For those of us who have newborn babies, the task is daunting and requires much effort. From the preparation of food, keeping the baby out of harm, and the sleepless nights, being a parent to a newborn baby is a challenge that will require a lot of mental and physical preparation. A routine must be in place, especially when dealing with the baby’s milk. We try looking for the best quick fix and shortcuts and ask questions like: Can you put baby bottles in the microwave?
Well, preparing bottles of milk ahead of time can definitely put a parent in an advantage. Although a bottle of milk that comes straight out of the refrigerator is not at all appealing, even a parent would feel the need to warm it up first. So, can you put baby bottles in the microwave with milk? What is the quickest way to heat up a bottle of milk? These are the questions we will answer in this article, but first, let’s talk about how a microwave works.
How A Microwave Works In Heating Liquid
The electric frequency of a microwave causes a molecule’s poles to spin in a dipole rotation, which heats it up. The microwave can heat up polar molecules, such as water, faster than non-polar molecules like oil. But in the process of heating these molecules, it changes its molecular structure. Which means it may not contain the same amount of nutrients and minerals it once had.
A microwave works by heating food from the inside out, and heating up liquids is no exception. If the liquid was just in the microwave for a brief period, and you drink from it right away, you may burn your tongue from a hot concentration of liquid accumulated in the center. That is why it is crucial for liquids to be heated in the microwave to be stirred or shaken first to distribute the heat thoroughly around the glass, cup, or bottle.
Is A Microwave Safe In Warming Milk?
To answer the question, can you put baby bottles in the microwave with milk correctly? We must first determine if those bottles are microwavable safe. This is the first thing you should note because melted plastic is never a good idea to mix with milk. The carcinogens in plastic are very harmful already for adults and would pose severe health problems for babies.
Regarding baby formula, people have different opinions regarding this subject, just like how you would have two sides to a coin. On one side, you have people saying that it is not a good idea to microwave baby formula at all because it can take out essential nutrients and minerals. The other side plays with time and says that you can microwave baby formula, just in short intervals.
Breastmilk, on the other hand, is strongly not recommended to heat up in a microwave. When breastmilk is heated in a microwave, the immune cells found in breastmilk die because of the quick alteration of high temperature. There are also multiple cases where the breast milk clumps up and form tiny hot spots that don’t quickly go away after shaking or stirring. So, can you put baby bottles in the microwave with milk from the mother’s breasts? The answer is No.
Things You Can Do To Warm Up Milk For Baby
Having answered the question, can you put baby bottles in the microwave with milk, let’s proceed to some ways to heat your baby’s milk without altering any molecules. But because the microwave provides a quick solution to heating liquids, we can still use it to our advantage. This is what you can do:
Heat Bottled Milk With Hot Water
Step 1: Grab a bowl of water. You can use a Pyrex glass bowl, and try to avoid plastic.
Step 2: Heat the bowl of water in the microwave for around 1-2 minutes on mid temperature.
NOTE: If you don’t have a choice for not using plastic, it’s fine. Just make sure it is microwave safe.
Step 3: Make sure that the water is not too hot, or it will be hard to hold your bottle. Touch the water with your fingertips quickly to gauge the temperature.
Step 4: Submerged your baby bottle in the bowl of hot water while slowly stirring it around.
Step 5: After 1-2min of doing this, you can check the milk if it is warm enough by squeezing some of it on your palms.
Bottle Hot Water Ahead Of Time
Another fun way to be on an advantage as a parent, especially during the winter, is to boil up water, put it in a bottle and make it as a bed warmer. When the water is warm enough, set it aside for your baby formula. This can also be a solution to things you can do to warm up milk for when your baby needs some at night.
Invest On Bottle Warmers
A bottle warmer is intended for warming up baby’s milk. With a simple touch of a button, your bottles will be warm for your baby in less than 5min. It’s totally a hand-free option and well worth the investment. It is a perfect way to save on time and effort, and will definitely provide you with some peace of mind.
Bottle warmers have numerous options in the market, so choose one that fits your bottle’s measurement. For an on-the-go option, bottle warmers today are built more compact and can even be plugged for power using a USB. With a bottle warmer, you won’t be asking questions like can you put baby bottles in the microwave anymore, so it is essential to invest in one today because it will surely be worth it.
Conclusion
A newborn will not voice out about having warm or cold milk, but as parents, we want the best for our child. When finding ways and possibilities to make our tasks more manageable, safety should always be our number one concern. While questions like can you put baby bottles in the microwave sometimes cross our minds because a microwave is conveniently available, there are better solutions that provide a lower risk in harming the child. Investing in something reliable like bottle warmers should be considered right away, not only for the baby benefit but also for your peace of mind. Know more about baby bottles.