Can You Reheat a Bottle of Baby Formula?

You don't want to waste an ounce of your baby's formula, but sometimes your little one is not ready for what you have heated.  Can you reheat it safely?

Just like the food that you consume, you need to make sure that you follow food safety practices for your baby.  This includes their formula.  There are certain guidelines that you need to follow to make sure that your child is safe from bacteria and other foodborne illnesses.  Here are some scenarios about your baby's bottle.

You Just Made a Bottle of Formula and Your Baby Went Back to Sleep

If your baby is not ready to eat and you already have a bottle ready to go, you can put it in the refrigerator until your little one is ready.  This means that you don't have to mix water and powder again, but you will have to bring it back to your child's ideal temperature.

You Reheated the Bottle, But Your Baby Didn't Drink It

Life happens.  At the same time, you don't want to keep reheating the contents in the bottle.  After a while, you are losing the important nutrients that your baby needs to grow and thrive.

Your Baby is Finished With the Bottle But There is Still Two Ounces Left

At this point, you need to discard what your baby did not finish.  Your baby's saliva likely combined with the leftover formula.  Even if you refrigerate it, the bacteria in your baby's mouth will grow and grow no matter what the temperature is.  If you reintroduce the bacteria to your baby, it could make them sick.