Every parent, especially first-time mothers, is horrified by this question: What happens if a baby drinks old formula? Yes, I am right. Every mother, now and then, thinks about this. If you are one of these mothers, this article is for you.
In this article, you will get to know about old formula, how you can test if it is spoiled or not, and some information about formula milk’s taste and smell. You will then get to know about the symptoms a baby can experience after drinking spoiled baby formula and what you can do in such a situation. In the end, I suggest you some daily measures you can take to avoid such accidents.
Parenting is a job harder than any profession in this world. In this line of work, the growth as a parent and personal development is continuous. You and your baby both learn new things every day. You will make mistakes and blunders while mastering the art of parenting.
But at some point or other, every parent makes the mistake of giving the child a bottle sitting on the side table or in the baby bag for more than two hours. No matter how cautious she is, every parent confesses that her baby drank 3 hours old formula bottle or last night’s half-drunken bottle.
This is a moment of panic and anxiety, especially for first-time mothers. Then there is a pertinent question every mother wonder. What happens if my baby drank old formula? Not knowing is frustrating. Uncertainty is annoying and having no clue is exasperating.
But take a deep breath and keep your calm. This situation is not as terrible as it is in your mind. Before going further, let’s take a step by step look into this issue.
What is ‘old’ bottled formula milk?
The old formula milk also has categories. There is a formula that you prepared for later use and put into the refrigerator or set aside. Then there is a formula that your baby drank, even a few sips, and then left.
Expired baby formula powders are also referred to as the old formula, and it is best not to use them for babies. You can check different suggestions of utilizing expired formula.
So what is the shelf life of these two types of ‘old’ formulas?
1. The formula that you made for later use
The formula you made earlier for the convenience of night feeds or day trips can last up to 2 hours from preparation on the room temperature in typical weather. It is good to use for up to 24 hours if kept in the refrigerator. After the mentioned period, it is best to discard this formula.
2. The formula that your baby drank, even a small amount
It is best to discard the formula after half an hour from the time of feeding. Half drank formula is highly prone to bacteria and viruses because of mixing the baby’s saliva in the prepared formula while sucking.
How to check if the formula went spoiled?
You need to use your five senses while assessing if the formula bottle went spoiled or not.
- Look out for signs of spoiling. Old formula milk gets thickened than usual consistency. The formula milk sitting for too long or even for few hours in hot weather gets curdled, and water gets separated.
- If it looks fine, smell the formula. Although formula milk usually doesn’t smell great. But soiled formula milk smells sour and rotten. Like when cow milk gets bad, it smells acidic.
- If it looks and smells fine, but you still are confused, it is the bottle from this morning or last night; give it a taste. Some mothers never dare to, while some like to check all the possibilities. If it tastes odd, then it definitely is sitting for a time.
What do formula milk taste and smell like?
Different brands of formula milk have different taste and smell. Some mothers think that the smell of formula milk is gross and has a metallic taste. Some branded formula milk is sweeter than other brands. So, you must know the original taste and smell of the formula milk of your baby. Only then, you can accurately tell if it is good to drink or spoiled.
However, if you didn’t get the chance to check for these signs because your partner, babysitter, or daycare staff gave the bottle, then how will you know?
Will my baby get sick after drinking old formula?
As adults, we eat and drink a lot of unhealthy stuff but rarely get sick. It is because we have a well-developed, mature, and healthy immune system, digestive system, and detoxification organs (liver and kidneys). This is not the same for babies, and every baby is different.
Some babies are pre-term; some babies have health issues, while some babies have a weak immune system. So every baby reacts differently to old and spoiled formula.
Most of the kids don’t show any drastic physical symptoms after drinking old formula in most cases. While some babies spit-up or vomit once or twice, and then everything will be normal. However, some babies who are already sick, have compromised immune systems, or other health issues may show severe symptoms and signs after drinking old formula.
So whether your baby gets sick or not is totally relative. It depends on your baby’s health condition.
Symptoms of baby drinking spoiled formula
In some cases, babies may manifest the following symptoms to get out the spoiled formula from the body system.
1. Diarrhea
Your baby may poop frequently and has watery poop. This is usually a sign of drinking or eating contaminated food.
2. Vomiting
Frequent vomiting and the inability to hold anything in is also an indication of eating soiled food.
3. Tummy aches
Consistent tummy ache, which doesn’t subside after pooping, can also be experienced by some kids.
4. High fever
Fever is a sign of infection in the body. When any foreign substance or pathogen enters the body, the immune system fight with that pathogen by raising the body temperature.
What should I do if the baby drank spoiled formula?
If your baby accidentally drank old formula, in most cases, healthy babies have sufficient immunity, and the harmful contents will pass out via diaper output or spit-up.
However, if your baby shows the symptoms mentioned above, like fever, vomiting and diarrhea, the symptoms will likely subside in a day or two. You need to monitor your baby and keep him hydrated closely. Give him his regular milk and liquid or soft diet if he is on solids as well. Give your baby rehydration liquid at intervals and stay calm.
When should I consult the doctor if my baby drank old formula?
You should not wait for too long, not more than a day or two. If the symptoms don’t subside and are getting worse, immediately consult your doctor. The worst consequence of vomiting and diarrhea is dehydration.
You can observe dehydration when
- Your baby pee way less.
- He is not shedding tears while crying.
- His eyes get sunken.
- He is lethargic and is not responding correctly.
If your baby is showing any one of these symptoms, you immediately need to consult your doctor.
In most cases, the doctors will rehydrate your baby orally or intravenously. They will keep your baby under observation. If symptoms persist, they will take a stool sample, run some tests, and devise a treatment plan according to the infection.
What can I do to avoid such accidents?
Be cautious. I will recommend to you here to be very careful about your baby’s feeding. You can do the following practices to avoid such accidents.
1. Label the bottle
If you make the bottles in advance for night feedings or daycare, always label preparation time. This will really help with the hassle of telling your partner or daycare staff which bottle should be given first.
2. Throw the old formula
Always throw the old formula immediately. I know mothers have this compulsion of saving the formula or baby food until the last minute. But believe me, it is wise to throw away when it’s time.
3. Be careful while preparing the formula
Always sterilize bottles, use filtered waters and never mismanage the formula to water ratio. Your counter of preparing and storing formula and feeding devices should be clean with disinfectant.
4. Try to give your baby fresh formula
It is always good to give your baby fresh food. So, whenever possible, make a new bottle for your baby. You can add water in advance to the bottle and make portions of formula scoops. This will help you quickly prepare the formula when needed.
5. Store your formula appropriately
If you have to prepare the formula in advance, store the bottles appropriately in the refrigerator. Keep the bottles away from meat, chicken, eggs, or other foods that can contaminate the milk. Cover the bottle adequately and label it clearly.
6. Use the ready-made formula
You can also use ready to drink formulas to avoid such accidents, but those are expensive.
These are just a few suggestions that you can add to your daily routine to dodge such accidents.
Endnote
Baby drinking old or spoiled formula is an event of panic for the parents. However, every baby is unique and thus react differently to spoiled milk. It depends on the health condition of your baby. Most healthy babies may spit-out or pass loose stool a few times to get the spoiled milk out of the system. After that, they are fine and good to go.
However, in rare circumstances, your baby may show symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, high fever, and dehydration. In severe cases, you should immediately consult your pediatrician. You can practice some tips, including labeling your bottles, throwing out the old formula, and storing the formula appropriately to avoid such accidents.
