When baby is crying, the microwave can seem like the best option to heat a baby bottle.
However convenient the microwave may be, it’s important for parents to consider the safety of quickly heating up a baby bottle in the microwave. How safe is it to heat a bottle in the microwave? Are there are any types of liquids or even any types of bottles that should not be placed in the microwave? What are the risks associated with heating up a baby bottle in the microwave?
First, there are a couple of general rules about the process of putting bottles in the microwave. First, parents should never place expressed breast milk in the microwave. Because of the rays that are used to heat the liquid, the beneficial qualities of the expressed breast milk are destroyed.
When heating up a bottle for a formula fed baby, parents should first heat the water that is going to be used to make the formula before placing the powdered infant formula in the bottle. This can help to preserve the vitamins and other components found in the formula.
Parents should consider the type of bottle before placing it in the microwave. Bottles that are not considered BPA-free should not be placed in the microwave, as the waves from the microwave can cause the BPA to leech into the liquid being heated over time. To air on the side of caution, parents should avoid microwaving plastic bottles that are not certified as BPA free.
There are many alternatives to placing a bottle in the microwave to heat it up. Using a baby bottle warmer uses the same amount of time (generally about a minute) and can heat the bottle using a pre-measured amount of water that is heated in the warmer, warming the baby bottle safely.
