Do you really need a bottle warmer?

Consult the experts and they’ll say you don’t need a baby bottle warmer. But when it’s 3 a.m. and your little bundle-of-screaming-joy refuses to take that too-cold formula or expressed breast milk, you might beg to differ. Pop the bottle in one of these warmers and within minutes, you’ve got a ready-to-go bottle at the perfect temperature. These gadgets not only get the job done quickly, but they also ensure that the milk is free of the dangerous hot spots that heating bottles in the microwave or boiling water can cause. Plus, many models have special breast milk settings to make sure that your liquid gold is warmed up without zapping its nutrients.

These gadgets can heat formula and breast milk without hot spots so you don't have to boil water in a pan. If you want a baby food warmer, too, you can invest in one that does both. Some baby bottle warmers come with special features like a digital timer and automatic shutoff.

WHAT ELSE TO LOOK AT WHEN MAKING YOUR BOTTLE WARMER CHOICE:

Safety – Your baby’s safety is your number one priority. You want to know that whatever bottle warmer you choose for your baby will warm the milk to a safe temperature while also preserving breast milk nutrients. No baby bottle warmer should heat milk about 113 degrees or it could burn your baby’s mouth and throat. And as a parent who is feeding your baby breast milk, you’ll want to find a bottle warmer that you know can heat milk to a perfect 98.6 degrees since that is the temperature breast milk is when it comes from your body.

Method of Warming – There are two main types of warming methods, along with other various methods you may see from portable bottle warmers

• “Steam Heat” Technology – This method is generally faster but may not heat up liquids evenly. If you choose this kind of bottle warmer, pay attention to how it functions and read reviews from other parents to be sure it’s safe and fits your baby’s needs.
• “Water Bath” Method – Though slower, this heating method warms in a more even manner. When heating breast milk, you want to be extra careful that it never gets overheated which can lead to destroyed nutrients, so a “water bath” warmer may be the better choice.

Warming Effectiveness – How annoying would it be to purchase a bottle warmer only to realize that it won’t even reliably heat up your baby’s milk the way that you expect it to? Not only would it not make your parenting life any easier, but it would actually end up making it harder. Be sure to choose a warmer you know can heat up your baby’s milk to the exact temperature you need every single time.

Ease of Use – Just a press of a button to start warming up that breastmilk to a perfect 98.6 degrees? Yes, please. Pay attention to how long the set up is going to take to get your baby’s bottle warming. You want something that’s really easy to use!

Similar to preparation and storage, which we go over here, there are some specific guidelines you’ll want to follow for warming up your baby’s breast milk. This will ensure that your baby’s breast milk is given at a safe temperature while also preserving all of those precious nutrients. 

Here’s what to keep in mind to ensure safety and quality standards:

• Always start the bottle warming process with fresh/refrigerated breast milk, a clean bottle, and washed hands. (Frozen breast milk can be thawed and then used in a bottle warmer.) 
  
  
• The ideal temperature for a bottle of warmed breast milk is about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit since that mimics a breastfeeding experience.
  
  
• 104 degrees F is the maximum temperature you should warm a bottle of breast milk. Though you can safely warm liquids for your baby up to 113 degrees F, anything beyond 104 degrees will start breaking down the unique nutrients found in breast milk.
  
  
• If you’ll be warming up your baby’s milk later in the day while on the go, be sure to store it in a cooler bag with ice packs until you’re ready to warm it up.
  
  
• Once warmed and feeding has begun, the milk should be consumed within an hour or so.
  
  
• If there is any leftover breast milk in the bottle after feeding, it needs to be thrown out.
  
  
• Never reheat or restore breast milk that has been previously warmed.

THE BEST BABY BOTTLE WARMERS FOR BREAST MILK

Double Baby Bottle Warmer Bottle Sterilizer 6-in-1

Even the best bottle sterilizer will have its limitations, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find out what those limitations are with this new model by Grownsy. This is our latest six-in-one model and it comes loaded with a variety of features that allow you to sterilize bottles, warm up baby food, heat bottles, and much more. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for one appliance that can do it all and one that won’t take up too much counter space.

Fast Baby Bottle Warmer and Sterilizer 5-in-1 with LCD Display