In the ever-evolving landscape of child care, the safety and well-being of the children entrusted to our care are of paramount importance. As child care providers, you play a crucial role in shaping the early experiences and ensuring the security of the children under your supervision. It is not only a responsibility but a commitment to uphold the highest standards of health and safety guidelines.
Navigating the world of bottle warming is essential for caregivers, and understanding the dos and don'ts ensures a safe and efficient process for providing nourishment to infants and young children.
Bottles and infant foods do not have to be warmed; they can be served cold from the refrigerator.
If a caregiver/teacher chooses to warm them, bottles or containers of infant foods should be warmed under running, warm tap water or by placing them in a container of water that is no warmer than 120°F (49°C).
Bottles should not be left in a pot of water to warm for more than 5 minutes.
When a bottle warmer is used for warming breast milk, infant formula, or infant food, it should be out of children’s reach and used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Consider maintaining the bottle-warming device in a separate room (such as a kitchen) and bring the warmed bottle to the classroom.
Bottles and infant foods should never be warmed in a microwave oven because uneven hot spots in milk and/or food may burn the infant.
Infant foods and bottles should be stirred carefully to distribute the heat evenly.
A caregiver/teacher should not hold an infant while removing a bottle or infant food from the container of warm water or while preparing a bottle or stirring infant food that has been warmed in some other way.
Bottles used for infant feeding should be made of the following substances :
Bisphenol A (BPA)-free plastic; plastic labeled #1, #2, #4, or #5, or
Glass (a silicone sleeve/jacket covering a glass bottle to prevent breakage is permissible).
RATIONALE
Bottles of breast milk or infant formula that are warmed at room temperature or in warm water for an inappropriate period provide an ideal medium for bacteria to grow. Infants have received burns from hot water dripping from an infant bottle that was removed from a crock-pot or by pulling the crock-pot down on themselves using a dangling cord. Caution should be exercised to avoid raising the water temperature above a safe level for warming infant formula or infant food.
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