Boil water for babies

Which One Is Safe For Your Baby?

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

In this Article

• Choosing Water To Make Baby’s Formula
• How To Prepare Water For Baby’s Formula

The market for bottled water across the globe is increasing daily, and younger people seem to be its best customers. Yet when it comes to choosing water to use in baby formula, ordinary water — not bottled water — may be the healthier choice. Some natural mineral waters are not healthy for babies due to the number of minerals they contain. ‌

You can start giving your baby bottled water after six months, though. Mineral water for babies is fine as long as the level of dissolved minerals (such as sodium and fluoride) in it are low.   

The key thing to remember is that you should boil water that you’ve collected from a safe source when you mix infant formula. Cool water to room temperature before using it.

Choosing Water To Make Baby’s Formula

Bottled water. If you have to use bottled water because no other clean water is available to you, you may want to check out bottled water that’s labeled specifically for babies. However, since bottled water is not usually sterile, it is good to take precautions like boiling it and letting it cool before using it to make your baby's formula.  

Tap water. In most places, tap water will be safe for you and your baby. However, it’s still important to boil it before mixing it with your baby’s formula. ‌

Well water. Well water can easily get contaminated with toxic substances from the dirt, plants, or water around it. For this reason, if well water is not tested or known to be safe, avoid using it to make your baby’s formula. 

Most wells have nitrates in amounts that are over federal drinking water standards. Nitrates are made of plant matter and ingredients in fertilizers that get into well water. 

They carry no risk to humans until we drink the water. Then they mix with our body chemistry and can turn poisonous. 

It is important to get well water tested for nitrates and to make sure it is also free of:

• Copper
• Mercury
• Bacteria
• Viruses
• Lead
• Aluminum
• Selenium
• Ammonia

If you prepare your baby’s formula with unsafe well water, you put them at risk of a condition called methemoglobinemia, or "blue baby disorder."  This is a blood disorder that interferes with oxygen circulation in the blood and can be fatal.‌

A note about fluoride. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that can be found in drinking water. It is also added to toothpaste and mouth rinse to protect your teeth from cavities. 

Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by rebuilding the outer coating (enamel) of teeth when acids from sugar damage it. But too much fluoride from toothpaste, drinking water, or water used to prepare infant formula may cause dental fluorosis in your child. It often shows up as faint white lines on their teeth.

According to the World Health Organization, when there is more than 1.5 milligram of fluoride per liter of water, the risk of developing fluorosis is high. And medical professionals vary on their level of concern about fluorosis.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, for example, notes that your child's risk for fluorosis is over once their adult teeth start coming in. Yet there are also studies that link fluorosis to behaviors that suggest ADHD and lower IQ in children. 

When choosing low-fluoride bottled water, it’s important that you check the label and go for water that’s labeled purified, deionized, demineralized, or distilled. This means that some amount of fluoride has been removed from the water so that it won't be harmful to your baby.

How To Prepare Water For Baby’s Formula

When to boil water. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises you to use water from a safe source to prepare infant formula or boil the water every time you are preparing your baby’s formula. This is to keep your baby away from infections caused by bacteria, viruses, or other germs carried by the water.

If your baby is six months and below, always boil water and let it cool down before using it to prepare their formula. But do not boil it for more than one minute. That way, you'll prevent additional impurities from getting into the water. ‌

For babies more than six months old, boiling tap water is not necessary. Boiling tap water doesn’t change the amount of fluoride in it. In fact, boiling can increase the concentration of fluoride in water. 

If you are concerned about how much fluoride your baby consumes, you can use low-fluoride bottled water to make your baby’s formula. ‌

When preparing your baby’s formula, whether with bottled water, tap water, or well water, always ensure that it is totally safe for consumption. If you're not sure, always make a point of boiling it. This will lessen your baby's risks of consuming harmful germs that may shake their health.  

Do I Need to Boil Distilled Water for Baby Formula? — WaterSmart

Are you parents of a new baby and wondering what water is safe for their formula? Let’s explore what is safe and what is not when it comes to mixing baby formula.

1. Helpful tips for safe preparation of baby formula

2. Types of Water

3. Well water vs. city water

4. Hard water vs. soft water

A great place to start is getting your water quality checked. We want to equip you with the right tools and information to keep your water safe and keep you and your kids healthy.

Contact the local experts at WaterSmart today to check your water quality.

1. HELPFUL TIPS FOR SAFE PREPARATION OF BABY FORMULA

Whether you have chosen formula or need to supplement with formula because breastfeeding isn’t going as planned, it is important to pay careful attention to the safe preparation of your baby’s formula. 

Sterilization

It is crucial to emphasize cleanliness before, during, and following the preparation of the formula.  

The bottle and all equipment should be sterilized using distilled (boiled) water before using.

Boiled Water

For formula, it has been shown that you should use distilled water.

Boil your water and let it cool to 70 C, then add the formula mixture. 

According to Health Canada, any water you give a baby under four months of age should be brought to a boil for two minutes and then cooled to make sure it is sterile.

You should always boil water to make powdered formula milk, whatever age your baby is.

Once your baby is over 6 months old you can give them tap water to drink, but be sure to use distilled cooled water for formula. 

Store Properly - Never Freeze 

Do not store the bottle of formula in the back of the refrigerator where it is coldest, and never freeze the formula.

BE AWARE OF WATER MAKE-UP

The American Dental Association recommends that you do not use water that contains high levels of fluoride when mixing powdered or concentrated formulas.

Too much fluoride can put babies at risk for enamel and gum problems. Distilled water is known to be low in fluoride.

babies don’t need to consume straight water until at least six months of age.  

2. TYPES OF WATER 

There are 3 main types of water: spring, distilled and purified.

Springwater has all the naturally occurring minerals in the water. It is good for drinking straight because the minerals in the water give it a little more taste.

Distilled water has all the minerals or impurities removed.  It is excellent for use in appliances because it won't cause any mineral build-up. Some people also enjoy drinking it.

Purified water is a happy mix between spring and distilled. It is very close to the same quality as distilled with the impurities removed but still has oxygen in the water. It makes excellent tea, coffee, and juices.   

All water given to a baby under four months of age should be brought to a boil for two minutes and then cooled.

3. WELL water VS. CITY water

If your home’s water supply is provided by a well, you are responsible for the water quality and treatment.

While city water is treated before it reaches your home.

Either way, both city and well water can have calcium, magnesium, fluoride, iron, etc.

Be sure to have your water checked. 

4. HARD WATER VS. SOFT WATER

Hard water is defined as water that "contains an appreciable amount of dissolved salts of calcium and magnesium," according to freedictionary.com. 

The Encyclopedia Brittanica describes it as "water that contains salts of calcium and magnesium principally as bicarbonates." 

Testing the pH level in the water will show the hardness level of the water. Another measurement frequently used is the ppm or (parts per million) measurement scale. The higher the number, the harder the water.

Rainwater is soft water as it is pure, other than some acidic elements that it may have picked up in the air. However, when soft water comes into contact with the ground it picks up some of the elements present as it flows through an area.

Distilled water is also soft as it has had the levels of calcium and magnesium significantly reduced. The levels of minerals in the water can be measured scientifically.

Soft water is recognized as having a mineral content of less than 17.1 mg/l.

If you live in the Kitchener - Waterloo, Cambridge or Guelph areas, check your water here. 

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WATERSMART - WE TAKE WATER SERIOUSLY

Since 1994, WaterSmart Systems has consistently offered its customers in the Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, and surrounding areas innovative, quality products and excellent service.

We are a water softener and full plumbing service company that you can trust. 

Along with our products that will serve all of your home water softening needs, we value our customers and get them what they need without pressuring them for sales. 

At WaterSmart we take our role in providing our customers with an adequate supply of clean drinking water seriously.

If you have a baby and are looking to be sure you have a ready supply of distilled water, drop by one of our locations or give us a call to find out how we can help improve the quality of your water.

If you are concerned about your water supply, don't hesitate to contact us immediately. Trust WaterSmart, we know good water, and we know how to make sure you get it.

Location:

14-105 Lexington Road, Waterloo, Ontario N2J 4R7
Phone: 519-886-7331
Fax: 519.886.8021
[email protected]

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Read More Reviews

Is it necessary to boil baby water for formula and drinking? Distrust towards manufacturers forms the opinion that the inscription on the bottle “for children” is just a skillful advertising move. In fact, the difference between baby water and ordinary purified water is significant.

Distinctive qualities of “children's” water marked “from birth”

Water marked “children's” contains less salts than ordinary mineral water. The children's product in the composition has a constant amount of minerals, is tested and standardized, has the necessary quality certificates, complies with GOST standards, there must be documentation confirming the approval of SanPin. You can check the availability of documents confirming the safety of the product by looking at the manufacturer's website, the quality certificate must be at the point of sale. If there are no related documents, then you should think about the quality.

Many mothers wonder if it is necessary to boil baby water in order to dilute formula. SanPina standards allow the use of baby water for up to 2 days after opening the bottle. You need to buy a bottle of such a volume that you can use it in 2 days.
If there is no specialized baby water, then you need to boil it.

Boiling reduces hardness, destroys dangerous bacteria and microbes, reduces salt content. For best results, boil for 10 minutes. Although most microorganisms are killed in step 98 °C, so boiling for 2 minutes is acceptable.

Mains water

Home tap water is acceptable after being filtered. It is better that the household filter has a high degree of purification, without mineralization, a cleaning plant marked from the manufacturer “for children from 0” is suitable.

But when the choice is between specialized bottled water for children and home filtered water, the choice should be bottled. When buying, you need to pay attention to expiration dates and composition.

In tap water, even after filtering, the amount of minerals may not meet children's requirements. If the answer to the question of whether baby water should be boiled is no, then water from springs or other sources that do not guarantee safety even after boiling may be unsafe.

Water for formula or potable, there is a difference

Infant formula is not diluted with water marked “drink” on the bottle. Drinking water contains a large amount of minerals, which, together with the complexes contained in the infant formula, will create an increased dose. Also, water with a large amount of mineral compounds changes the taste of the mixture, which manufacturers carefully work on to bring it closer to the taste of mother's milk.

Producers of water take into account the needs of the consumer, share water for food and drink.

Quality standards

The appearance on the shelves of water for children of high quality is associated with tougher requirements:

• For production, it is allowed to take raw materials from natural mineral sources or natural drinking water.
• Preservatives and disinfectants containing chlorine must not be used.
• Must be a private line used only for the production of baby water.
• Water for ages 0 to 3, does not contain iodine, fluorine or silver.

Due to the strict requirements for the manufacturer, the safety of products for children is ensured.

Recommendations

• Do I need to boil baby water - no, if it has not expired.
• Do not dilute formula with boiling water, the temperature of the water for baby food should be 37 ° C, it is worth cooling or adding cold water to bring the boiling water to the desired temperature.
• Even several times filtered water cannot replace purchased water in terms of quality. Its composition is not balanced, it may contain an increased number of minerals, chlorine salts and other harmful substances. In turn, the purchased water passes the production control system, contains the required amount of minerals. To dilute the mixture, you need to buy water marked “for nutrition”. It would be right to find an opportunity and purchase specialized water for your child.
• When buying bottled water is a problem, home purifiers can help. Filters that are designed to treat water for children can be an alternative solution. Buying such an installation at home will help you have constant access to water that is close in composition to “children's” bottled water.
• It is important to respect the terms and conditions of storage. After opening the package, water is stored in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days. There are brands of water that cannot be stored for more than a day, carefully read the manufacturer's recommendations.
• An important element is the container in which the water is located. It is best to buy water for children in a glass bottle. If the container is made of plastic, check the markings, the number 7 should be on the bottom of the bottle on the outside, such plastic does not emit harmful substances even when exposed to direct sunlight for a long time.

When buying children's water, you must take into account the labels and choose for drinking or for eating. Now you know whether it is necessary to boil baby water, what temperature and type of water is needed for the mixture. Bottled water will ensure the safety of the baby, the good functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, save the mother from the need to filter, boil, and worry about the health of the baby.

Do you know what water is for children and how it should be?

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