Bottle feeding

What happens in the first few years of a child’s life can shape their whole life.

Read guidance to formula feeding your baby:

• NHS Start for life provides information about bottle feeding
• read the Unicef guide to bottle feeding leaflet, in this leaflet there is also information about how to sterilise equipment too
• First Steps Nutrition provides information about making up bottles of infant formula. If you're making up formula milk using hot taps or baby kettles, view First Steps Nutrition making infant milks safely page

Baby Kettles

Baby kettles are now available on the market which claim to keep water at the correct temperature after being boiled to allow families to make up infant formula without the need for cooling before the powder is added. These kettles appear to keep water at a temperature of 70°C for 3 hours. This is no longer than 500ml of boiled water can be kept in a thermos flask and still remain above 70°C.

There is a potential risk that the water in these kettles may be repeatedly boiled (for example, set to re-boil after 3 hours) to maintain the temperature, concentrating elements in the water. Fresh water should always be used in the kettle. The water is also likely to cool below 70°C being poured into the bottle and is therefore likely to be less than 70°C when the powder is added. We have not tested these kettles but suggest caution if families are using these to make up infant formula.

First Steps Nutrition Trust welcome any other information about these kettles and experiences of using them.