How To Make Baby's Formula Video Transcript

How To Make Baby's Formula Video Transcript

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Video transcript for how to make baby's formula.

[Music]

[Background conversation]

Voice

Infant formula powder is not sterile. Handle and store formula with care to keep it safe for baby. Formula should be made just before each feed.

Plunket clinical advisor

OK so to make up the formula we need to get our hands washed first and then we'll wash the bench down so ...

Voice

Thoroughly wash and dry your hands before you handle sterilised equipment or make formula. 

[Sounds of running tap and tap being turned off]

Plunket clinical advisor

So now we need to wash down the bench so that ....

Voice

Clean the bench where you prepare the formula using hot soapy water and a clean cloth.

Plunket clinical advisor

Wet it and then we'll dry it with the other one.

Mum

Yeah.

[Sound of water being squeezed out of cloth]

Plunket clinical advisor

Give it a good wash all over.

Voice

Then dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.

[Background conversation]

Mum

Oops.

Voice

Read the information on the formula tin carefully, including the use by date and follow instructions.

[Background conversation]

Mum

18th of December 2015.

Plunket clinical advisor

Cool, and so you know that once you've opened it, you need to use it within a month.

Mum

Yep.

Plunket clinical advisor

Cool.

[Sound of boiling kettle]

Voice

For the first three months all water used for formula should be boiled and cooled on the day you use it.

[Background conversation]

Voice

If you're using a jug or kettle to boil water, wait until it switches off. If you are boiling water in a pot on the stove, let the water come to a rolling boil.

[Sound of water boiling in pot]

[Music]

Voice

Once the water is boiled, leave it to cool.

[Music]

Plunket clinical advisor

That water in the kettle now will have cooled enough for you to use and you can fill up your sterilised containers ready to pop them in the fridge. And you've got lots of different containers there that will be useful for storing the water in. 

[Sound of pouring water]

[Sound of lid being clicked on container]

Plunket clinical advisor

Excellent. And they'll stay nice and, nice and cool.

Voice

Keep this cooled, boiled water for no longer than twenty four hours.

[Music]

Plunket clinical advisor

There we go. All done. Here you go, now we just need to check the right amount of water's in there. How much do you need for this feed?

Mum

150 mls.

Plunket clinical advisor

OK so ...

Voice

Not all baby bottles have accurate volume lines on them. To check that your bottles do, look for the standard mark EN14350 on the bottle or packaging, or take your bottles to a pharmacy and ask a staff member to check if the bottles are accurate. 

[Background conversation]

Plunket clinical advisor

So now you can put our, um, your powder in.

Mum

Yep.

[Sounds of lids being taken off]

Mum

It says, ah, 150 mls, three scoops.

Plunket clinical advisor

Absolutely, that's fine.

Voice

Make sure you use the scoop that comes in the tin. The instructions provided with each tin will tell you how much water and how many scoops of formula powder to use.

[Background conversation]

Plunket clinical advisor

That's right. So just make sure that's not ...

[Background conversation]

Voice

Level the powder with a clean knife but don't pack the formula down. And don't tap it in because you're just making extra formula in there which makes it too strong for the baby. Great.

[Background conversation]

Voice

Add the correct number of full level scoops of powder to the measured water.

[Background conversation]

Plunket clinical advisor

That just adds a little bit extra so that's cool.

Mum

It's a bit annoying.

Plunket clinical advisor

It is isn't it? But you can see if you add the extra how it makes it stronger.

Mum

Three.

Plunket clinical advisor

Cool.

[Sound of lid clicking in place]

Voice

Attach the teat and collar to the bottle; seal the bottle with a cap.

[Background conversation]

[Sound of liquid being shaken]

Voice

Shake or swirl the bottle until the formula is mixed thoroughly.

[Sound of liquid being shaken]

[Music]

Plunket clinical advisor

Right, and now we need to warm that up so that ...

Voice

Formula can be warmed to body temperature for your baby. Put the bottle of freshly prepared formula in a container of hot water. 

[Background conversation]

Plunket clinical advisor

And you don't get any hot spots to burn her ...

[Background conversation]

Voice

Shake or swirl the formula in the bottle to mix the heat evenly. Check the temperature of the formula by dripping some of the formula on the inside of your wrist without touching the teat.

Mum

Right that's warm.

Plunket clinical advisor

Warm? Yep. That's great.

Mum

Can only just feel it on my skin.

Plunket clinical advisor

That's great. Good on you. Well done.

Voice

Remember use the formula within two hours and throw out any unused formula. Never reheat warmed or partially used feeds. 

[Sounds of baby sucking]

[Background conversation]

Voice

After the feed, thoroughly wash your bottle and teat in warm soapy water using a bottle and teat brush. Make sure you remove any leftover or dried on formula. Rinse your bottle and teat well, and sterilise ready for the next feed. You might like to put freshly boiled water into your bottle and pop it in the fridge ready for next time. Remember infant formula powder is not sterile. The temperature at which babies like their formula is also a perfect temperature for harmful bugs to grow. Formula is best made up fresh in time for each feed. If this is not possible, prepared formula ay be stored at room temperature for no more than two hours or in the bottom half of the fridge at the back for no more than four hours. Never add more formula powder or less water than recommended. This could make your baby very sick. Never add anything other than formula powder or water into the formula feed. 

[Background conversation]

[Sound of lid clicking on]

[Sound of running water]

Voice

If you have in a city or a town, you can use water straight from the tap to make formula after your baby is three months old. Run the tap for ten to fifteen seconds before you collect the water.

[Music]

Voice

If you're concerned about water quality, keep boiling and cooling water until your baby is six months old.

Discuss any concerns with your local public health unit. You need to keep boiling bore water and tank water until your baby is eighteen month old.

This page last reviewed 24 July 2013.

Call Healthline on 0800 611 116 any time of the day or night for free health advice when you need it