Juggling all things baby can be tricky. So to save time, you might want to prepare baby’s formula in advance. But how long is formula good for, and how do you store it?

Babies only want to eat, sleep, and be cuddled.

Seems like an easy list, right?

But things can get confusing when you’re getting to grips with formula feeding your little one, especially as you’re probably feeling (to put it mildly) quite tired.

Nourished is best, so let’s take a look at how to prepare a bottle, how long formula is good for, and how to store formula safely.

In this article 📝

First things first – how to make up a bottle
Storing prepared formula
How long does a container of formula last?
Does powdered formula go bad?
Can you freeze powdered formula?

First things first – how to make up a bottle

Wash your hands with soap and water.
Make sure the bottle, rubber top, and lid are all sterilized in a microwave steamer, boiling water, or sanitizing solution.
Measure cooled boiled water into the bottle and then add formula powder. Doing it in this order makes sure you keep the right ratio of formula to water.
Tighten the lid and shake the bottle to mix. When all the lumps have dissolved, test the temperature of the formula on your wrist. It should be at body temperature or just below.

But what happens when your baby’s finished chowing down? Is it safe to keep the formula you made for later?

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Storing prepared formula

How long is formula good for after mixed?

How long is a formula bottle good for?

Once you’ve prepared a bottle, the milk lasts for about two hours at room temperature.

But once your baby drinks some, you’ve got a maximum of one hour before you should pour it away.

Why is formula only good for an hour?

If your baby started a bottle and dozed off before they had a chance to finish, you might even want to pour the leftovers away immediately.

This guideline exists because formula milk is warm, sweet, and full of nutrients, which makes it the perfect environment for bacteria to grow.

If your baby comes back to drink an old bottle after more than an hour, there’s a chance they could get sick.

How long can formula stay in the fridge?

Refrigerating formula so it’s ready to warm up and go can make parent life a lot easier.

It’s best to keep the bottles in the back of the refrigerator, where the temperature is lower and more constant than it is in the door.

Once you’ve made the bottle up, you can keep it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Again, once your baby has drunk from the bottle, you should get rid of any remaining milk within the hour.

Ready-to-feed formula storage

Ready-to-feed formula is more expensive than powdered but the chance to skip the boiling, cooling, and mixing stage of bottle prep is very convenient.

Ready-to-feed formula can be stored in the pantry at room temperature until you’re ready to use it.

You can keep an open container in the refrigerator for 48 hours, as long as your baby hasn’t drunk from it directly.

How long does a container of formula last?

How quickly your family goes through a container of formula depends on how hungry your little peanut is.

A family that’s mixed feeding might only need one container a month, but a baby drinking six 8oz bottles every day will get through that in no time.

Does powdered formula go bad?

As for how long the formula lasts until it goes bad, most containers of powdered formula recommend using them within one month of opening, regardless of how much is left.

If you keep it for longer, moisture can affect the texture of the formula and there’s a higher chance of bacteria starting to grow in the container.

Can you freeze powdered formula?

Although it’s possible to freeze expressed breastmilk, formula doesn’t belong in the freezer either in powdered or liquid form.

The powder won’t mix well with water once it’s been frozen, and thawed liquid formula usually separates.

It’s safer, not to mention much more appetizing for your baby, to mix it on the day you need it.