You drink cold milk. Wouldn't you think that your baby would like their formula cold? Or should it be warm?
There are many right ways to prepare your baby's formula and only a few wrong ways. Many parents are not sure if they have the temperature right even though they have tested it time and time again. Does temperature even matter?
Hot Water
The most important addition to liquid concentrate or powdered baby formula is the addition of water. If you are comfortable with your municipal water supply, you can use tap water. However, you will want to boil the water for about one minute, then bring it back down to body temperature. Once the water is cooled, you can use it in your baby's formula.
Do not boil baby formula in a microwave. Hot spots within the liquid can actually scald your baby's mouth. Instead, you can put the prepared bottle in a cup or bowl of water that was microwaved and then warm the contents.
Warm Water
Generally, baby formula is prepared at body temperature. When you test it on your wrist, it will feel wet but feel the same temperature as your skin. This way you know you do not have any extreme in any direction. Just remember to dispose of any extra formula after your baby is done. If it sits out for over an hour, the bacteria that has combined with your baby's saliva and the formula will start to grow. The same is true if you put a half-consumed bottle in the refrigerator.
Cool Water
Your little one can drink cold formula. In fact, some babies prefer it. This is easy for you if you make formula in advance, then store it in the refrigerator in a sealed container until it is feeding time. If your baby is teething, the cool liquid on their gums may feel really good while they are eating.
The only time that you may reconsider serving cool or cold formula to your baby is when they are newborns. They are still trying to regulate their own body temperature. A cold drink may take away from all of the effort and energy, not to mention the calories, they put into warming up their body up to that point.
Conclusion:
The one that knows the best temperature to drink baby formula is your baby. If your baby is a better eater with a cold bottle, then you can adapt to their needs and preferences.
Edited and reposted from February 2018
