03.3 Milk and Baby Food Preparation and Storage

Purchasing and storing food

• Where parents provide infant formula to be made up at the setting, this is checked to make sure it is in date and that the seal is not broken, then labelled with the child’s name.
• Parents must not send in bottles containing pre-boiled and cooled water ready for formula to be added. They should instead send in empty, sterilised bottles in accordance with current NHS guidance on the preparation of formula milk.
• If parents are providing formula milk already made up at home, or breast milk, it should already be made up into sterilised bottles and clearly labelled with the child’s name.
• Parents are advised to follow the manufacturer’s guidance and to transport the prepared feeds or breast milk in a cool bag. On arrival, feeds are taken out of the cool bag and put straight into the fridge.
• Made up feeds or breast milk is always used on the same day.
• In line with current Food Standards Agency guidance, parents are advised not to give toddlers and young children (ages 1 – 4.5 years) rice drinks as a substitute for breast milk, infant formula or cow’s milk. Parents should speak to their child’s health visitor for further guidance if their child has a milk intolerance and needs an alternative.
• A small store of infant formula is usually kept in case of emergency. This is regularly checked to make sure it is still in date. Parents are consulted before it is made up.
• If parents provide weaning cereals, these need to be checked to make sure they are in date and should be in unopened packets. These are labelled with the child’s name.
• Parents are informed that they should not bring in food that contains nuts. Staff check packets to make sure they do not contain nuts or nut products.
• Packaged baby cereal is kept in plastic airtight containers to prevent contamination and to ensure freshness.

Preparation

• Members of staff wash hands before or on entering the milk kitchen.
• Preparation of feeds and weaning food is restricted to key persons or co-workers; other staff/students preparing food are supervised by a permanent staff member or key person.
• All weaning foods provided by the setting i.e. bread, cakes, biscuits, cheese and any foods in the 14 allergens list are identified and listed on children’s menus.
• Scoops of milk are levelled off with a knife to make sure they are the correct amount.
• All water is boiled first before making milk feed, mixing food or preparing a drink for all babies under one year and should be allowed to cool for no more than 30 minutes. Water that has already been boiled once should not be boiled again.
• Water given to babies over 6 months old as a drink does not need to be boiled first, for babies under 6 months the above guidance applies.
• Bottles are cooled under cold running water and the temperature checked on the inside of an adult’s wrist to ensure that it is body temperature, which means it should feel warm or cool but not hot.
• Only sterilised bottles, spoons, plates are to be used for babies under one year and these are to be kept in the milk kitchen.
• Vinyl gloves are used to prepare milk feeds or weaning food for babies.
• Raw fruit or vegetables given to babies are washed, peeled, cut or blended.
• Finger foods, such as rusks, are served in a dish.
• Babies are slowly introduced to food in the setting so that by approximately one year of age they are fully weaned according to need.

Further guidance on making up bottles in advance for use at the setting can be found at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/bottle-feeding/formula-milk-questions/

Guidance for the storage of breast milk is available from: www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/feeding-your-baby/breastfeeding/expressing-your-breast-milk/storing-breast-milk/

This Policy was created by Suzannah Arnfield on 1^st June 2024

Reviewed by Niamh Herron Date 03/06/2024