Food Safety and Your Baby

Making Your Home Safe for Your Baby: Information for Moms, Dads & People Who Care for Children

Food Safety and Your Baby June 2010

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Food Safety and Your Baby Breast milk is best for your baby. Breast milk contains all the nutrients utrients your baby needs. It also contains “antibodies” that help your baby fight infections. It is the only food your baby needs for the first 6 months onths and ur baby is can be continued with the introduction of solid foods until your 2 years old or even older (PHAC, 2009). he day for Your baby can have breast milk even if you are away during the work or school. You can pump your breast milk and store it forr your caregiver to give your baby during the day (PHAC, 2009). Keep p breast milk in clean bottles or bags that are clearly labeled with the date that you stored the milk. Guidelines for Storing Breast Milk (CPHA, 2009, p. 23) • • • •

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Unrefrigerated breast milk is safe for your baby for up to 4 hours. Refrigerated breast milk is safe for 24 to 48 hours. Breast milk kept in the freezer section of your refrigerator is safe for up to 2 weeks. Breast milk kept in a freezer that is separated from the main refrigerator (where the temperature is always at least -18 degrees Celsius or 0 degrees Fahrenheit) is safe for up to 3 months. Breast milk stored in a deep freezer (with a temperature at least -28 degrees Celsius or -18 degrees Fahrenheit) is safe for up to 6 months.

Alternatives to Breast Milk If you choose not to breastfeed, Health Canada recommends that commercial formulas are the best breast milk substitute until your baby is 9 to 12 months old. This formula should be cow’s milk based with added iron. After 9 months of age, whole cow’s milk should be a main part of your child’s diet. If your baby is unable to take cow’s milk products, commercial soy formula should be used until your baby is 2 years old.

Using Formula Safely Formula must be made carefully so that your baby will not get sick.

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Use formula before the “use by” or “expiry” date on the can. Wash your hands before preparing formula. Clean and disinfect counters and utensils before making formula (Health Canada, 2010a). Wipe the top of the can and the blade of your can opener clean before opening the can. All water used to make formula should be boiled before mixing. Boil the water in a pot for 2 minutes and cool with the lid on. If you use an electric kettle, wait until the kettle switches off and allow the water to cool (WHO, 2007, p. 4). If you do not have access to boiling water consider using readyto-use formula (WHO, 2007, p. 8). Only make enough formula for 24 hours and store extra formula in the refrigerator in clean containers. Do not use formula that has been at room tempera ture for over 2 hours (CPHA, 2009, p. 23). Do not add water to canned ready-to-use formula. Make formula following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Storing Formula Safely • • • •

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Store prepared formula in the refrigerator until needed. Throw out formula that has been at room temperature for more than 2 hours (WHO, 2007, p. 5). Prepared formula can be safely stored in the refrigerator for 24 hours (WHO, 2007, p. 6). Store formula powder in a cool, dry place but not in the refrigerator. Make sure you use it within 1 month of opening the can. Keep open cans of concentrated and ready-to-use formula in the refrigerator and covered with a plastic cap or plastic wrap.

Heating Milk or Formula Formula and milk can be given to your baby cool or warmed up depending on what your baby prefers.

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Food Safety and Your Baby •

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Do not heat milk or formula in the microwave e (it might not heat evenly and there may be partss that are too hot and can burn your baby). Heat the bottle under hot running tap water until the liquid is warm enough (this can take up to o2 minutes) or in a pot or bowl of warm water. Shake the bottle to distribute the heat evenly. y. Test the temperature on the inside of your wrist. rist. It should be lukewarm (WHO, 2007, p. 5).

Food Safety Tips •

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Always wash your hands before handling food d or food products, after touching raw meat/fish/ poultry, and after changing diapers, using the washroom, or touching pets. Keep food preparation areas clean. If you use dishes or utensils to handle raw food, make sure you wash these items before using them again. Defrost items in the refrigerator, microwave, or in cold water (Health Canada, 2010b). Clean and sanitize sinks, counters, and all surfaces that come in contact with raw meat/fish/poultry (Health Canada, 2010b). Don’t feed your baby directly from a jar of baby food. Germs from the baby’s mouth can end up in the jar and then multiply. More germs will be in the food the next time your baby eats from that jar (CPHA, 2009, p. 24). Don’t put a bottle back in the refrigerator if your baby doesn’t finish it. This can allow germs from your baby’s mouth to get into the milk and multiply (CPHA, 2009, p. 24). Make sure that bottles, nipples, lids, and other utensils and equipment are sterilized by putting them into a pot of water and bringing it to a boil for 2 minutes (Health Canada, 2010a).

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SSolid Foods W When your baby is about 6 months old, she will be ready to start eating some solid foods (PHAC, 2009a). Introduce new st foods one at a time. Wait three to five days before trying anfo other new food so that if your baby has a reaction you’ll know o which food caused it (CPHA, 2009; PHAC, 2009a). w T prevent choking make sure children are always sitting down To when eating. Cut up foods, especially round foods like hot dog wieners and grapes. Grate raw vegetables or cook them to soften them (CPS, 2006).

Some foods that may cause choking: • • • •

grapes (cut into quarters or puree) hotdogs (slice in half length wise so pieces aren’t round) raw carrots (grate or cook) chunks of meat (cut into

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small pieces) raisins chips peanut butter hard candies popcorn

Foods to avoid for children younger than one year: • Honey – may contain a germ that can seriously harm a baby • Egg Whites – may cause allergic reactions • Citrus fruits and juices (orange, pineapple, lemon, lime) – can cause diaper rash

For More Information Ten Valuable Tips for Successful Breastfeeding: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/dca-dea/prenatal/tips-cons-eng.php Ten Great Reasons to Breastfeed Your Baby: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/dca-dea/prenatal/reasons-raisons-eng.php Pregnancy and Babies: Feeding Your Baby in the First Year: http:// www.cps.ca/caringforkids/pregnancy&babies/Feeding.htm

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Preparing and Handling Powdered Infant Formula: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/kitchen-cuisine/pif-ppn-eng.php

Food Safety and Your Baby Food Safety Tips for Pregnant Women: n: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/kitchen-cuisine/pregnant/kitchen-cuisine/pregnanttwomen-femmes-enceintes-eng.php How to Prepare Formula for Bottle-Feeding eeding at Home: http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/agns/files/PIF_Bottle_en.pdf s/PIF_Bottle_en.pdff

References Canadian Paediatric Society (2007). Iron needs of babies and children. Retrieved March 30, 2010 http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/ pregnancy&babies/IronReq.htm Canadian Paediatric Society (2006). Feeding your baby in the first year. Retrieved March 29, 2010 from http://www.cps.ca/caringforkids/ pregnancy&babies/Feeding.htm Canadian Public Health Association (2009). Caring for you and your baby. Retrieved March 30, 2010 from http://you-and-your-baby.cpha. ca/_pdf/cyayb_e_final_web.pdf Health Canada (2010a). Preparing and Handling Powdered Infant Formula. Retrieved March 29, 2010 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fnan/securit/kitchen-cuisine/pif-ppn-eng.php Health Canada (2010b). Safe Food Handling for Pregnant Women. Retrieved March 29, 2010 from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/ kitchen-cuisine/pregnant-women-femmes-enceintes-eng.php The Public Health Agency of Canada (2009a). Breastfeeding and Infant Nutrition. Retrieved March 30, 2010 from http://www.phac-aspc. gc.ca/dca-dea/prenatal/nutrition-eng.php The Public Health Agency of Canada (2009b). Ten Valuable Tips for Successful Breastfeeding. Retrieved March 30, 2010 from http://www. phac-aspc.gc.ca/dca-dea/prenatal/tips-cons-eng.php The World Health Organization (2007). How to Prepare Formula for Bottle-Feeding at Home. Retrieved March 31, 2010 from http://www. fao.org/ag/agn/agns/files/PIF_Bottle_en.pdf

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