Which steriliser?

Good hygiene is extremely important

• Hands should be thoroughly washed before touching sterilised items 
• Wash each item thoroughly before sterilising and follow manufacturer’s guidelines
• Use cool, boiled water to rinse items that have been cold water sterilised

As infant formula powder is not sterile, the water you use to make up the feed needs to be 70^oC to kill any bacteria that may be present. Boil a kettle filled with fresh tap water and allow to cool for between 25-30 minutes before measuring the required amount of water.  Please note feed will still be too hot to feed and will need to be cooled under cold running tap, or in a bowl of cold water

Up to 1 hour. After that time enzymes from the baby’s saliva may work on the ingredients in the milk causing it to deteriorate. The milk would therefore no longer be at its best after 1 hour

In line with the latest guidelines from the Department of Health, (November 2005), we recommend preparing each feed, in individual bottles, as required

It is important to follow good hygiene practices when making up infant formula and you should always prepare the milk in accordance with the instructions on the specific pack of infant formula

No. This is not recommended for the preparation of standard formula

A freshly made feed can be kept at room temperature for a maximum of 2 hours however, if your baby has started drinking from the bottle then it should be discarded after 1 hour

At home, or out and about, boiling water can be put into a vacuum flask, as the flask will keep the water above 70^o C for several hours.  Please note there is a risk of scalding as water still hot.  Taking out cool, boiled water in bottles is no longer advised. Alternatively, take a sterilised bottle with you and use a ready to use milk