Formula

Opened cans of powdered formula: Keep for up to one month (or according to the manufacturer's guidelines). Store at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, and covered with their plastic lids.

Opened cans of ready-to-feed and concentrated liquid formula: Keep for up to 48 hours. Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered.

Prepared bottles of powdered formula: Keep for up to 24 hours. Store in the refrigerator.

Formula safety secrets

Don't buy any can of formula that has dents or bulges.

Give the top of the formula can a quick wipe before you open it to get rid of any dust or dirt. Clean the can opener before you use it, too, to avoid contamination.

Read the manufacturer's mixing instructions on the label, and follow the exact water-to-formula ratio.

You can prepare enough bottles for a whole day and take them out of the fridge as needed. Toss any leftovers.

Store the formula in the back of the fridge to minimize its exposure to warm air when you open the door.

Never freeze formula.

If you need to take prepared formula on an outing or trip, keep it in an insulated bag with a cold pack unless you know you'll definitely be using it within two hours of taking it out of the refrigerator.

Don't save formula in a bottle left over from a feeding to use another time; germs from your baby's mouth can contaminate the liquid and cause bacterial growth.

Don't rely on the sniff test to let you know if formula is still safe to drink; it may be odorless even if bad.

Warming it up

Bottles of formula are best heated up in a bowl of warm water or in a bottle warmer. Though it's dangerous to microwave bottles (it can create hot spots in the liquid that may scald your baby's mouth), let's be honest: Many moms still do it. If you do resort to zapping, make sure the bottle is microwave-safe, and remove the nipple or cap before heating for no more than three to five seconds per ounce. Shake the bottle and put some formula on your wrist to test the temp. Avoid nuking breast milk; it can damage its immune properties.

To sterilize or not to sterilize

Gear: Most experts will tell you to sterilize all your bottles, storage containers, nipples, rings, caps, and measuring cups at least before the first use by heating them in boiling water for five minutes. But many veteran moms (including a few Babytalk editors) skip this step and just run them through the dishwasher. Another good option: Medela sells Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags that allow you to sterilize your stuff in the microwave in just three minutes. If there are concerns about your local water supply, though, your doctor may recommend sterilizing the gear after each use.

Water: Your pediatrician may suggest that you boil the water you use to mix formula for the first few months to be safe, but others say not to worry about it unless you have well water or concerns about your local water supply. (Since your pediatrician will know about the quality of the water in your area, follow her recommendation.) To sterilize tap water, bring it to a boil for just one minute and let it cool down before mixing it with formula. You can buy sterilized bottled water, but bottled water is not sterile in general, so it's no better than tap in most cases.

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