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If you follow a few golden rules, there is no reason why the powdered milk you use for baby bottles does not keep well.
How does infant milk look?
Breast milk contains all the nutrients a baby needs to thrive. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for up to 6 months. But when you can not breastfeed or do not want to, know that there are infant formulas whose composition is strictly governed by European standards and which cover the nutritional needs of your child.
Storage boxes for powdered milk
Infant milks exist in two forms:
– The liquid milks sterile and ready to use
– Powdered milk to be reconstituted with water. There are several varieties of powdered milk classified according to the child’s age (1st age milk, follow-on or 2nd age milk, then growth milk) but also according to their specific needs. They are then called “specific infant milks”. Among them: anti-regurgitation milks (AR), hypoallergenic milks (HA), milks derived from a hydrolyzate of cow’s milk proteins, lactose-free infant milks, etc.
Please note that powdered infant formula is not sterile. They can therefore contain microorganisms in very small quantities. This is why, once opened, it is important to store them well. And, once the milk is reconstituted, it becomes very fragile because the bacteria can develop.
Shelf life of powdered infant milk
Open, or not started, here’s how to know how long you can keep powdered infant formula.
Storage of powdered milk after opening
After opening, a box of powdered infant milk can be kept for 1 month provided you close it well with its lid and store it in a cool, dry place. Each time you use the pod provided in the box of powdered milk, be sure to dry it well and throw it away with the box of powdered milk once it is finished.
If your box of infant formula has not been opened, it is important to trust the best before date (Best before date) indicated on the packaging and to respect it. The different brands of powdered infant milk will explain in detail how to properly store a can of powdered milk according to their own terms.
Trick : if you have just opened your box of powdered milk, do not hesitate to affix a label which mentions the date of opening in order to avoid any problem.
Storing liquid formula
Liquid milks also require special care.
Bottled milk for babies
The liquid infant milks, ready to use, can be kept for a maximum of 48 hours in their original container after opening. But on condition of store them in the coldest part of the refrigerator, at the bottom of it, at a temperature of 4 ° C maximum!
Keeping milk in the fridge
The refrigerator should be cleaned regularly to limit the growth of germs and bacteria. If sterile liquid infant milk has not been opened, store it in a cool, dry place and use the expiration date on the package.
Warning : ready-to-use liquid milk bottles cannot be kept after reheating the milk.
Does powdered milk go out of date?
Like all other foods, powdered milk expires. To know its expiry date (DLC), you must refer to the indications mentioned on the packaging of infant formula milk, and respect them.
How do you know if a powdered milk has expired?
A powdered milk that has not been opened and of which the expiration date has passed is considered obsolete. This is also the case with powdered milk which has been opened for more than a month and whose contents are not finished. In this case, you should throw away your powdered milk.
Storage of infant milk
Why do you absolutely have to throw out powdered milk whose deadline is just a little past? Because in addition to the risks of food poisoning that it presents for your baby, whose intestines are not yet mature enough, an expired infant milk powder is depleted in vitamins and nutrients. In addition, the fat it contains will no longer be rich enough to meet the needs of your little one.
Of course, you must also trust your senses : is the milk yellowed? Its altered smell? If you notice any change in consistency or odor in the powdered formula given to your baby after reconstitution, you should be wary. And, if in doubt, throw it away!
How to prepare a baby’s bottle ?
- Place your bottle on an impeccably hygienic work surface
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water
- Use the pod from the box of milk powder: a dose of milk will be reconstituted with 30 ml of water.
- Once the right doses of milk and water have been added to the bottle, shake vigorously and immediately give the bottle to your baby.
How to heat a bottle?
It is best to give baby a bottle at ambient temperature. But if you want to heat it up, never use a microwave, to avoid the risk of burns. Prefer a water bath or a bottle warmer and pour a few drops of milk on your wrist before giving the bottle to your child to check the temperature of the liquid.
How to store a bottle of powdered milk?
A bottle of reconstituted powdered milk cannot be stored for long.
Storage of reconstituted milk: how long to keep a bottle?
Sometimes we prepare a bottle of infant formula but the baby does not want to drink it immediately. Our advice on how long can we still offer this milk.
What is the lifespan of a bottle?
It is best to prepare your child’s bottle of powdered milk just before giving it. Once the powdered milk has been reconstituted with mineral water, spring water (special for infants) or tap water, you should not keep it for more than an hour, otherwise germs will proliferate. in milk. It should therefore be discarded within an hour of preparation.
Can you reheat a bottle of artificial milk?
If you need to prepare a bottle of milk in advance, store it in the refrigerator. Once warmed to bath or in the bottle warmer, your bottle of powdered formula should be given within half an hour ! And, be careful, never keep a bottle of milk that has been opened for the next feeding.
Digestion: can I give my baby cold milk, at room temperature or warm?
It is best to get your baby used to drinking his milk ambient temperature. It does not need to be reheated nutritionally and it will make your life easier on the go. Remember to always bring a dosing box of milk with stackable compartments in order to separate the powdered infant milk from the water and to avoid any proliferation of bacteria.
In general, it is always useful to learn how to manage your milk stocks well! If you have to switch to 2nd age milk but the box of 1st age powdered milk is not finished, do not hesitate to finish it a few more days to avoid having to throw it away and therefore waste it.