When Can I Stop Boiling Tap Water For My Baby?

First things first: you should always boil water to make formula milk (from both powder and concentrate), no matter what age your baby is. Cold tap water is best. Bring the water to a rolling boil for at least a minute in a pot or a kettle, then cool the water to room temperature again. Never use fresh boiling water to make your baby's bottle. You must make sure it cools first. (HC 2022).

Keep in mind that babies under six months old get all their fluid needs from breast milk or formula. They don't need to drink water (CPS 2020).

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You don't need to give your baby extra water even if:

• The weather's hot.
• They seem thirsty between feeds.
• They have a fever.
• They are constipated.

Instead, you should offer more breast milk or formula to help hydrate your baby (AHS 2013).

Once your baby is six months old, you can give them a drink of water straight from the tap. There's no need to boil it first. You can use a water filter if you want, but make sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions. Keep filtered water in the fridge. The filtering process removes some of the things that are used to keep tap water fresh.

If you want to play it safe and boil all water for formula and drinking until your baby's a year old, go ahead. There's no harm in being extra cautious!

Can newborns drink water?

A newborn shouldn't drink water. Exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months is ideal, and formula feeding using sterile water is also safe if that's your choice. (HC 2023).

What types of water are safe for babies?

If you have your own spring or well, make sure to get your water supply checked before giving it to your baby. Many private water supplies are high in nitrate levels. That means they are unsafe for infants. (AHS 2013).

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When buying bottled water, try to choose water that's low in sodium. Look for 'Na' on the label, which means sodium, and choose one that contains 200mg or less of it per litre. You'll still have to boil and cool the water to make it safe.

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