How To Make Up Baby Formula
Good hygiene is very important when making up a formula feed.
Your baby’s immune system is not as strong as an adult’s. That’s why bottles, teats and any other feeding equipment need to be washed and sterilised before each feed.
This will reduce the chance of your baby getting an infection, in particular diarrhoea and vomiting.
How To Store Prepared Formula
If you have prepared a batch of formulas ahead of time, knowing how to store them is very crucial.
Here are tips for storing different types of formulas:
- Once opened, the powdered formula should be stored in a sealed container and placed in a cool, dry place.
- After mixing powdered formula, you can feed immediately or prepare for a days worth and store it in the fridge.
- You can feed your baby concentrated formula immediately or refrigerate it to use within 48 hours.
- It is not advisable to freeze mixed formulas that make the protein and fat separate.
- You should refrigerate unmixed powder.
- A prepared formula that has already been given to the baby must be used within 1 hour. Anything after that must be thrown away since pathogens may multiply and make your baby sick.
There Are Basically Two Ways To Make Baby Formula Incorrectly:
No matter how the baby formula is incorrectly mixed, this can be harmful for your baby. So if you havent already given them the wrongly-mixed formula, its best to just throw it out and make another bottle.
Whether youve mixed the formula wrong once or many times, dont panic, and dont beat yourself up. It happens, which is why were dedicating an entire article to the subject. Maybe you misread the directions, lost track of time, were interrupted by your other children, all the mom things that happen Dont feel guilty- youre still a great parent, and its completely normal to make this mistake.
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Care Advice For Bottle Feeding
Baby Formula Preparation Types

While there are different types of formulas, there are also differences in the ways formulas are prepared. Some provide convenience, while others are more economical.
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Powder formula
When you think of baby formula, its probably the dry powder form. It comes in a canister, is measured with a scoop, and is mixed with water.When not prepared, powder has a longer shelf life than ready-to-feed or concentrated liquid formula, which makes it a good option for those supplementing breast milk with formula.
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Ready-to-feed formula
This type of formula is convenient and ready to use, and it requires no water or mixing. Similac Ready to Feed is available in 2-fl-oz, 8-fl-oz, and quart-sized bottles. Its great for traveling and on-the-go, anywhere.
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Concentrated liquid formula
A type of liquid formula that comes in a can and mixes easily with waterjust add one part water to one part concentrate.
Once youve found a formula thats the right fit for you, here are some great tips on How to Make a Bottle.
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How To Calculate The Number Of Bottles Per Package
The tables provided below will help you get the closest approximate amount of bottles for each package of formula. Remember, this is an estimation and not exact – as we could only round to half bottles.
Plus, the chart is helpful with showing quick information on how big each scoop is and how many grams of formula are in each box!
Pediatricians recommend 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight each day. The average size of a newborn baby is about 7 pounds. So a newborn baby weighing 7 pounds would need 17.5 ounces of formula each day .
Using the chart below, let’s say your baby needs a 3-ounce bottle six times per day.
If you were to use Kendamil, you would get 62 bottles from one can. Take the total number of bottles in each package and divide that by how many of those bottles you need each day.
For our example, 62 bottles / 6 bottles needed per day = 10.3 days of formula. So the Kendamil can would last your baby about a week and a half.
Here’s a blank formula to help you calculate for your own baby:
Resources For Parents Families And Carers
Booklet: Child health information , Queensland Government
Growing StrongFormula feeding , Queensland Government
Raising Children NetworkNewborns nutrition, Australian Government
Raising Children NetworkBreastfeeding videos, Australian Government
Booklet: Breastfeeding and postnatal care, New South Wales Governmentavailable in English, Arabic, Chinese , Chinese ,Farsi, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi and Tamil languages
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How To Make Baby Formula
Mixing your baby’s bottle may be new to you but it’s easy to master with just three steps.
You’ll be surprised how fast these three easy steps will become second nature.
How Much Is A Scoop Of Gerber Formula
Unless you use the soy-based Gerber formula, you may be in luck. Gerber is one of the few brands that has a standard scoop size across its lines, so if you happen to have the scoop from a different Gerber can, you can use that one.
- Gerber Good Start Gentle 8.7 grams or approximately 3 ½ tablespoons* per six-ounce bottle
- Gerber Good Start GentlePro 8.7 grams or approximately 3 ½ tablespoons* per six-ounce bottle
- Gerber Good Start Soothe 8.7 grams or approximately 3 ½ tablespoons* per six-ounce bottle
- Gerber Good Start Comforting Probiotics 8.7 grams or approximately 3 ½ tablespoons* per six-ounce bottle
- Gerber Good Start Soy 8.9 grams or approximately 3 tablespoons plus a heaping tablespoon* per 6-ounce bottle
*Tablespoon measurements are approximated for six ounces of water and should not be used as a substitute for the correct scoop except in an emergency.
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Choosing The Best Formula For Your Baby
When you first walk into a shop or pharmacy that sells formula, you might find the range of boxes and packets on display a bit bewildering at first, with so many different brands and types of infant formula on offer.
Donât let this confuse you though: Just check the label carefully and keep in mind that newborns need what is known as âfirst infant formulaâ until at least 6 months of age, unless your doctor or midwife advises otherwise.
Experts also advise sticking to this type of formula until your baby is at least around 1 year old, when you can start giving your baby cowâs milk to drink.
Can I Give My Baby 3 Oz Of Formula
Yes, you can give your baby 3 oz of formula. For a newborn baby, the normal recommended intake is about 3 to 4 ounces every three to four hours for the first two weeks of life.
This amount increases as your baby grow and is able to take more at each meal. At about 2 months of age, babies usually take 4 to 5 ounces at each feeding and the feedings are less frequent about every four to five hours.
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Measuring Exact Amounts Of Formula And Water
It is important to measure the formula and water carefully. Too much or too little is not good for your baby.
For each 30mls of water, you need one level scoop of formula powder. Use the scoop in the formula box and run a clean knife across the top to level the scoop. For example, if you are making up a 90mls feed, you will need to add 3 level scoops of formula to 90mls of cool boiled water.
Enjoy Mealtimes With Your Baby

Mealtimes are a time to be together and communicate. Just as adults and children enjoy talking with each other at mealtimes, so do babies. Hold your baby close to your body, facing you, when feeding. This should be an enjoyable and social experience for you both.Take the bottle away as soon as your baby has had enough.Do not put your baby to bed with a bottle, to feed alone. This is dangerous because your baby may choke. Also, older children who are regularly fed this way are more likely to get middle-ear infections and tooth decay.
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Are All Baby Formula Brands The Same
The FDA regulates all baby formula to ensure that they meet specific nutrient guidelines. These guidelines include minimum or maximum ranges for nearly 40 nutrients however, formula recipes can vary quite a bit while still satisfying these standards.
Differences between some baby formulas might simply be due to variability in brands recipes, raw materials, and manufacturing processes. While other differences are more deliberate, relating to health needs.
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians , some variations between formulations include:
- Cows Milk Protein Formula is the basic formula recommended for most infants. These formula lines are made from cows milk that has been modified to mimic human breast milk.
- Hypoallergenic Formula is recommended for babies with dairy allergies or intolerances. These formulas contain partially or fully hydrolyzed proteins, which are easier to digest.
- Soy Formula can be given to babies with dairy allergies or intolerances. It is also a good option for vegan families.
- Lactose-Free Formula can be recommended for babies who are lactose intolerant or sensitive to lactose. Though it is made from cows milk, the lactose, or milk sugar, has been removed and replaced with other sugars .
- Anti-refluxor Anti-Spit Up Formula is thicker than other formulas, which helps to prevent reflux. Special care must be taken when preparing this formula to ensure there are no lumps.
Here is a list of common additions:
How Do You Make A 3
The key is to prepare a six-ounce bottle and divide it into two three-ounce bottles. This will allow you to prepare more bottles in advance and warm them quickly one at a time.
If you are traveling with formula, consider taking powdered formula with you. Powdered formula is much easier to pack than liquid formula, and you can always buy six fluid ounces of water at your destination to mix with the powder.
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What Happens If You Measure Baby Formula Wrong
Landing on this article means one of two things: you measured your babys formula wrong and are scared this may be harmful to them , or you are wondering whether you have to throw it out if they havent taken the bottle yet.
First things firstit happens. Parents of newborns are not the most well-rested, after all.
How To Safely Prepare Baby Formula
Now that you know how many scoops of formula for 1 oz, let us look at safety tips when preparing baby formula:
- Clean the surface and equipment needed to prepare the formula. This includes the bottles, nipples, and bottle liners.
- Always wash your hands with soap and water before drying with a clean towel.
- Ensure that you use safe water from a safe water source. Otherwise, you can use bottled water or boil the water and wait for it to cool before using it.
- Always check the expiration date on the formula packaging before use.
- Check the instructions to know how much formula you need.
- Always use the scoop provided with your type of formula to measure the formula. This is important because the scoop can vary from one brand to another.
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How To Prep A Bottle Of Formula From Powder
Recipes and scoop sizes may vary between formula brands, but there are standard practices for safely preparing a bottle of any powdered formula.
To prepare a bottle of formula:
Although it might be tempting to simply prep a bunch of formula bottles ahead of time, youll need to be mindful of the fact that prepared formula will go bad fairly quickly. Lets check that out next!