Is it ok to refrigerate baby formula: Refrigerating Baby Formula: Is It Safe?

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Tiunova Elena

Pediatrician of the highest category, nutritionist, candidate of medical sciences, associate professor of the department of faculty pediatrics and propaedeutics of childhood diseases, Ural State Medical University

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Contents of article

• Basic rules for mixing
• Separately about water
• Auxiliaries
• How to measure the mixture temperature?
• How to give formula?
• How to choose the right mix
• Expert advice
• Myths about infant formula

Products from article

Baby formula Nutrilak Premium Caesarea BIFI

From birth

Nutrilak Premium Infant Formula Hypoallergenic

0 to 12 months

Nutrilak Premium 2 infant formula

6 to 12 months

Might be interested

• Nutrilak Premium without palm oil
• Milk fat in infant formula
• Breastfeeding nutrition
• Nutrition during pregnancy

How long can you store the finished mixture in the refrigerator.

Adapted milk formula

How long can diluted milk formula be stored?

1. We eat Nestozhen and Nan fermented milk. The packages say to cook immediately before feeding, which does not require storage at all.
   But I took the chopped mixture outside in the summer and gave it more for 2-3 hours. Further – no. Then she adapted to take warm water separately, and a portion of the mixture separately. When a child wanted to eat, she pounded on the street in a bottle (we walked in the summer for 5-6 hours). Now we walk for 3 hours, but we don’t eat in the cold.
   At night I mix the mixture and feed it for 3-4 hours. I keep it so that it doesn’t get too cold under the covers at home.
   The mixture will still remain unfinished. It’s a shame to spill it. I don’t drink so as not to gain weight and not feed for long.))) And my husband Nestozhen drinks with pleasure and adds coffee to tea
   Health to your baby.)))
2. Look on the packaging, it says. There are 1 hour, 2 hours. And there are those that are boiled (very rarely used), stored for several days in the refrigerator.
3. the mixture must not be stored in any case. I personally pour out if the baby has not finished drinking.
4. I don’t know for sure, but I didn’t keep it for more than three hours.
5. It is advisable not to store the diluted milk formula, but if it still happens that it remains, store it in the refrigerator, before giving it to the child, warm it up.
6. Cannot be stored at all. This is written on the packaging.
7. In general, the mixture should be prepared just before use and should not be stored ready-made.
8. It says on the packaging. But it’s better not to keep it.
9. Read on the package.
10. I would not experiment, the child’s tummy may get sick. the mixture should be consumed immediately. the only thing I diluted the mixture for the night in a thermos, it turns out it was stored for 6 hours at the most. well, 2-3 days in the refrigerator, as the first respondent says, in 2 days milk in a jar turns sour.
11. In the refrigerator for a maximum day …
12. 1 day… refrigerated 2-3
13. E is generally not desirable to store. Better always make it fresh for your baby 🙂
14. formula is not breast milk and should not be stored. it would seem that it’s okay to leave it for a couple of hours in the refrigerator and then warm it up … a child is not an adult, in principle, he should not eat heated food (my daughter is 1 year and 2 months old), I make food and immediately give her to eat. What then can be said about the milk mixture? if you feel sorry for the money spent, it is better to switch to a cheaper one (after consulting with your pediatrician). I fed my daughter with Nutrilon at first, and from six months I began to give a baby, which is 4 times cheaper, but never left any leftovers
15. it says on my package – use it for an hour … then I’m afraid to give it – it suddenly gets tangled …
16. Not at all! For a new feeding, you need to prepare fresh milk formula!

It is perhaps no secret that formula milk, a highly nutritious product, is an excellent environment for the development of microorganisms. And if, for example, a mother, having prepared the mixture, leaves it in the nursery or on the kitchen table for only a couple of hours, then the bacteria that are present in one quantity or another in the mixture (it is impossible to achieve complete sterility at home) begin to develop in the mixture – and more and more actively. Air temperature – 18-20 “C – shch favors this. Let’s imagine a situation: after the previous feeding, there is a little mixture left in the bottle; while the baby slept, the bottle stood in the corner of the crib or on the changing table; three hours have passed, and at the next feeding, the mother, heating this mixture, offers it to the baby … The consequences can be bad, since the microorganisms that have bred in the mixture are not safe for the still weak child’s body.

Meanwhile, every experienced mother knows that quite often after feeding a baby from a bottle, some amount of formula remains. When there is not enough mixture left – barely at the bottom of the bottle – this mixture can be poured into the sink and especially not to worry about this; however, if there is a lot of milk formula left after feeding – a third of a bottle, for example, then throwing it away is a pity, wasteful (especially for a young family whose financial situation leaves much to be desired; although here we simply have to say that many pediatricians do not recommend using the remaining mixture at the next feeding). The refrigerator will help us keep the mixture. How long can we store ready-made milk formula in it? .. Up to a day. But usually the mixture is in demand after a few hours. Before giving the formula to the child, the mother warms it up – puts the bottle with the mixture in a container with warm water and from time to time turns and shakes the bottle.

Another situation is also possible: there is a lot of milk formula left in the bottle, but there is no refrigerator in the house. What about a mother who wants to use this mixture at the next feeding? .. A mixture that has been stored for a couple of hours at room temperature can be given to a child, but before that, bring it to a boil and cool it to the temperature you need; in the boiled milk mixture, almost all microorganisms die.

Consider another situation that often happens in life: a family goes on a journey with a small child. We do not mean a multi-day trip by train or bus, and even with transfers. It is still too early for our baby to go on such trips. But to go to my grandmother in my father’s car – this is already quite within our power. Perhaps it will take several hours to drive, and the child needs to be fed on time … Mom chooses one option out of two. Option one: the milk mixture is prepared at home, poured into several bottles (as needed), cooled in the refrigerator, after which the bottles are placed in a thermos container of suitable sizes; when the need arises for the milk formula, it will only need to be taken out of the container and found an opportunity to warm it up. Option two (which seems to us simpler, and therefore it is preferable): the family takes powdered milk formula with them on the road, empty bottles sterilized before going on the road and a thermos full of boiling water of sufficient capacity; at any time, the family can interrupt the journey for a few minutes to prepare formula for the child.

If we store the prepared formula in the refrigerator, we must follow one rule: we do not need to pour the mixture into another container for storage; we store the mixture in the same bottle in which it remained; we leave the nipple on the bottle, but in order to avoid infection of the nipple, we cover it with a sterile gauze napkin folded several times, or with a sterile plastic cup; just before giving the formula to the baby, we must treat the nipple with boiling water from the kettle or replace it with a new one.

Many mothers and not only know that the dairy environment, especially infant formula, is a nutritious product, which is also an excellent environment for the growth and reproduction of microorganisms. At home, it is impossible to achieve perfect sterility, so when preparing a mixture, a certain amount of bacteria will definitely get into it. What happens if the prepared mixture is left for some time at room temperature? Can the mixture be stored in the refrigerator? These and related questions often concern new mothers.

Consider a situation in which there is little formula left after feeding. If its quantity is very small, then you can wash the bottle, pour out the rest (many resourceful mothers give the leftovers to their pets). If the amount of formula left is more or less an opportunity for another feeding, then you will certainly want to keep it. You can store the diluted mixture in the refrigerator, especially if the air temperature is more than 20 degrees Celsius, and the next feeding is expected no earlier than in an hour.

Leaving the prepared formula at room temperature for more than 60 minutes, there is a big risk of causing some inconvenience to the intestines of your baby. Although some sources claim that the acceptable shelf life of formula at room temperature can be up to 3 hours – you should not test this conventional wisdom on your child. If it so happened that the mixture has been out of the refrigerator for 3 or a little more hours, just bring it to a boil and cool before giving it to the child.

How long can the mixture be stored in the refrigerator – there is no definite answer to this question, but there is a general opinion that it is possible to store the diluted mixture in the refrigerator throughout the day, but it is optimal to use it no later than 12 hours from the moment of preparation. Although, as practice shows, the mixture simply does not reach the specified period, it is eaten.

Another situation that occurs quite often and raises many questions is the road. When a mother and baby need to go on a long trip, how to store the mixture. For such a situation, there are two options: the first is a cooler bag, or a thermos bag. Before leaving, the mother prepares the required amount of the mixture, pours it into bottles and places it in a special bag. To warm up the mixture, it is enough to take it out of the refrigerator half an hour before feeding, and it will have time to reach the ambient temperature. Or you can take with you the mixture in dry form and a thermos with boiling water, a bottle of clean cold water.

Important: When you travel, be sure to consider protecting your bottle’s nipple. This can be a factory plastic lid, a sterile plastic cup, or a bag. And before each feeding, pour boiling water over the nipple.

To store the finished formula in the refrigerator, follow some rules:

1. Do not transfer formula to another bottle.
2. Do not remove the pacifier, but you can cover it with something clean (gauze, plastic cup).
3. Disinfect the nipple before feeding or replace it with a sterile one.
4. Always smell, or rather taste, the standing mixture, if the taste is even slightly different from freshly prepared – do not risk it, donate the mixture to a pet or just pour it into the sink.

Can I store the prepared formula in the refrigerator if it has already been at room temperature? Changing temperature regimes for some bacteria is detrimental, and for some it is an incentive to develop. Therefore, it is better to boil such a mixture beforehand. But do not forget that along with boiling, not only harmful, but also beneficial microorganisms will die.

It is important to remember that no matter how much financial difficulties you experience after the birth of a child, his health can cost much more than 100 ml of mixture poured into the toilet.

How long can you store ready-made infant formula – a question that arises in
every woman who uses them. Feeding formulas come to the rescue
when, for some reason, a new mother cannot feed her baby
with their milk. However, infant formula not only requires preparation, but also becomes
a potential threat to the health of the baby if stored improperly.

How long to store infant formula
arise (they are indicated by the manufacturer on the package), but after opening the package
these terms become irrelevant. How long to store ready-made infant formula and
how long can it be stored in an open package – completely different
things.

So, an open can of infant formula can be placed in a separate container
pour, but simply close tightly and put in a cupboard. To date
baby food manufacturers are trying to make their products as
comfortable. As a rule, artificial mixtures are produced in cans with a tight
fitting rubber covers and sun protection. Such a design
certainly reflected in its value. If infant formula is initially
was sold in a cardboard box, after opening it should immediately be
in a glass jar (sterilized, of course). No need to store opened
dry mix in the refrigerator – this will not extend its shelf life. Ideal Conditions
for storage of an open mixture: a dark dry place with an air temperature of 14-24 ° C.
No longer than 3 weeks – that’s how long you can keep it there. Many mothers are angry
about why 3 weeks, because the mixture costs a lot, and use it all
in such a short time, not everyone succeeds (some only occasionally feed
baby). Since no one has been able to keep dairy products for a long time,
in the case of baby food, it is better not to violate the established shelf life.
After all, expired infant formula can be used – in baking,
For example.

Can reconstituted infant formula be stored

Can prepared formula be stored and if not, why not, how
to do it correctly and in what it can be stored (in a thermos and where else) – the most
Often mothers are concerned about precisely such questions about the storage of infant formula after
cooking.

If the storage temperature is at room temperature (14-24°C), then no longer than 3
hours – that’s how long infant formula is stored in finished form before feeding the baby.
During this time, it will not deteriorate, but it is unlikely to remain warm. If needed
take with you, say, for a walk, then you can use a thermos (provided
that he is sterilized). At home, you can place the bottle in
hot water or warm just before feeding.

What dish
you can store the mixture in a diluted form – it does not matter, the main thing is that it
was sterile.

How long can infant formula be stored
in a bottle

When it comes to how long reconstituted infant formula will keep
room temperature or in the refrigerator when it is left after feeding –
there is no way to save money here. When the baby touches the nipple, the mixture
his saliva penetrates, and it is from that moment that the feeding bottle begins to
active process of bacterial reproduction. Therefore, it is impossible to store such a mixture,
You can use it for a maximum of an hour or dispose of it immediately.

How long to keep diluted
infant formula in the refrigerator

In summer it is so hot that the room temperature is much higher than
at which the finished mixture can be stored for 3 hours. In this case
you can use the refrigerator. Many manufacturers took care of mothers
and indicated the shelf life of the diluted mixture in a refrigerator – 24 hours.

But, you have to be realistic. Giving your baby formula that has stood
even if 12 hours in the refrigerator, every woman will worry about her
quality. Will worry and as a result, most likely, will prepare a new
mixture. Therefore, even under conditions of absolute sterility, it is better not to send
the finished mixture in the refrigerator without special need. But if it had to
to do, you need to remember – you can warm up the mixture only once. Hardly
someone will think of it before, but still it is worth saying in the end that
Do not freeze diluted or powdered infant formula. Therefore, about
the shelf life of the mixture in this way is out of the question.

When a baby is born in a family, the most healthy food for him is mother’s milk. If for some reason breastfeeding is not possible, adapted milk formulas will come to your aid. Modern manufacturers have tried to bring them closer in composition to breast milk, so that the child receives healthy and fortified nutrition.
The main thing with artificial feeding is to entrust the choice of infant formula to a pediatrician, he will be able to suggest which mixture is best for your crumbs, knowing the individual characteristics of his body from birth. Let’s talk in more detail about what mixtures manufacturers offer us, how long they can be stored in and out of the refrigerator, how to properly prepare a product for baby food, let’s figure it out.

Today formula for artificial feeding is a high-tech food product for toddlers. The basis for creating the product is cow’s or goat’s milk, useful substances, vitamins and microelements are added to it.
There are two types of milk formula: dry and liquid. Dry ones are more popular due to the fact that they are more convenient to store and easy to prepare. All products are made in accordance with the age needs of the child. There are mixtures for newborns, for children from six months and a year.
There are products that can be used for premature and underweight babies, newborns with allergies or gastrointestinal disorders, etc.

About the mixing process

It is important to use clean, soft water (special baby water available). Bring it to a boil and let the water cool down to a temperature close to 38–40 ° C. Pour the cooled water into a clean bottle and use a handy measuring spoon (they are usually in every package with the mixture) to pour as much mixture as the baby can eat in one meal. Close the open box as tightly as possible to prevent air from entering there.
Screw the teat cap on and shake the mixture until it is homogeneous. The powder should dissolve tightly without sediment, flakes and lumps, otherwise it is better not to offer the finished mixture to the baby, most likely it is spoiled.
The most optimal and favorable feeding temperature for a newborn is from 36 to 37 ° C, since mother’s milk has a similar temperature. The old way to determine the temperature is to put a couple of drops of the product on a place with thin skin – the wrist or the crook of the arm, if there is no sensation of hot or cold, the temperature is optimal.

Rules for storing the adapted mixture

Whichever mix you choose, there are general guidelines on how to properly store it.

1. Open mix should only be stored for as long as the manufacturer’s label allows, to prevent expiration date.
2. Dry product can be stored in a cool place, protected from direct sunlight, it is better not to store in the refrigerator due to high humidity, do not place near the oven.
3. It is important that the mother’s hands, the working surface of the table are clean, it is better to sterilize the bottle and the nipple or boil for at least five minutes.
4. When preparing food, add powder and water as much as recommended by the manufacturer.
5. It is not recommended to heat the diluted mixture in a microwave oven. Firstly, there is a high risk that the liquid will heat up unevenly, and secondly, heating in this way can provoke the destruction of nutrients in the diet.
6. Offer a freshly prepared bottle to your baby; storage of adapted food for a long time is unacceptable.

If a child develops adverse reactions, such as skin rashes, vomiting, repeated spitting up, colic or bloating, after consuming formula-feeding food, a pediatrician should be consulted.

How long can the mixture be stored

The finished product does not have a long shelf life, 1.5 – 2 hours, provided that the child did not touch the food.
The fact is that if the newborn has already been applied to the nipple, it is likely that the food will deteriorate very quickly. The remains must be poured out and thoroughly washed after feeding all used containers. You can store cooked food only in the refrigerator, room temperature adversely affects the liquid, there is a high risk that it will quickly deteriorate.
Today, according to research, it is recommended to feed newborns on demand, that is, as often as they want. If no preparation is required for feeding the baby, then the same food that he used an hour ago cannot be used for the child of an artificial person. The risk of adverse reactions from the gastrointestinal tract and even poisoning is too great.

It is best not to prepare the mixture ahead of time. If you want to make it easier for yourself when your baby gets hungry, you can boil the dishes in advance, pour water into a thermos, and pour the required amount of dry powder into a bottle with a nipple. Before feeding, you just have to mix the ingredients.

Note to moms

You already know that dangerous bacteria tend to multiply rapidly in the finished product for bottle feeding. We bring to your attention some useful tips, following which you can protect your baby from eating spoiled or stale food.
Utensils for feeding formula-fed babies:

• 3-4 bottles, the nipples of which can be capped;
• thermos – container for baby food;
• cooler bag for walking and leaving the house;
• water heater for baby food.

Store freshly prepared product in the refrigerator, some people find it convenient to immediately pour the contents or store it in a measuring cup, warming up as much as necessary.
New baby dishes must be boiled for at least 30 minutes to prevent foreign substances from entering the child’s body. We leave clean dishes on the table, covering the top with a sterile bandage or gauze.
For long walks, trips to the clinic, take with you an ordinary thermos, in which boiling water will be poured. No matter where you are, at any time you will feed the child, while the food will be fresh, and therefore healthy and safe. In the refrigerator bag, you can store a container with a ready-to-use mixture; for this, it is better to have a small electric heater that will prepare food by heating it to the required temperature.

Why is long-term storage of formula not recommended?

We have already discussed above how and how much it is recommended to store formula-fed adapted food for children. Expiration dates are indicated on the packages of any mixture, but they are inexorably reduced as soon as you open the pack. Dry fortified powder has an environment favorable for the development of pathogenic microbes and harmful microorganisms.
Some, after the child had not eaten the contents of the bottle in one meal, boiled ready-made food and offered it to the baby again, some poured the unfinished part into a clean bottle, putting it away in the refrigerator until needed. Even considering the fact that adapted powders are quite expensive, it is better not to resort to such dangerous methods.
After all, the health, vivacity and good mood of the child are priceless.
The safe period of consumption of food already diluted in water and left in the refrigerator should not exceed 24 hours. All bottles with nipples must be hermetically sealed with special caps or sterile bandages or gauze.

Even if you have observed all the hygienic conditions for storing the finished product, it is better to scald the teat with boiling water before feeding the baby.