PREPARATION - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We do not recommend adding extra scoops of milk formula or mixing the powdered milk formula with any other powders or liquids.
Some mothers mix powdered formula with their breast milk in order to increase the calories their baby gets during a feeding. This changes the composition of the breast milk and the micro-nutrients become far more concentrated. We recommend following the exact instructions on the formula or on our website and never mix the formula with anything but boiled water.
Once a milk formula pouch has been opened, it is exposed to environmental factors that can affect its quality. To guarantee short-term freshness, we recommend to use a milk formula storage box, or reseal the pouch and restore it in the original cardboard packaging. Storage life varies between manufacturers. Holle and Lebenswert Milk Formulas stay fresh for up to 2 weeks and HiPP Milk Formulas can stay fresh for up to 3 weeks.
It is recommended to use a calendar or labeling on the pouches as a friendly reminder.
We always ship the freshest batch available, with an expiration date of approximately one year. Please note that the expiration dates are written as follows: dd-mm-yyyy. For example: 12-27-19 will be listed as 27.12.19 on European made formulas.
Rest assured, we won’t ship a perishable product that has expired!
Yes, we recommend that you follow the manufacturer’s directions.
You can use any type of clean water (tap or bottled) to prepare organic formula. To kill bacteria that might be present in municipal water, use tap water that has been boiled for one minute and cooled down to about 50°C or 122°F. Then, mix the water with formula.
It is safest to prepare a fresh feed each time one is needed, and to consume immediately. This is because prepared feeds provide ideal conditions for bacteria to grow - especially when kept at room temperature.
However, if you need to prepare feeds in advance for use later, they should be prepared in individual bottles, cooled quickly and placed in the refrigerator (no higher than 5ºC). Throw away any refrigerated feed that has not been used within 12 hours. Before using make sure to shake the bottle well and check the temperature of the bottle before feeding. We recommend a drinking temperature of 98.6° F/37° C.
Warning: If you do not have a refrigerator it is not safe to prepare feeds in advance - always prepare a fresh feed as it is needed.
• Remove a bottle of feed from the refrigerator just before it is needed. • Re-warm for no more than 15 minutes. Feeds can be re-warmed by placing in a container of warm water. Occasionally shake or swirl the bottle to make sure that it heats evenly. • Check the temperature of the feed by dripping a little onto the inside of your wrist. It should feel lukewarm, not hot. • Throw away any re-warmed feed that has not been consumed within two hours.
Warning: Never use a microwave to re-warm feeds. Microwaves heat unevenly, and may cause 'hot spots' that can scald the infant's mouth.
Yes - but make sure the feed is cold before it is transported, and is kept cold during transport. This will slow down or stop the growth of harmful bacteria.
• Prepare feeds as normal, cool quickly and place in the refrigerator (no warmer than 5ºC).• Immediately before you leave home, remove the cold feeds from the refrigerator and place in a cool bag with ice packs.
• You can then place the feeds in a refrigerator at your destination, or re-warm a feed when you need one.
If your trip is longer than two hours, you may not be able to keep the pre-prepared feeds cold. In this case, you should prepare feeds as you need them.
That depends on the brand and the formula stage. Here are some examples:
HiPP’s First Infant, Formula 1: approx. 150 oz mixed formula.
Lebenswert’s Infant, Formula 1: approx. 130 oz mixed formula.
Holle’s Organic Infant Formula, Stage 1: approx. 90 oz mixed formula.