Food Safety for Infants After a Natural Disaster

Breastfeeding

For formula-fed infants, use ready-to-feed formula if possible.
If using ready-to-feed formula is not possible, it is best to use bottled water to prepare powdered or concentrated formula.
If bottled water is not available, boil water for 1 minute and let it cool before mixing with formula.
Use treated water to prepare formula only if you do not have bottled or boiled water.
Clean feeding bottles and nipples with bottled, boiled, or treated water before each use.
If your baby is younger than 3 months old, was born prematurely, or has a weakened immune system, consider taking extra precautions to safely prepare powdered infant formula when ready-to-feed formula is not available.

Wash your hands before preparing formula and before feeding an infant. You can use alcohol-based hand sanitizer for washing your hands if the water supply is limited

Learn more about safe infant and child feeding during a disaster.

Connect with Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity

Page last reviewed: November 16, 2021