Boiling Water for Formula? Safety & Prep Guide

Read time: 5 minutes

Do you have to boil water for baby formula?

If your baby was born prematurely, is immunocompromised, or you’re using water that is not reliably safe, your baby’s pediatrician may recommend boiling water before using it for baby formula.

Otherwise, healthy, full-term babies may be recommended to use safe tap water without boiling.

It’s important to note that powdered baby formula is not sterile.^{7, 8} Because of this, some organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend considering using additional precautions when providing powdered baby formula to infants who are at higher risk for infection, born prematurely, and/or who are younger than 2 months old.^{7, 8}

Choosing liquid formula, or using boiled water to prepare powdered formula, may be safer in these situations.

Ask your baby’s pediatrician about the need to boil or sterilize water for formula and the proper preparation of bottle and feeding utensils.

When you do not need to use boiling water to prepare formula

Babies who are full-term and do NOT have weakened immune systems, can use powdered formula without boiling water.^{7, 8, 11}

Also note that some formulas do not recommend heating above a specific temperature due to potential loss of nutrients. Always check the specific formula instructions and discuss the right strategy with your pediatrician.

How to boil water for formula safely (Step-by-step)

If your little one is at higher risk of infection, your pediatrician may recommend boiling water to prepare powdered formula. In this case, the goal is to add powdered formula to boiled water while it is still hot. Should you use this method, be careful not to scald yourself when handling hot water!^{7, 8, 13}

Steps for boiling water to add to baby formula

Boil fresh, cold water from a safe source for about 1 minute
Let it stand no longer than 5 minutes (until the temperature 158 degrees F /70 degrees C)
Pour hot water into a sterilized bottle
Add the exact scoop(s) formula to this heated water, cap, and shake
Cool the bottle under cold running water or in an ice bath until it is body temp; test on wrist before feeding it to your baby
Use within 1 hour or refrigerate unused formula immediately (discard after 24 hours)^{7, 8, 13}

Everything You Need to Know About How to Prepare and Store Baby formula

What type of water should I use to prepare baby formula?

There are many different types of water that can be used to prepare baby formula.

City or town water

If your city or town has safe drinking water, then it is usually safe to use cold drinking water to make formula.^{1, 2} However, if you are unsure, ask your baby’s pediatrician what the best course of action is.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends using cold tap water for preparing formula.²

If your formula instructions recommend using warm water to help mix formula better, it is best to gently heat it on the stove, tea kettle, or microwave, letting it cool to the recommended temperature, then adding the appropriate amount of formula. However, keep in mind that formula should not be prepared or warmed in the microwave.

Always read the package instructions for preparing formula for specific recommendations.

Well water

Should you live in a place that uses well water and are unsure if the water is safe to drink, check with your pediatrician for recommendations.³

Bottled water

Bottled water is usually safe to use for preparing baby formula. Note that some bottled water is tap (municipal) water.⁹ Just like municipal tap water, bottled tap water must be filtered and treated.

To know if the bottled water you choose is tap water or from another source (Well, spring, or mineral water), look for these statements on the bottle: “From a community water system,” or “from a municipal source.”¹⁰

Unless it is labeled sterile, most bottled waters are not. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recommends handling regular bottled water in the same way as safe tap water.¹²

Types of bottled water that may be used with baby formula include

Municipal
Nursery water
Distilled
Purified
Deionized
Demineralized

Fluoridated water

Most cities and towns add a small amount of fluoride to the water. This is important for baby’s growing teeth.⁵ However, formula may also contain fluoride, and this may lead to a slightly increased risk for dental fluorosis, or white markings on baby’s teeth.⁶

Distilled water, purified water, de-mineralized, or de-ionized water are typically lower in fluoride and may be less likely to cause fluorosis.⁶

Speak with the pediatrician should you have a concern about the type of water you need to use for preparing baby formula.

For more information about fluorosis from the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/faq/

Still uncertain? Call the pediatrician

If you are unsure what type of water to use while preparing formula, or if you should be boiling water or not – give the pediatrician a call. They know your baby’s health and needs and can help you figure out the best way to prepare formula.

Frequently Asked Questions

It can be confusing to decide which type of water is best to mix with your baby’s formula. Here is some guidance to help figure out which water to use.

What water to use for baby formula?

In general, if your tap water is safe and doesn’t have known contaminants – such as high levels of lead and bacteria – it can be primarily used to prepare baby formula.¹

To help reduce instances of mild fluorosis, occasionally use non-fluoridated bottled water to prepare some of your baby’s formula.¹⁴

Other safe water to use for baby formula includes de-ionized, purified, demineralized, or distilled water without fluoride added.⁶

Can I use distilled water for baby formula?

Yes, you can use distilled water to mix baby formula.⁶

Can I use purified water for baby formula?

Purified water is safe to prepare baby formula with.⁶

Purified water has been filtered to remove contaminants and is produced by distillation or deionization, among other techniques. Check the label to see if there has been fluoride added.

Can I use spring water for baby formula?

Spring water is groundwater that is collected from a natural, free-flowing water source, such as a spring. Some spring water may contain higher levels of minerals than your baby may need, so some pediatricians recommend avoiding using spring water to prepare baby formula.

Can I use bottled water for baby formula?

Yes, most types of bottled water can be used to prepare baby formula.

It is recommended to intermittently use non-fluoridated bottled water to help avoid mild fluorosis.¹⁴ Also avoid bottled water that has added electrolytes, added sugars, artificial sugars, and added flavors.

Can babies drink tap water with formula?

Absolutely. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends mainly using safe (uncontaminated) tap water to prepare your baby’s formula, with occasional use of non-fluoridated bottled water.¹

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