How to make up formula and store breast milk safely

Bottle preparation is the task most often handed to someone else: a partner at 2am, a grandparent on a Tuesday. These are the rules they need, all from the NHS.

Formula

1. Boil fresh water and let it cool in the kettle for no more than 30 minutes, so it is still at least 70°C.
2. Make each feed fresh. Follow the scoop and water amounts on the tin exactly.
3. Cool the bottle under cold running water and test the temperature on your wrist.
4. Throw away anything left at the end of the feed.

The 70°C matters because formula powder is not sterile; hot water is what makes the feed safe.

Expressed breast milk

Where	How long
Fridge, 4°C or lower	Up to 8 days
Freezer, -18°C or lower	Up to 6 months

Label each container with the date. Use the oldest first.

Giving the bottle

• Hold your baby semi-upright.
• Never prop a bottle or leave a baby alone to feed.
• Let your baby set the pace and take breaks.

Write it down once

If more than one person makes bottles in your house, put these rules where the kettle is. A shared log of what was made and when stops the “is this one still good?” conversation. See sharing the nights for a handover that takes ten seconds.