baby bottle

How Do You Warm Up A Bottle Without A Warmer?

Table of Contents
    Add a header to begin generating the table of contents

    It would be extremely inconvenient to always have to feed Baby from the boob. There will always be something that gets in the way, whether it be your day job, social engagements, or even your sleep routine. Are you ready for the answer? In order to continue nursing, you can simply pump and preserve your breast milk.

    Although some nutritious and antioxidant value may be lost, pumped milk will keep for 3 to 5 days within the fridge or up to six months in the freezer. (The baby will get many rewards even so!)

    Warming breast milk from storage to a temperature between room temp and the baby's body temperature is probably the norm. The optimal temperature is around 99 degrees Fahrenheit. Learn how to heat up breast milk without worrying about damaging it.

    The baby needs to be fed, and the clock is ticking down to the point where it will become furious, but you have to decide whether to give them a cold bottle or wait for it to warm up. Some infants prefer a chilly bottle, while others need it warmed to just the right temperature.

    Be of good cheer if your infant is at the warm party, or if you've discovered that giving them a warm bottle at bed or nap time helps them get to sleep more quickly and stay asleep for longer. A baby bottle can be warmed quickly by following our advice.

    Looking for the best tables and chairs for baby playroom? Look no further. My Baby Nursery has you covered. 

    The Fundamentals Of Bottle Heating

    To set the record straight, warming a baby's bottle is not required by law but is a personal choice. Babies, especially the youngest ones, may have a clear preference for hot milk, but older newborns may be more able to tolerate lukewarm or even chilly milk.

    Whenever a baby nurses, the mother secretes milk at about 98.6 degrees, the same temperature as the infant's body. In fact, "Heating" a bottle is indeed a misnomer, since most adults prefer their coffee at a temperature of around 160 degrees.

    Bottles that have been heated in a microwave continue to "cook" even after being removed, increasing the danger of burns to your child.

    Milk can heat evenly, warm too rapidly, or overheat at once if bottles are heated on the stove top in boiling water. The water can be heated on the stove and used to warm the bottle, but it must be taken off the heat source before the bottle is placed inside. It's better to use a bottle warmer or keep a mug of hot water from the sink.

    If your infant needs warmed milk, you may quickly and safely discover the ideal temperature by following our guidelines.

    baby bottle

    Select A Glass Or Bpa-Free Bottle.

    To avoid chemical leaching, be careful when warming your baby's bottle. If you're looking for a worry-free option, glass bottles are your best bet. Even still, the fact that they can be heavy and easily broken puts off some parents.

    If you prefer to use plastic, you'll be happy to know that all infant bottles marketed in the United States now are made without bisphenol A (BPA). There is concern that BPA, an estrogen-like chemical (used to manufacture stiff plastics, keep plastic products from growing bacteria, and prevent rust), may cause health issues.

    You may wish to check for the presence of BPA in any used plastic bottles you plan on using. If your bottles came from a country other than the United States, you may also want to do this. If you have any questions, it's best to contact the maker directly.

    Why Should Breast Milk Be Warmed?

    Feeding your infant milk that has been refrigerated is safe. A baby will prefer the warm comfort of breast milk because it is more like the temperature they are used to. Milk's temperature has a role in facilitating the blending process (fat tends to separate when milk is cooled down in the fridge or freezer).

    But moderation is key; if the milk is heated too much, its beneficial enzymes and immune-boosting characteristics will be destroyed. In addition, if you heat the milk to a temperature higher than 104 degrees Fahrenheit, your infant runs the risk of being scalded.

    Options For Warming Bottles

    Milk should ideally be served at or slightly below 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (body temperature), however this is more of a suggestion than a rule. Drop a few drops of the liquid into the center of your wrist to feel if it's warm before reaching for the thermometer. The rule of thumb is to warm everything up a bit more if it's chilly and cool it down a bit if it's too hot. Optional but highly recommended extra step: spin the contents of the bottle after warming it to achieve even temperature throughout.

    If you already have bottles and aren't sure if they contain BPA, don't worry about it! To avoid the potential for leaching, just boil the milk or formula inside a glass container before pouring it into the bottles you already have.

    Heat Evenly

    Though these techniques typically result in uniformly heated baby bottles, it's best to err on the side of caution. If the milk has hot spots, it's important to make sure the temperature is uniform throughout the bottle, so give it a little swirl (not a shake) to mix it up.

    Temperature Check

    Remember that safety should always come before convenience. Always make sure the milk isn't too hot before giving it to your baby. Test the milk's temperature by dabbing a small amount against your inner wrist; it should barely register at the right temperature.

    Milk that is served at or near the baby's body temperature is generally well received. If your wrist doesn't feel warm, it's just right. The bottle is too hot if you can feel any warmth from holding it; if this is slightly cool, it might still be fine. Don't give it to your kiddo until it's cooled down.

    Check out our range of tables and chairs for baby nursery here. 

    Methods For Safely Warming Your Baby's Bottle

    Fill The Bottle Halfway With Warm Water.

    The counter-top approach is among the most reliable ways to reheat bottles, and it doesn't even require any specialized appliances. Prepare some hot water by either heating it in a stovetop or microwave oven or by turning on the heated water tap. The water temperature should fall between warm (not hot) and boiling.

    Put the bottle into the water and take it away from the heat source. The bottle will slowly warm up in the water. To ensure that all of the milk is heated evenly, gently shake the bottle every once in a while.

    This is a quick and free way to reheat your baby's bottle, although it may take a while to get it to the right temperature.

    Warm Milk Bags In Running Water

    The milk bag will become your new best buddy if you plan to feed your baby extracted breast milk.

    The thin plastic and even distribution of the breast milk across the bag make it easy to rapidly and efficiently warm it by placing it under running water.

    When the milk has reached an appropriate temperature, pour it into your bottle.

    Warm Tap Water Should Be Used To Fill The Formula Bottles.

    It is not necessary to heat the bottle if you are mixing formula in a sink. When you're ready to mix your formula, simply run warm water straight into the bottle.

    If you're worried about the safety of the tap water in your area, you can boil it for one minute and then let it cool to the correct temperature (98.6 degrees) before using it to fill your baby's bottle.

    Make Use Of A Bottle Warmer.

    There are a variety of alternatives available; pick one that is suitable for the size and form of a bottle you intend to use. These eliminate the need for manual intervention by warming bottles to the desired temperature at the push of a button.

    Some are even portable enough to use in your car when you're away from your home. When it comes to formula, there is even one that can dispense the powder, combine the water, and warm it up in one easy motion. In other words, it's the infant equivalent of a Keurig!

    Here Are A Few Alternatives That May Be More Suitable.

    After You've Pumped Your Milk, Set It Aside At Room Temperature.

    How long and how warm your baby typically sleeps at night will determine if this fits for you. According to Kellymom, breast milk can be stored safely between 61- and 79-degrees Fahrenheit (16 and 26 degrees Celsius) for 4-8 hours (though between 3-4 hours are ideal).

    Consequently, you can give your baby the milk you pumped when he wakes up as long as (a) your home is colder than 80 degrees and (b) fewer than eight hours will pass between now and then when you baby will drink.

    My kid and I followed this routine: once I finished pumping at night (about 10 p.m.), I'd bring a bottle upstairs, and she'd wake up at approximately 4 a.m. to nurse. When we both slept in until 6 am, I would throw out the milk as it had been sitting out for more than eight hours.

    One potential drawback of this technique is the potential for waste if you and your baby fail to wake up for a meal.

    (Also, one reader remarked that she takes two bottles of milk to bed with her each night, one fresh and one cold, in a tiny cooler. She feeds the baby the very first drink of fresh milk and then takes the other bottles out of the refrigerator to warm it up for the second feeding.

    With Everything Ready To Go, Use A Bottle Warmer To Warm The Milk.

    Preparing the bottle in advance and keeping it in a cooler in your room coupled with a bottle warmer during night feedings that are fully set and ready to go may be preferable to running your bottle under hot water, especially if using a frozen stash or supplementing with formula.

    When the baby is awake, you remove the bottle from the refrigerator, place it into the warmer, turn it on, and bounce the baby for a minute.

    Those without bottle warmers can warm bottles by placing them in a dish of hot water heated in the microwave for 60–90 seconds. This is not as convenient in the middle of the night because you must go to the kitchen and because it is more difficult to juggle a baby while doing this rather than pressing a button, but it is considerably faster than running a container under warm water inside the sink.

    Keep in mind that "hot spots" might form in the microwave and burn your baby's lips, so it's best to avoid using the appliance for warming baby bottles at any time.

    We have a wide range of baby play tables and chairs for your baby playroom.

    Check To See If Your Baby Will Drink Cold Bottles (And Skip Warming Altogether)

    Is your baby's bottle cold? No. Some infants may prefer their breast milk warmed, and while there is no medical necessity for this, it is a practice that is commonly adopted.

    Your life will be much simpler if you do not have to waste time warming bottles if your baby is willing to drink milk straight from the fridge.

    This may be something you've previously tried, but if not, We recommend it.

    First, we would try giving your kid a chilly bottle when they are awake (if afternoon or evening isn't the time for trials) and watching how they react.

    If your infant refuses it at room temperature, try warming it slightly (not more than you typically would) to see if that works. If that's the case, you can test whether or not turning down the heat gradually will have the desired effect, or eliminating heating altogether.

    Some infants will stubbornly refuse to drink cold milk no matter how many times you warm it up, so be prepared to try this method more than once. Test it out while your baby is hungry, when he isn't hungry, when you're presenting it, when someone else is offering it, etc.

    Expressed breastmilk and ready-made formula can be safely warmed in a container, and there are a few simple ways to do so.

    • Warm water can be used instead, so fill a basin or jug with it. The bottle should be submerged in the hot water for no longer than 15 minutes to prevent the growth of bacteria. Hot enough to warm the bottle, but not so hot that you can't comfortably put your hand in it is the ideal temperature range. While the bottle is submerged in water, cover the teat with the cap. To ensure a uniform temperature throughout the bottle, shake it after warming it.
    • Put the bottle on an electric warmer. Warming a bottle to the ideal temperature for your infant will take about four to six minutes. A travel warmer is another option for keeping toasty while you are about.

    Bottles of formula manufactured from powder shouldn't be heated, as this can destroy the nutrients. Blend a new bottle of formula after every feeding. Bacteria can grow gradually even when formula milk is refrigerated.

    From time to time, you'll have to prepare a feed in advance and store it in the refrigerator, defrosting it before serving. You may find yourself in this situation if you have more than one child, if you work outside the home, or if your infant attends daycare. Find out more about the correct way to keep formula in the fridge.

    After warming your baby's bottle, you can check the temperature of milk by ejaculating some over your inner wrist. Since the skin on the inner arm is thinner and much more delicate than the skin of your hands, this is a good indicator of how the material will feel. Drops of milk on your skin must feel warm, not scorching.

    Never put your baby's bottle in the microwave because hot spots will appear. Even after you remove the milk from the microwave, it will heat up for a while. Microwaved milk has been linked to burns in the mouth and throat for certain infants. It is possible that some of the milk's nutrients will be lost due to the microwave's high cooking temperature.

    In the event that you didn't have time to warm a bottle, you may find that your baby is content drinking milk at room temp.

    Even though infants can tolerate a cold bottle, they typically do not. Some best ways to heat milk include using an electric beverage or placing a bottle in hot water on the counter, but care must be taken to avoid burning the bottle and to maintain an equal temperature.

    All mothers can probably identify the want to silence a wailing infant as soon as possible, but it's important to remember that proper technique is just as important as speed.

    To keep a bottle warm, what's your preferred technique? Leave a comment or share with some other mom who's attempting to keep her cool while holding a fussy newborn.

    Conclusion

    Warming a baby's bottle is optional yet frequent. Some newborns prefer ice-cold bottles, but others need cautious warming. Safely heat breast milk without compromising its quality. However, this is a suggestion to serve milk at or below 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (body temperature). Warming milk above 104 degrees Fahrenheit could scorch your infant.

    Warm breast milk is welcome. However, make sure the milk isn't scorching before giving your baby. Shake the bottle occasionally to heat the milk evenly. This approach depends on your baby's nightly sleep length and temperature. Kellymom recommends refrigerating breast milk for 4-8 hours at 61–79 degrees Fahrenheit (16–26 degrees Celsius).

    While travelling, you can use many bottles in the automobile. Warming breast milk for some infants isn't necessary, but it's common. Prepping and storing the bottle in a cooler in your room may save time. Microwaving breast milk or formula is safe. Never heat powdered formula bottles because heat damages nutrition.

    Warming a bottle to the right temperature for your baby takes four to six minutes. An electric beverage warmer or a kitchen pot of hot water can keep a baby's bottle warm. Microwaved milk can burn newborns' mouths and throats. Ejaculating over your inner wrist tests the milk's warmth.

    Content Summary

    • It would be extremely inconvenient to always have to feed Baby from the boob.
    • To continue nursing, you can pump and preserve your breast milk.
    • Learn how to heat breast milk without worrying about damaging it.
    • The baby needs to be fed, and the clock is ticking down to the point where it will become furious, but you have to decide whether to give them a cold bottle or wait for it to warm up.
    • Some infants prefer a cold bottle, while others need it warmed to just the right temperature.
    •  To set the record straight, warming a baby's bottle is not required by law but is a personal choice.
    • The water can be heated on the stove and used to warm the bottle, but it must be taken off the heat source before the bottle is placed inside.
    • Using a bottle warmer or keeping a mug of hot water from the sink is better.
    • If your infant needs warmed milk, you may quickly and safely discover the ideal temperature by following our guidelines.
    • To avoid chemical leaching, be careful when warming your baby's bottle.
    • You should check for the presence of BPA in any used plastic bottles you plan on using.
    • Feeding your infant milk that has been refrigerated is safe.
    • The rule of thumb is to warm everything up more if it's chilly and cool it down a bit if it's too hot.
    • To avoid the potential for leaching, boil the milk or formula inside a glass container before pouring it into the bottles you already have.
    • Always ensure the milk isn't too hot before giving it to your baby.
    • Test the milk's temperature by dabbing a small amount against your inner wrist; it should barely register at the right temperature.
    • Prepare some hot water by either heating it in a stovetop or microwave oven or turning on the heated water tap.
    • This is a quick and free way to reheat your baby's bottle, although it may take a while to get it to the right temperature.
    • The milk bag will become your new best buddy if you plan to feed your baby extracted breast milk.
    • The thin plastic and even distribution of the breast milk across the bag make it easy to rapidly and efficiently warm it by placing it under running water.
    • When ready to mix your formula, run warm water straight into the bottle.
    • How long and warm your baby typically sleeps at night will determine if this fits you.
    • Also, one reader remarked that she takes two bottles of milk to bed with her each night, one fresh and one cold, in a tiny cooler.
    • Preparing the bottle in advance and keeping it in a cooler in your room, coupled with a bottle warmer during night feedings that are fully set and ready to go, may be preferable to running your bottle under hot water, especially if using a frozen stash or supplementing with formula.
    • When the baby awakens, you remove the bottle from the refrigerator, place it into the warmer, turn it on, and bounce it for a minute.
    • Those without bottle warmers can warm bottles by placing them in a dish of hot water heated in the microwave for 60–90 seconds.
    • We have a wide range of baby play tables and chairs for your baby playroom.
    • Your life will be much simpler if you do not waste time warming bottles if your baby is willing to drink milk straight from the fridge.
    • Some infants stubbornly refuse to drink cold milk no matter how often you warm it up, so be prepared to try this method more than once.
    • Test it out while your baby is hungry when he isn't hungry, when you're presenting it, when someone else is offering it, etc.
    • The bottle should be submerged in hot water for no longer than 15 minutes to prevent the growth of bacteria.
    • While the bottle is submerged in water, cover the teat with the cap.
    • Warming a bottle to the ideal temperature for your infant will take about four to six minutes.
    • Blend a new bottle of formula after every feeding.
    • From time to time, you'll have to prepare a feed in advance and store it in the refrigerator, defrosting it before serving.
    • After warming your baby's bottle, you can check the temperature of the milk by ejaculating some over your inner wrist.
    • Since the skin on the inner arm is thinner and much more delicate than the skin of your hands, this is a good indicator of how the material will feel.
    • Drops of milk on your skin must feel warm, not scorching.
    • Never put your baby's bottle in the microwave because hot spots will appear.
    • Even after you remove the milk from the microwave, it will heat up for a while.
    • If you don't have time to warm a bottle, you may find that your baby is content drinking milk at room temp.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Bottle

    Warm your bottle by holding it under warm-to-hot running water and rotating it around to reach all sides for roughly two minutes. Warm faucet water is especially great for defrosting frozen breast milk in a bottle warmer. Bottle warmers are designed specifically for, well, warming bottles.

    Babies don't require warm milk (whether formula or breast milk) but if you wish to heat it, place the bottle in a bowl, mug or small pot with a few inches of hot (not boiling) tap water for up to 15 minutes. (Never use the microwave, as it can heat milk unevenly and create hot spots).

    Baby's body must use energy to heat the cold liquid as it digests. Some parents report that drinking a cold bottle causes their baby to have a stomach ache.

    Bottles and infant foods can be served cold from the refrigerator and do not have to be warmed. Bottles should not be left in a pot of water to warm for more than five minutes. Bottles and infant foods should never be warmed in a microwave oven.

    It's fine to feed your baby cool or even cold formula. It's all up to your baby's preference – they may prefer it warm, at room temperature, or even chilled, and all those options are just fine. Some parents like to give their baby warm formula because it's closer to the temperature of breast milk.

    Scroll to Top