiled tap water.

and the powder must be added when the water is still over 70C.

Follow the instructions on the tin exactly is what you need to do, so boil fresh tap water and use that (dont re boil)

Nor did I suggest breat milk is superior.
I just found it confusing that she was talking about baby milk when she means cow's milk.

Over hear its advised not to use filtered water for formula.

Thinking about semantics 'baby milk' is probably more accurate for formula as it is manufactured for babies and 'mother's milk' (produced by mother, like 'cow's milk') for BM

Don't think it would be worth it, you would still have the inconvenience of boiling water, and as a pp has said, adding it to the formula above 70 degrees in order to kill off any bugs or nasties in the formula powder, as formula powder is not sterile.

Sorry for confusion. - I meant powdered formula eg aptimil.
The cartridge thing has a bugkiller built in so need to boil, that's what won me over!
Sounds like a us thing only, I will see if I can get one sent over to try (if it fits my Brita cartridge!) maybe good for travelling outside of the uk also rather than bottled water?

you would still need to boil the water, nbecause formula is not sterile and can contain bacteria that need to be killed off.

I would still use 70 deg water. The worry isn't about bugs in the water, it's the bacteria in the powdered formula you need to worry about

the formula powder is not sterile and the boiling water is needed to kill the bacteria in the powder and not to sterilise the water itself.

Wow' didn't realise the formula was not sterile! Am following instructions to the letter now. Still interested in a better source of water than the tap though, they add all those chemicals to it and it tastes awful. Thanks to you guys for your help ;)

isn't it pants that the manufacturers won't just admit on the tin that the product isn't sterile, thus explaining the need for hot water to kill off the bugs.

Great Topic - Aside from the bug side, the nitrates and sulphates can cause major issues - copied below from EU study....

"High nitrate content of water is one of the causes of methaemoglobinaemia in infants. Where the concentration exceeds 50 milligrams per litre (as nitrate ion) water undertakers [providers] are obliged to inform the health authorities and professions in the affected area. Water with a concentration of nitrate greater than 100 milligrams per litre is not suitable for infant feeding."

"High concentrations of nitrate and sulphur are present in some natural mineral waters. High sulphate levels of 400 - 500 milligrams per litre may be purgative [cause excessive bowel movements] especially in children."

"Natural mineral waters may contain varying amounts of fluoride and those with high levels are unsuitable as part of an infant's diet or for making up dried foods or drinks because of the risk of fluorosis of the tooth enamel."

I think a cartridge to clean up tap water would be a great - even if we need to boil it!

natural mineral water normally comes in bottles though, not out of the tap?
that's why only certain bottled waters are suitable for making formula.

your quote there seems to say tap water should be fine as it's regulated by the supplier.

I think it depends as levels of these nitrates, sulphates and fluroides vary from place to place, I just want to know that the water I am using is the best for my babies - not convinced raw tap water or the high mineral bottled water is the best. What about all the scares on aluminimum, lead and mercury in water we keep hearing about? Too many risks.......

if you are really worried about giving babies the very best then breastfeed surely?
Otherwise accept that (as far as i know) babies who use boiled tap water all over the country are fine and have been fine for years / generations

will a filter jug get rid of any of those things though?

I seem to recall a thread about Brita filters not being recommended when making up formula milk.

can I ask, edenmummy, if you're concerned about aluminium for example, whether you have vaccinated your child? i'd be more concerned about aluminium in baby vaccines than i would in the water...

nannyl... if someone is already formula feeding then suggesting breastmilk is kind of silly, and likely to merely upset

i was refering to edenmum, not OP

but how do you know she isn't already formula feeding too?

"I just want to know that the water I am using is the best for my babies"

this implies she is using water, which implies baby is being formular fed

exactly... so why tell her to breastfed??

The Health Protection Agency recommend sterilised tap water for your baby (i.e. boiled tap water). There is no particular reason to filter it as UK tap water is very clean and is tested to ensure it does not pose a risk to health (even newborn's health) but it's not going to harm your baby if you do, as long as you boil it afterwards.