why boiled water???

Question

most people just use tap for mixing formula...so why does plain water have to be boiled?

Answer 1

I'll toss in my thoughts here too.

It's a totally unnecessary 'precaution'. If you were on well water that routinely tested positive for coliform, then I'd say sure, it's something you should do for a newborn. If you don't live in a city where tap water is considered drinkable, same goes. Otherwise, it's just done out of the media-driven and rumour-mongered paranoia and pathological over-protection that seems rampant in our society.

Phew. There's my vent for the day!

Answer 2

My sister always used bottle until my niece was nearly 10 months old. Because people fear excess bacteria in the water, boiling it sterilizes it to make it quasi safer for the baby who up until birth relied solely on the mother's immune system. From birth they start developing their own. Boiling the water or using bottled gives people the added security of protecting the baby for a little longer. I don't know personally if it has any benefits but I do know my niece never had an ear ache or a cold until well after she started using tap. Not saying it's related but it's what happened.

Answer 3

I used to boil his water. Then I went out and bought a Brita filter. The water taste's good. I won't even drink unfiltered tap water, why should my baby?

I guess it all depends on the water quality in your area. Do you live in a big city or the suburbs? Do you have a well or use city water? Some water contains to much lead. Boiling will not eliminate that, though. The Brita filter claims to remove lead that boiling does not.

Answer 4

You use boiled water for infants up to a certain age because they have no immune defense against bacteria.

They are certain bacterias in taps that adults can fight off because our immune systems are developed. A baby has none until they begin getting exposed. I believe they say after 6 months of age their digestive tract is mature enough to handle tap water. you can use tap water in younger babies, but they recommend boiled for safety issues.

Answer 5

WIC told me to boil the water to get all the germs out from the tap that can cause babies to get sick. I boil water all the time people told me to i'm old fashion for doing that but oh well. I want my baby to have clean water.

Answer 6

I am thinking because you want the water to be absolutely free of germs, and I'm not sure if boiling the water would take the chemicals out or not....sorry guess I'm not much help

Answer 7

Its just an extra precaution....Go to your county water board and read their allowances. Meaning how many parts per ml. they allow for fecal matter, or animal decay, chemicals, minerals (lead, etc.) Each of these is a separate category by the way. So that means they allow % of poop + % of dead animal + % of lead into your tap water.
Now who wouldn't want to drink some poo, a dead rat and a little lead many times a day?!? HHHHHMMMMM? Me and my baby are two. I drink store bought or filtered water, and I use store bought nursery water for her.

Answer 8

My mom had 5 kids and takes in 4 foster kids all babies and she only uses tap and we are all fine


I however would use nursery water in a galleon jug at walmart if your talking about a newborn though

Good Luck!

Sarah

Answer 9

it doesn't, have raised 4 kids on water that comes straight from the sink. they are all perfectly healthy and have never had any medical problems. If you are conserned though they sell what is called Nursery Water and you can make that with the formula and not have to worry.

Answer 10

To get out the impurities that come from the tap -- through the pipes and the things that are added to make it taste better. Put a filter on your tap and that should clean it up for you.