Bottle Feeding

Do remember that as long as your baby drinks any kind of milk from a bottle his bottle-feeding equipment must be sterilized. The teats can easily trap traces of milk and warm milk is the ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Disposable steriliser bags or Microwave steriliser bags are a god send whilst travelling.

Cups with spouted lids

If you are not used to using a dishwasher and have one in your holiday accommodation remember to wash out spouted lids with boiling water on baby's cups after removing them from the dishwasher as they tend to collect dishwasher salt.

Parents Good Water Guide - With Thanks to the Natural Mineral Water Information Service

For young children and babies drinking enough fluid is essential to health and well-being. A high proportion of their body weight is water - so it's vital to keep youngsters properly hydrated.

For babies that are not breast-feeding water plays an important role in the diet, for use in formula feeds and later on as a drink or for the dilution of fruit juices. The age of the baby or child dictates the amount of fluid necessary for good health. The UK Government has just caught up with the rest of Europe in recommending bottled water as well as tap water for the make-up of infant feeds. It's therefore important that parents know all they need to about the different waters available so that they can make an informed choice.

Bottled water

To prevent locals refilling bottles of water from their restaurant sinks only drink sparkling water and as above use a sanitary straw. For babies and small children however, use still (not sparkling water). Never let anyone drink direct from the bottle if the water is also going to be used for an infant or young child as this could allow contaminating germs to enter the water. From 25th December 2003, look for bottled waters labelled as suitable for infant feed. Bottled water may be just treated tap water; tests in India, Nepal and Pakistan have found that even bottles with an intact seal contain faecal bacteria and there is no guarantee that bottled water is safe.

Purifying Water

Boiling is the most effective method of purifying water. All water (tap and bottled) should first be boiled and immediately cooled before being given to infants aged 6 months and under. If preparing baby bottles start boiling long enough in advance for the water too cool before baby is screaming for his milk.

Boil it for 10 minutes, this is sufficient to kill everything including cysts and chill it in hygienic, cool surroundings - preferably a refrigerator before using to make up formula feeds. Make sure that you will have the facility to do this at your destination. It's a good idea to ask as a special request, at the time of booking that your hotel room comes equipped with a kettle. Or take your own travel kettle, checking that it will work using your overseas accommodation voltage. If at a hotel ask that they give you water boiled as above rather than just heated water. Bottle fed babies may need sips of cooled boiled water as formula is not so thirst quenching.

Other methods of purifying water, such as chemical sterilisation using iodine or chlorine are not suitable for pregnant women or children under 12. Various filters are available but these too use iodine so the answer is:-

Tap water or bottled water - either boiled is the safest option.

Choosing Bottled Water for Babies Feeds

The Differences between waters

Not all waters are the same. The differences go beyond a choice of still or sparkling. Some are 'natural' waters whilst others are 'processed' waters. and to complicate matters further, different regulations apply in the UK and the rest of Europe.

Water - A clear difference

There are three categories of water defined by law:

Natural Mineral Water - a 'natural' water - is designed by nature especially for drinking and until European regulations* are implemented in the UK to ensure that all Spring Waters are 'natural', only Natural Mineral Waters are guaranteed to be naturally wholesome with nothing added, except, in some cases, carbon dioxide to make them sparkle. By law in the UK, nothing may be done to Natural Mineral Waters which alters their natural characteristics. Natural Mineral Water - and only Natural Mineral Water - may carry this three-word phrase on the label. The label must also, by law, include the typical mineral analysis, so you can choose the water that's right for you e.g. a water that is relatively low in sodium for babies or a water that is high in calcium if you need extra in your diet.

Spring Water - confusingly, these may be 'natural' or 'processed' waters under current UK law*. However, in continental Europe, Spring Waters must by law be untreated.

Other Drinking Water - processed waters including other Bottled Drinking or Table Waters and Tap Water

The minerals naturally occurring in Natural Mineral Water can make a valuable contribution to the diet - but there are limits for young children.

For the make up of formula feed for infants, choose any water that is low in minerals - those that are suitable will be labelled as such, soon.

You are safe to pick one of the following Natural Mineral Water Brands (picking still waters only for children under two) to serve to babies and young children.

Abbey Well*, Aqua-Pura, Ashbrook, Ashe Park, Brecon Carreg, Buxton*, Evian, Highland Spring, Perthshire Mountain Spring, Spa, Stretton Hills, Vittel and Volvic.

*Note: water marked with a * is unsuitable for those on a 'very low sodium diet'.

The role of minerals

In addition to the hydrating effects of water, those minerals naturally occurring in Natural Mineral Water make a valuable contribution to the diet- particularly for pregnant women and young children.

Calcium

Natural Mineral Water can be an excellent source of calcium, important particularly during the later stages of pregnancy when the baby's bones are hardening and for the healthy development of young bones and teeth after birth. Calcium is also crucial for the nervous system, muscle contraction, heartbeat, blood coagulation and the immune system. Calcium is important for the healthy growth of strong teeth and bones. It also plays a vital role for pregnant women in maintaining calcium levels and healthy teeth. Nonetheless, whilst very high calcium waters are excellent for pregnant women, these waters are not recommended for young children and babies, because their kidneys cannot cope with very high levels of minerals.

At the age of 10-12 months, the recommended maximum intake of calcium is 525mgs a day, falling to 350mgs per day at the age of 1-3 years.

Magnesium

Magnesium is essential for every major biological process and for maintaining the health of the heart.

Potassium

Potassium is a major component of our cells. It controls blood pressure.

Bicarbonates

Bicarbonates are negatively charged ions used in regulating the acidity of body fluids.

Sodium

Sodium is important in correctly balancing the blood, lymph and extra cellular fluids. For very young children, as with babies, you should choose waters that are relatively low in sodium. Babies need up to 350mg per day of sodium at the age of 10-12 months and 500mg per day at the age of 1-3 years. (Source Dietary Reference Values for Food Energy and Nutrients for the UK - Department of Health 1991).

Natural Mineral Waters make the choice easy as the analysis must, by law, be clearly displayed on the label whereas with other drinks it is often difficult to assess how much sodium is present. Most children and babies require a water that is relatively low* (but not 'very low' in sodium).

*However, if you or your child are medically required to follow a 'very low sodium diet' labelling makes it easy to opt for an appropriate water. Legislation states that only those waters with less than 20mg per litre can be described on the label as 'suitable for a low sodium diet'

Formula Feeding in Hot Weather

Formula milk is not breast milk, of course, so it will not adjust itself to your baby's changing needs. In very hot weather, your bottle-fed baby may get caught between the rock of lost appetite and the hard place of thirst. He may need extra plain, cooled boiled water so that he can drink without eating. You certainly have nothing to lose by offering water regularly.

Formula milk is not breast milk, of course, so it will not adjust itself to your baby's changing needs. In very hot weather, your bottle-fed baby may get caught between the rock of lost appetite and the hard place of thirst. He may need extra plain, cooled boiled water so that he can drink without eating. You certainly have nothing to lose by offering water regularly.

Some of the night waking of this age group is due to the baby being woken up by external events. Do what you can to re-organize the baby's sleeping arrangements to minimize disturbances. If you have been given a hotel room on a busy roadside of the hotel or near a noisy lift, ask to change rooms to a quieter area. If neon lights are flashing through the flimsy curtains on your holiday accommodation windows use the bedspread and some clothes pegs to black out the room. A Bedmat can prevent accidents in unfamiliar surroundings

Baby Holidays - Organic and Standard Packs

Now we don't normally endorse baby holiday packs as our travellingwithchildren website is designed to reduce family holiday stress rather than create it, and not much could be worse than believing all your baby essentials were going to be delivered to your holiday home or hotel only to arrive and find they have not turned up.

We however feel very confident in this new service offered by Belle McKnight, Why? because she runs this service from spain, there is a customer help line manned 7 days a week from 8am to 10pm, so someone is always on hand if you have a query. Also as the items are already in spain this reduces the possible problems and avoids the expense associated with shipping weighty items like nappies and baby food jars from the UK.

More about Bebebel

Designed to reduce holiday stress for busy mums and help ease the new and very limited luggage restrictions. This way you have less to pack, remember and carry. Choose from our range of Holiday or Beach packs. All packs are guaranteed to be waiting for you at your holiday destination.

If the product or brand you require is not listed please call us and we will do our best to find it for you. The brands we selected to make up our Holiday Packs are locally available and well-known products, that we used for our babies. We chose Nestle and Hero for the standard food/drink products, Hipp for all organic food/drink and for nappies we recommend Dodot the Spanish version of Pampers. For further details on these brands please visit the relevant websites www.pamper.co.uk, www.hipp.co.uk, www.nestle.co.uk and www.hero.ch.

Available in mainland Spain only and must be ordered a minimum of 2 weeks before your arrival date. For more information just cllick here and you will be taken to the bebebel website