How long does the finished formula keep in the refrigerator? How to store formula in feeding bottles

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Mother's milk is a unique food product, the composition of which contains about 500 useful substances necessary for the full development of the child. What to do when breastfeeding is not possible? How to maintain the he alth of the child and provide him with a fortified diet? Special store formulations will help with this. For more information about breast milk replacer, how to prepare it, and how long the finished formula is stored, see the article.

Reasons for switching to artificial feeding

Breast milk is nature's best food for a newborn. But not all women manage to feed their baby naturally. Doctors identify several cases when the transition to artificial feeding will be justified:

1. Having a mental disorder in the mother.
2. Treatmentbreastfeeding woman with any medication that is incompatible with breastfeeding.
3. Lack of breast milk caused by postpartum depression, improper attachment to the breast, poor diet, illness of the baby.
4. Total inability to breastfeed due to lack of milk.

As a result of replacing natural feeding, many women face a number of problems. The first and main question that worries most is how to store the finished mixture for a newborn? Before answering it, it is worth understanding the variety of types of artificial milk substitutes.

Types of infant formula

Adapted formula is a high quality product designed to feed babies from an early age. It is based on cow's or goat's milk, enriched with useful substances, micro- and macroelements, vitamins. Companies produce two main types of artificial substitute: dry and liquid:

• The first variety is popular with moms because of its ease of storage and ease of preparation.
• Liquid mixtures are ready to use and require only heating. Such milk substitutes are packaged in tetra packs and packaged in 200 ml. Sales of liquid mixtures are rare. They can only be found in large cities in limited numbers.

All dairy products that are used during artificial feeding are made in accordance with the age characteristics of the child. For thismanufacturers on the packaging indicate steps that reflect the period of use of the adapted mixture.

Children's tableware selection

Before preparing a dairy product, parents need to get everything they need. A formula bottle is the first thing parents buy at a baby store or pharmacy. On sale there are glass and plastic options of different sizes. In the first months of a baby's life, it will be enough to purchase a 120 ml bottle. As the child grows, the rate of the consumed product increases, which means that the volume will need more.

When buying a bottle, pay attention to the type of nipple. They can be made from latex, silicone or rubber and come in a variety of shapes and flow rates. In order not to make a mistake with the choice, carefully study the information about the product on the package.

Preparing baby dishes

Before diluting the milk formula, the purchased bottle must be carefully prepared. Simply washing with detergent will not be enough. The dishes must be boiled to reduce the likelihood of pathogenic microbes entering the fragile body of the baby. Many parents in this case prefer to use special devices for processing children's dishes. More moms are using the Philips Avent bottle sterilizer.

The company - the manufacturer has proven itself in the market of goods for children. The electrical appliance is capable ofusing steam treatment to destroy up to 99.9% of germs without the addition of any chemicals. It will be useful not only for handling bottles, but also other baby supplies.

How to prepare baby formula?

For inexperienced parents, the process of making formula seems laborious. With the acquisition of experience, preparing a dish takes only a couple of minutes. Manufacturers indicate all information about the children's dairy product on the packaging. Having carefully studied the label, you can find information not only about the composition, methods of preparation, but also about how long the finished mixture is stored. Standard requirements for the preparation of powdered milk replacer are as follows:

1. Prepare the necessary dishes, sterilize them.
2. Pour the required amount of water into the feeding bottle. To do this, use pre-chilled boiled or special baby water that does not require heat treatment. The liquid temperature must not exceed 50 °C. Hot water leads to the death of beneficial microorganisms and the destruction of vitamins.
3. Follow the dosage instructions on the package. Exceeding the norm can lead to problems with stools, allergies, constant spitting up, vomiting, or gaining weight too quickly.
4. Add the required amount of dry powder to the prepared water, thoroughly stir the resulting composition until smooth.
5. If the dairy product is cold, do not reheat it in the microwave. For this you can useAvent bottle warmer or water bath. Try to keep the temperature of the finished product in the range of 36-37 ° C.

Storage rules for the finished product

There are cases when parents have prepared artificial milk for more than one feeding. What to do in such a situation? How long does the ready mix last?

When cooked, adapted baby food can be used within 1.5-2 hours. This applies only to those cases when the baby did not touch it. If the baby has started but has not drunk the whole milk, the chance of spoilage increases rapidly. In this case, unused food residues during feeding are recommended to be poured out, and the bottle itself should be thoroughly washed.

Parents often ask formula feeding experts if formula can be refrigerated. If the child did not touch it, then this option is possible. But for this, the prepared adapted product should not be poured into another container. It is better to leave the nipple on the bottle, cover it with a sterile gauze pad or a sterile plastic cup. This will help avoid the possibility of infection. Before feeding, the mixture will need to be warmed up to room temperature, and the nipple should be treated with boiling water.

Manufacturer recommendations

Manufacturers always indicate on the packaging information about how much the finished mixture is stored. They do not recommend using cookeddish again. Leftover unused servings can be stored for up to an hour. Even in this short period of time, harmful bacteria can form in the liquid, which multiply very quickly. After the specified period, the prepared mixture must be discarded to avoid the risk of infection and food poisoning.