Babies can safely drink cold milk, the Palo Alto Medical Foundation notes; however, some babies prefer their bottles warm, like the natural temperature of breastmilk. A bottle of warm milk can soothe your baby; additionally, notes the California Pacific Medical Center, heated or at least room-temperature milk is less likely to upset your baby’s stomach. If your baby refuses a cold bottle, likes warm milk or suffers from stomach troubles, you can heat infant formula or stored breast milk to a more desirable temperature.
Under the Faucet
Step 1
Turn on the tap water. Wait for the water to get hot, if you’re heating formula. If you are thawing frozen breast milk, La Leche League International recommends using cold water at first, then raising the temperature slowly.
Step 2
Put the bottle under the running water and hold it there for about one or two minutes, advises the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. If you are heating frozen breastmilk, the process may take longer. Wait until the milk becomes sufficiently warm.
Step 3
Shake or swirl the bottle, the FDA advises; this ensures an even temperature because it mixes together any pockets of hot or cool milk. If you’re using breastmilk, swirling also combines the milk and cream, which may have separated while the milk was stored, explains La Leche League International.
Step 4
Test the temperature by putting a drop of milk on your hand. The milk should feel lukewarm or room temperature, explains the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.
On the Stove
Step 1
Fill a pot with water and place it on the stove.
Step 2
Turn the burner on high and wait for the water to heat up. Let the water reach a rolling boil, suggests the Cleveland Clinic.
Step 3
Remove the pot of water from the stove, La Leche League International advises. Heating the milk directly over the burner, even in the pot of water, could damage the milk’s nutrients or make the milk too hot. Instead, the heated water will warm the milk.
Step 4
Place the bottle of milk in the hot water in the pan. The Cleveland Clinic recommends leaving the bottle in the water for one or two minutes.
Step 5
Test the temperature with your hand; the milk should feel lukewarm, not hot.
Things You'll Need
- Infant formula or breast milk
- Bottle
- Sink faucet
- Pot
References
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation: Directions for Breast Milk Storage
- California Pacific Medical Center: Tips for Bottle-Feeding
- La Leche League International: What are the LLLI guidelines for storing my pumped milk?
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Once Baby Arrives
- Cleveland Clinic: Bottle-Feeding a Newborn Baby
