Tap water, purified water, spring water, distilled water, boiled water…
There are so many types of water to choose from these days, and so much conflicting information online to filter out which is better for preparing freeze-dried breast milk powder. You’ve decided to invest in freeze-drying some of your own breast milk for your little one. Now, which water should you grab to reconstitute the powder for a bottle? Here are your choices, stacked from “best” to “generally good” to “use caution”.
Best for vulnerable infants: boiled water
Is your baby under two months old?
Were they born prematurely (meaning, born before 37 weeks of pregnancy)?
Or do they have a weakened immune system?
If any of those scenarios apply, follow the CDC’s and Mayo Clinic’s advice for boiling water for formula preparation, only instead apply that advice to freeze-dried breast milk powder, like this:
1. Wash your hands, and then select either tap water or bottled (uncarbonated) water. (See the blog sections below for guidance on choosing which is best before you begin.)
2. Pour the water into a pot on your stove, and bring it to a rolling boil for one minute. (“You may need to add more time based on your elevation. For every 1,000 feet (305 meters) above sea level, add one minute to the boiling time,” advises the Mayo Clinic.)
3. Remove the water from the stove, and let it sit for about five minutes to cool down a bit.
4. Consult the instructions printed on your freeze-dried breast milk packaging for the water-to-powdered breast milk ratio. Add to a pre-sanitized baby bottle the required amount of previously boiled water. Then, mix in your powdered breast milk, in the amount specified on your packaging instructions.
5. Close the bottle and swirl it.
6. Feed the baby!
Generally good: purified or distilled bottled water
Purified bottled water:
For most babies (other than those mentioned in the boiled water description above), purified water is a great option for reconstituting freeze-dried breast milk because it is quick and easy to use, and may boast some benefits over tap water. However, it is more expensive than tap water.
What exactly is purified bottled water? According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), purified water can come from any source that is treated so that the “Purified water is essentially free of all chemicals (it must not contain more than 10 parts per million of total dissolved solids), and may also be free of microbes if treated by distillation or reverse osmosis. Purified water may alternately be labelled according to how it is treated.”
But you may be thinking: Can’t a kitchen sink faucet filter, or a pitcher filter, achieve practically the same result without the high price tag of purified bottled water? Possibly, but not always reliably, depending on the quality of your filter and the quality of your local water source. Changing your filter cartridge regularly can help get the water quality closer to purified bottled water.
Keep in mind, bottled water such as spring water that isn’t specifically marketed as purified water may not have not undergone much if any purification or filtration through mechanical processing. But all commercially bottled water in the U.S. must meet FDA standards.
Distilled water:
Distilled water is actually one type of purified water, purchased by many people with sleep apnea for use in their CPAP machines at night. At some grocery stores, it can be more expensive, and in less plentiful supply, than traditional purified water. However, typically more contaminants have been removed from distilled water than traditional purified water. According to the EPA, to make distilled water, “steam from boiling water is recondensed and bottled. Distilling water kills microbes and removes water’s natural minerals...” The distilling filtration process may strip the water of more minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, than regular purified bottled water, resulting in a taste some describe as less appealing or “flat”. But on the other hand, the freeze-dried breast milk powder you would be adding to the distilled water contains many natural essential minerals. So you would essentially be adding back in some of what distillation removes.
Use caution: tap water
Wondering if your tap water is adequate for your healthy, two month or older baby, without the added hassle of boiling it, or the cost of purchasing purified or distilled water?
If your tap water comes from a public water supplier or a utility company, for your peace of mind you may obtain a Consumer Confidence Report, which is a detailed annual report on drinking water quality, by either contacting them directly or visiting this Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) webpage.
If your tap water comes from a private well or spring, then instead contact your local health department if you would like assistance in testing your water quality. Hopefully, you will learn that your tap water is safe. Installing a faucet water filter – or using a water filter pitcher – can help make the water even closer to purified bottled water.
However, if you have an older home with lead pipes, faucets or fixtures, also bear in mind: Installing a faucet water filter or using a water filter pitcher will significantly diminish but not eliminate all lead from your water. Boiling the water won’t knock out the lead, either; in fact, boiling it may even increase the lead content! Homes built before 1986 are the most likely to contain lead pipes, says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. If you suspect lead pipes, faucets or fixtures are an issue in your home, consider buying purified or distilled water for freeze-dried breast milk reconstitution.
And then there is the unexpected! In an emergency, such as a water main break or flooding in your area, always follow your local health authorities’ instructions for safe water consumption. If boiling is recommended by health authorities, see the “Best for vulnerable infants: boiled water” section of this blog for how to prepare the water for freeze-dried breast milk reconstitution.
Still uncertain which water type is best for your baby?
It’s always a wise idea to check with your baby’s pediatrician for guidance on your specific situation.
Resource:
Milkify: How to Use Your Breast Milk Powder
This article is based on our general understanding of water types and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or be a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider, or your baby’s healthcare provider, for any questions you may have related to your, or your baby’s, specific health circumstances.
