How long is ready-made infant formula good for? Adapted milk formula is a worthy alternative to breast milk

It is probably no secret that infant formula, a highly nutritious product, provides an excellent environment for the development of microorganisms. And if, for example, a mother, having prepared the mixture, leaves it in the children's room or on the kitchen table for just a couple of hours, then bacteria, which are present in varying quantities in the mixture (it is impossible to achieve complete sterility at home), begin to form in the mixture develop - and more and more actively. The air temperature is 18-20 "C - the temperature is favorable for this. Let's imagine a situation: after the third feeding, there was a little formula left in the bottle; while the baby was sleeping, the bottle stood in the corner of the crib or on the changing table; three hours passed, and at the next feeding the mother , having heated this mixture, offers it to the baby... The consequences may be bad, since the microorganisms that have proliferated in the mixture are unsafe for the child’s still weak body.

Meanwhile, each experienced mother knows that quite often after feeding a baby from a bottle, some amount of formula remains. When there is little mixture left - barely at the bottom of the bottle - this mixture can be poured into the sink and not worry too much about it; however, if there is a lot of formula left after feeding - a third of a bottle, for example - then it is a pity and wasteful to throw it away (especially for a young family, financial situation which leaves much to be desired; although here we simply must say that many pediatricians do not recommend using the remaining mixture at the next feeding). The refrigerator will help us preserve the mixture. How long can we store the finished milk formula in it?.. Up to a day. But usually the mixture is in demand within a few hours. Before giving the mixture to the child, the mother warms it up - puts the bottle with the mixture in a container with warm water and from time to time turns and shakes the bottle.

Another situation is also possible: there is a lot of milk formula left in the bottle, but there is no refrigerator in the house. What should a mother do who wants to use this mixture for... next feeding?.. A mixture that was stored for a couple of hours at room temperature, you can give it to a child, but before that, bring it to a boil and cool it to the required temperature; In a boiled milk mixture, almost all microorganisms die.

Let's consider another situation that often happens in life: a family goes on a trip with a small child. We do not mean a multi-day trip by train or bus, and even with transfers. It’s too early for our baby to go on such trips. But going to grandma’s house in dad’s car is already quite within our capabilities. Perhaps you will have to travel for several hours, and you need to feed the baby on time... The mother chooses one option out of two. Option one: the milk mixture is prepared at home, poured into several bottles (as many as needed), cooled in the refrigerator, after which the bottles are placed in a thermos container suitable sizes; when the need arises for the milk mixture, you only need to take it out of the container and find an opportunity to heat it up. Option two (which seems simpler to us, and therefore is preferable): the family takes with them on the road dry milk formula, empty bottles sterilized before setting off and a thermos full of boiling water of sufficient capacity; At any time, the family can interrupt the journey for a few minutes to prepare formula for the baby.

If we store ready mixture in the refrigerator, we must follow one rule: for storage we do not need to pour the mixture into another container; store the mixture in the same bottle in which it was left; We leave the nipple on the bottle, but to avoid infection of the nipple, cover it with a sterile gauze cloth, folded several times, or with a sterile plastic cup; Just before giving the formula to the baby, we must treat the pacifier with boiling water from a kettle or replace it with a new one.

After you have chosen the brand of the mixture and learned everything about its dosage, other issues are put on the agenda. Namely, how to store the mixture, dry and diluted, at what temperature, for how long, and how long it is suitable for consumption. Since the health and well-being of the child depends on the freshness and quality of food, it is necessary to approach the solution of these issues responsibly, with knowledge of the matter. Let's get started.

The sealed container of the mixture can be stored at room temperature and normal humidity. If the jar has already been opened and is being used for its intended purpose, then it is better to move it to a cool and dry place, but not to the refrigerator. You should also avoid hitting direct sun rays into containers with powder, so as not to destroy vitamins and shorten the shelf life of the food.

When the jar or box is closed, it can be stored for quite a long time, based on the date indicated on the package. If the baby has already tried the formula, but for some reason it did not work (switched to breastfeeding, another brand, a problem, etc.), the period of use is reduced to 3-4 weeks. If you see this view baby food doesn't find any use, then just get rid of it.

What about a bottle with a diluted mixture?

If everything is clear with a dry mixture, it is specially made so that it is convenient to transport and store, then with an already prepared mixture the situation is more complicated. The best thing is to prepare the food just before it is time to feed your baby.

• boil water;
• let it cool to the desired temperature (indicated on the packaging; it may differ for different brands and types);
• pour water into the bottle, add the mixture, stir (powder into the water, and not vice versa);
• Shake the container to make sure that the composition is homogeneous.

It goes without saying that the container for preparing the mixture and the nipple must be clean, well washed or sterilized with a special device (you can also pour boiling water over them).

But it happens that a mother and baby leave home for a long time, and the conditions of the place may not be suitable for a comfortable stay with the baby. artificial feeding. For example, the same children's clinic, despite its focus, can rarely boast of kettles and sterilizers that are provided for the use of visitors. Or you like long walks, during which your child needs to eat at least once. Or maybe the baby’s routine has not yet “settled down” and it’s problematic to guess the feeding time. In any case, sooner or later there is a need to take food for the baby with you, maintaining its freshness and suitability.

So how long should the diluted mixture be stored?

When you take the already diluted mixture with you, remember that you can store it at room temperature for no more than 1–2 hours. The same rule applies to formula prepared for night feeding. If you go to bed late and know for sure that the baby wakes up to eat after a short period of time, then it is quite acceptable to make a nutritious drink and leave it on the bedside table. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the air temperature in the room, since the mixture is not stored for long in a warm room. Smell it after opening; there should be no sour or rotten smell.

Fortunately for modern mothers a refrigerator is not a luxury. This achievement of civilization is also useful for storing baby formula, which one of the parents has prepared in advance. It can stand in the refrigerator for about 12 hours without the risk of disappearing or losing its properties. Before giving chilled food to your child, it should be slightly warmed up to body temperature by placing the bottle in warm water.

Here it would be useful to note that the opened diluted mixture should not be left for storage either in heat or in cold. The hole in the nipple on the bottle should be covered with at least a clean napkin, or better yet, with a special cap that will prevent dust, bacteria and foreign substances from penetrating the baby’s food.

If the child does not drink all the prepared mixture at once, then, if possible, do not give him the same portion a second time, but dilute a new one. It happens that the baby is not hungry enough, but there is a decent amount of formula left - then it is permissible to leave it at room temperature or place it in the refrigerator. But you need to follow the same storage standards.

What determines the deadlines?

The fact is that infant formula is made taking into account the needs of the child in nutrients, vitamins, fats and other important components. Each of them plays its role in the processes of formation and development of organs and systems little man. Some vitamins can be destroyed by light or improper storage.

Besides, adapted mixture It is a tasty food for all kinds of bacteria, which is again due to its high biological value. Complete sterility cannot be created at home, so you just need to remember the permissible storage periods in the room or refrigerator and follow them. And if there is any doubt about the quality of the diluted mixture, mercilessly get rid of it, so as not to jeopardize the fragile balance in the growing body. There are known cases of serious poisoning from expired formula. The manufacturer has protected itself with a detailed annotation, but it is the parents who must protect their child by ensuring its compliance.

Other solutions

Since the shelf life of the diluted mixture is limited, you don’t have to prepare it in advance, but do it differently. If we are talking about an “outing” with a child, then take a clean bottle with the mixture poured into it and a small thermos with boiled water separately. required temperature. Immediately before feeding the baby, the contents of the two containers are mixed - lunch is ready! This method is preferable because the dry powder will definitely withstand transportation and does not contain a nutrient medium for the proliferation of unwanted microorganisms.

Another solution could be a ready-to-use liquid mixture that does not require dilution, boiling or other manipulations. If the manufacturer of your mixture has provided this form of release, then you have the opportunity to make your life a little easier. This mixture is convenient for eating while traveling, on walks, or on vacation.

The content of vitamins and minerals in the mixture can be influenced not only by the storage method, but also by the type of bottle. For example, vitamin C tends to be destroyed when exposed to oxygen, and high temperatures and light. That is, the air penetrating into the bottle, which replaces the liquid being drunk, destroys ascorbic acid. To minimize this effect, you should choose small bottles that do not form bubbles, and also try not to violate the shelf life of the diluted formula or prepare a fresh portion before each feeding.

How long can you store ready-made baby formula? This is a question that arises for every woman who uses it. Feeding formulas come to the rescue when, for some reason, a new mother cannot feed her baby with her milk. However, infant formula not only requires preparation, but also becomes a potential threat to the baby’s health if stored improperly.

How long to store baby formula

With a closed package of baby formula, no one will have any questions about the shelf life (the manufacturer indicates them on the packaging), but after opening the package, these terms become irrelevant. How long to store ready-made infant formula and how long can it be stored in open package- completely different things.

So, open jar You don’t need to pour baby formula into a separate container, but simply close it tightly and put it in the closet. Today, baby food manufacturers are trying to make their products as convenient as possible. Usually, artificial mixtures released in tin cans with tight-fitting rubber covers and sun protection. This design, of course, is reflected in its cost. If the infant formula was originally sold in cardboard packaging, then after opening it should immediately appear in glass jar(sterilized, of course). There is no need to store the opened dry mixture in the refrigerator - this will not extend its shelf life. Ideal conditions for storing open mixture: a dark, dry place with an air temperature of 14-24°C. No longer than 3 weeks - that’s how long you can keep it there. Many mothers are indignant about why 3 weeks, because the mixture costs a lot, and it takes so long to use it all short term Not everyone succeeds (some feed the baby only occasionally). Since no one has been able to preserve dairy products for a long time, in the case of baby food it is better not to violate established deadlines storage In the end, expired baby formula can be used - in baking, for example.

Is it possible to store diluted baby formula?

Is it possible to store the prepared formula and, if not, why not, how to do it correctly and what can it be stored in (in a thermos and where else) - most often mothers are concerned with precisely these questions about storing baby formula after preparation.

If the storage temperature is room temperature (14-24°C), then no longer than 3 hours - this is how long baby formula is stored in finished form before feeding the baby. During this time it will not deteriorate, but it is unlikely to remain warm. If you need to take it with you, say, for a walk, then you can use a thermos (provided that it is sterilized). At home, you can place the bottle in hot water or warm it up just before feeding.

It does not matter in what container the diluted mixture can be stored, the main thing is that it is sterile.

How long can you store baby formula in a bottle?

If we talk about how long diluted baby formula is stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator when it is left after feeding, then there is no way to save money here. When the baby touches the nipple, his saliva penetrates into the mixture, and it is from this moment that the active process of bacterial growth begins in the bottle with food. Therefore, such a mixture cannot be stored; it can be used in a maximum of an hour or disposed of immediately.

How long to store diluted baby formula in the refrigerator?

In summer it can be so hot that the room temperature is much higher than the temperature at which the finished mixture can be stored for 3 hours. In this case, you can use the refrigerator. Many manufacturers took care of mothers and indicated the shelf life of the diluted mixture in the refrigerator - 24 hours.

But, we need to be realistic. Giving her baby formula that has been in the refrigerator even for 12 hours, every woman will worry about its quality. He will worry and as a result, most likely, will prepare a new mixture. Therefore, even under conditions of absolute sterility, it is better not to put the finished mixture in the refrigerator unless absolutely necessary. But if you had to do this, you need to remember that you can heat the mixture only once. It’s unlikely that anyone will think of this, but it’s still worth saying finally that you can’t freeze diluted or dry baby formula. Therefore, there can be no talk about the shelf life of the mixture in this way.

If born into the family Small child, and he is bottle-fed, then in addition to the question of choosing a brand of milk formula, the young mother seeks to find out how long the finished formula for the baby can be stored.

How long can the prepared mixture be stored?

The shelf life of the finished mixture is no more than two hours, provided that the baby has not yet eaten from this bottle. In this case, the diluted baby formula should be stored in the refrigerator, since at room temperature the resulting liquid may turn sour.

If the baby has already eaten and there is still some formula left in the bottle, then the remaining mixture must be poured out and a new portion prepared at the next feeding.

Many mothers think that if the child asks to eat again after an hour, then they can give him the same formula that he did not finish at the previous feeding. However, this should not be done, since even during such a short period of storage of the mixture, it can deteriorate, as a result of which the baby may become poisoned.

Why can’t baby formula be stored for a long time?

If the milk formula is kept at room temperature for a long time, then harmful bacteria begin to multiply in it, which can cause bloating, colic, and even intestinal disorders in the baby (). The finished mixture is an excellent breeding ground for the spread of pathogenic bacteria, since it contains a large number of proteins and fats.

It is also not recommended to reheat the milk mixture in microwave oven, as it may heat up unevenly. If a situation arises when you need to take formula milk with you for future use, then it is better to do it as follows: pour warm boiled water into a separate thermos, and required amount Pour the mixture into a bottle in advance. If necessary, all you have to do is add water to it, and the fresh milk mixture will be ready.

Parents should remember that although it is convenient for them to make formula for their baby several feedings in advance, this can have a detrimental effect on him. The child must be given a freshly prepared portion of infant formula. This will avoid overloading the gastrointestinal tract baby and poisoning of the body, since improper storage conditions for formula promote the development of pathogenic bacteria.

It's probably no secret that formula milk is highly nutritious product, provides an excellent environment for the development of microorganisms. And if, for example, a mother, having prepared the mixture, leaves it in the children's room or on the kitchen table for just a couple of hours, then bacteria, which are present in varying quantities in the mixture (it is impossible to achieve complete sterility at home), begin to form in the mixture develop - and more and more actively. The air temperature is 18-20 °C - the temperature is favorable for this. Let's imagine a situation: after the third feeding, there is some formula left in the bottle; while the child was sleeping, the bottle stood in the corner of the crib or on the changing table; Three hours have passed, and at the next feeding, the mother, having warmed up this mixture, offers it to the baby... The consequences can be bad, since the microorganisms that have proliferated in the mixture are unsafe for the child’s still weak body.

Meanwhile, every experienced mother knows that quite often after feeding the baby from a bottle, some amount of formula remains. When there is little mixture left - barely at the bottom of the bottle - this mixture can be poured into the sink and not worry too much about it; however, if there is a lot of formula left after feeding - a third of a bottle, for example - then it is a pity and wasteful to throw it away (especially for a young family whose financial situation leaves much to be desired; although here we simply must say that many pediatricians do not recommend using the remaining mixture at the next feeding). The refrigerator will help us preserve the mixture. How long can we store the finished milk formula in it?.. Up to a day. But usually the mixture is in demand within a few hours. Before giving the formula to the child, the mother warms it up - puts the bottle with the mixture in a container with warm water and turns and shakes the bottle from time to time.

Another situation is also possible: there is a lot of milk formula left in the bottle, but there is no refrigerator in the house. What should a mother do who wants to use this mixture at the next feeding?.. The mixture, which has been stored for a couple of hours at room temperature, can be given to the child, but before that, bring it to a boil and cool it to the required temperature; In a boiled milk mixture, almost all microorganisms die.

Let's consider another situation that often happens in life: a family goes on a trip with a small child. We do not mean a multi-day trip by train or bus, and even with transfers. It’s too early for our baby to go on such trips. But going to grandma’s house in dad’s car is already quite within our capabilities. Perhaps you will have to travel for several hours, and you need to feed the baby on time... The mother chooses one option out of two. Option one: the milk mixture is prepared at home, poured into several bottles (as many as needed), cooled in the refrigerator, after which the bottles are placed in a thermos container of suitable size; when the need arises for the milk mixture, you only need to take it out of the container and find an opportunity to heat it up. Option two (which seems simpler to us, and therefore is preferable): the family takes with them on the road dry milk formula, empty bottles sterilized before setting off and a thermos full of boiling water of sufficient capacity; At any time, the family can interrupt the journey for a few minutes to prepare formula for the baby.

If we store the finished mixture in the refrigerator, we must follow one rule: for storage we do not need to pour the mixture into another container; store the mixture in the same bottle in which it was left; We leave the nipple on the bottle, but to avoid infection of the nipple, cover it with a sterile gauze cloth, folded several times, or with a sterile plastic cup; Just before giving the formula to the baby, we must treat the pacifier with boiling water from a kettle or replace it with a new one.