Formula Feeding: Preparation, Storage and Getting It Right

Different formulas have different scoop sizes and different water-to-powder ratios. Always use the scoop that came in that tin and the exact measurements on that label.

Adding extra powder to make a feed 'stronger' is genuinely unsafe — it strains a baby's kidneys and can cause dehydration. Extra water dilutes nutrition. Measure properly every time.

Put the measured water in the bottle first, then add the powder. Doing it the other way round changes the final volume and the concentration.

Follow your paediatrician's and the manufacturer's guidance on water temperature and whether to boil and cool. This varies by country and by product, so use the instructions you were given rather than a general rule from the internet.

A freshly made feed used straight away is the safest option. If you must prepare in advance, refrigerate promptly and use within the window the manufacturer states.

Once your baby has drunk from a bottle, discard what is left within about an hour. Bacteria from the mouth multiply in the milk.

Pre-measuring powder into a divided container and keeping cooled boiled water ready lets you make a fresh bottle quickly at 3 a.m. without leaving made-up milk standing all night.

A flask of hot water and a bottle of cool water is another approach for travel — mix to the right temperature when needed.

A few drops on the inside of your wrist should feel warm, not hot. If you warm a bottle in a microwave — many manufacturers advise against it — hot spots are the risk, so shake thoroughly and test carefully.