Making up formula for older babies

[jasperc163]

DD2 has been mix bf and ff since 6 months. I have been making the formula up the way they say - using boiled water etc. I understand that the point is to sterilise the actual milk powder but am wondering if this is really still necessary at 8.5 months given that she is eating other 'non sterile' food and whatever else she can lay her hands on, and is drinking water straightfrom tap.

Anyone just use normal unboiled tapwater at this stage?

thanks

If you are feeding her immediately, and I mean running the water into the bottle, screwing on the lid and giving it to her straight away, then according to the guidelines this is an option in areas with safe drinkable tap water. It is far from as safe as boiling the water, but it is up to you to make the decision. I did use this method with my 11.5 month old when he was on one feed a day, I don't know if I'd be comfortable doing it with a younger baby on more feeds tbh.

We used boiled water until we stopped using formula at one year - wouldn't risk it tbh, but like all parenting decisions it's a personal choice .

thanks both - are your concerns because of the bacteria in the milk powder rather than the water?

yes, it's the milk powder not the water that I would be concerned about

It's the balance of the number of feeds, the attendant risk level, and severity of the outcome. Whilst a severe outcome is extremely unlikely, the more feeds you do this way, the higher the overall risk becomes. As I said, I did it happily with my 11.5 month old on one feed a day, and continued until he dropped his bottle completely at 22 months. For me the critical point is that you feed the made up formula immdiately. No fridging it for later, no leaving it on the side for twenty minutes whilst you finish bathtime etc. Run water, put powder in, shake, feed.

I always boiled the water once someone pointed out to me that warm milk is the ideal breeding ground for bacteria - warm, moist and loads of lovely sugars and nutrients.

Borntofolk is right. If you feed with cold tap water and do not warm in the microwave, and feed immediately, you are minimising the risk given the decision to not boiling first. You will still of course have to be comfortable with the level inherent in the decision.