How to prepare formula

Do not delegate this task to your nanny or your best friend. Always prepare the fresh formula milk yourself!

Wash your hands with soap and water and dry them with a clean cloth.
Set aside all materials that you need to prepare the formula.

Tin of formula with scoop inside.
Sterilized bottle – consisting of bottle, teat and cover. (Please check out the article – How to sterilize a bottle for feeding a baby)
Boiled water that has been cooled. ( Do not use tap water or filtered water).

Pour boiled cooled water into the clean sterilized bottle. It may be 100ml / 120ml / 125ml / 150ml / 180ml / 200ml /250ml. Pour as much as you need for the baby’s feed according to the weight and age of the child.
Measure out with a level scoop of formula. Level it using the side of the tin rather than your finger to reduce chances of contamination. Check the side of the tin to see how many scoops you will need for the amount of water that you have placed in the bottle.
Pour the scoops into the measured water. (Usually it is one scoop for every 25ml or 30 ml of water but follow the instructions per each brand e.g. for 120 ml of water it may be 4 scoops and for 125 ml of water it may be 5 scoops of formula powder depending on the brand available). PLEASE DOUBLE-CHECK THE NUMBER OF SCOOPS FOR THE BRAND THAT YOU HAVE BOUGHT. OH PLEASE, CHECK IT AGAIN AND MAKE SURE.
Close the tin and store safely in a cool dry place.
Close the bottle with the teat and cap and shake it thoroughly until it is all mixed.
Check the temperature by placing a drop of milk on your hand.
Serve the milk to the child and enjoy.

Warnings:

Always check the instructions for each brand of milk. Follow the instructions on the side of the tin for the number of scoops needed.
Always check the temperature of the milk before giving it to the baby. One would rather err on the side of colder milk. (Some babies love “extra”cold milk – straight from the fridge! While some only drink it if it is warm. Never give hot milk to a baby: it will burn the baby’s tongue and mouth.)
If any is milk left over after a feed, you must discard it. This is very painful to do, so rather buy many bottles and give the baby small amounts (50ml-100ml) at a time then add a bit more as extra if the baby is still hungry. Do not give baby “old” milk that he/she drank in the previous feed. Bacteria that is present in the mouth starts to increase in the left-over milk during the time between feeds which may cause major illness.
Formula milk remains safe to drink for 24 hours in the fridge. You can make it earlier in the day then just take out what the baby needs and warm it. Any extra milk after 24 hrs must be discarded. (You can drink it yourself if it is too painful to discard. It may not taste that nice, but it is not dangerous to an adult)
Never warm milk in the microwave: it creates hidden “hot” spots of boiling milk that can burn the baby. Only warm the bottle of milk by placing it in an electric bottle warmer or a bowl of hot water for about 5 minutes.
Always make sure that the bottle is sterile before mixing the formula into it and that you used boiled, cooled water. Do not compromise and use tap water or unwashed hands. Your baby may suffer unnecessarily due to your willingness to take short cuts. The long road leads to freedom.