Can Newborns Drink Cold Milk? This is one of the most frequently asked questions by parents regarding the health of their babies.
Yes, newborns absolutely can drink cold milk without any real potential harm. According to North Dakota University studies, cold milk is even as healthy and safe for babies as warm milk. If your baby is used to being fed warm milk, you may find that he/she won’t take a cold bottle.
98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius) is the ideal temperature for milk and food for babies. If you want a reliable temperature reading, you should check your baby’s milk with a reputable food thermometer.
However, it is not necessary to warm milk before giving it to your baby so that you can be sure your baby is safe to consume it. When you drink warm milk to your baby, you are simply bringing them comfort, as it reminds them of their mother’s real breast milk, which is naturally warm.
Does Cold Formula Cause Gas?
When a cold formula is at room temperature, it does not cause gas. But it can cause gas if the formula is mixed with cold water or given to the baby in a bottle.
Babies get gas because their stomachs are not used to digest formula. As Formula is usually thicker and more difficult to digest than breast milk, the baby’s stomach has to work harder to digest it. As well, the stomach does not have the bacteria that are in breastmilk, which may cause gas.
Warm Milk Vs Cold Milk For Newborns – Which Is Better?
Providing warm milk to your baby is not medically necessary as long as the bottle is prepared properly. You can feed your baby cold milk or warm milk depending on their preferences.
Warm Milk
According to some parents, giving a warm milk feed to their baby mimics the body temperature of breastfeeding, so it is more palatable, comforting, and easier for the baby to digest than a cold feed. When you feed your baby warm milk, you ensure that it is at the right temperature by taking a few extra minutes. 98 degrees Fahrenheit is the usual temperature for milk.
Even if it’s a little bit cooler, you run the risk of burning your baby if it’s warmer. Take a look at these pros and cons if you would like to give warm milk to your baby instead of cold.
Pros Of Giving Your Baby Warm Milk
- It’s Relaxing To Feed A Baby Warm Milk: Babies always enjoy a warm bottle of milk. Warm milk helps them relax and fall asleep faster. You don’t have to worry about your baby developing a negative association with feeding if the bottle was too cold because babies do not get startled by cold temperatures.
- Warm milk makes babies happier: Warm milk makes babies more energetic and happy compared to cold milk. This is because their bodies have to exert a lot of energy to warm cold formula, which causes them to feel weak and cranky.
- Warm milk soothes a sick baby’s aches: When your baby is sick, it’s probably better to give them a warm bottle than a cold one. Warm milk soothes aching mouths and throats that are super sensitive when they have a cold, so you may want to warm their milk up if they do have a cold.
Cons Of Giving Your Baby Warm Milk
- It’s Possible for Bottles To Get Too Hot.
- Warming the formula requires extra caution: You need to take extra precautions when warming the formula in order to avoid overheating, which can cause a loss of nutrients.
- Losing essential nutrients: You should never boil the formula in an open pan as you can risk overheating it and losing the nutrients.
- Bottle warmers can be expensive.
Cold (Or Room Temperature) Milk
Having cold milk doesn’t necessarily mean it’s icy cold. This might indicate you left it sitting on the counter for a while, and it’s simply not room temperature yet.
If the baby does not seem to mind, then this can be useful during the night or when you are out and about with the baby. You can also buy a cold bottle that’s been straight from the fridge. However, giving a baby cold milk has some pros and cons.
Pros Of Giving Your Baby Cold Milk
- Giving cold milk is less hassle: Instead of warm milk for the baby, you simply pull out a bottle from the fridge and can feed your baby. It sounds a bit appealing, simply because of the convenience of a chilled bottle.
- You don’t risk overheating the milk: If you give your baby cold milk, you do not risk overheating the milk, and your baby receives all the necessary nutrients. With a cold bottle of milk, you can always know your baby is receiving safe nutrition.
- It makes travel easier: Traveling with a cold bottle of milk for your baby is a lot easier if he or she is used to that routine.
Cons Of Giving Your Baby Cold Milk
- Your baby may refuse to drink cold milk: Your baby may refuse to drink cold milk at first or drink less if he or she is overly uncomfortable or not used to it. Many babies prefer warmer milk that is closer to their body temperature. If this is the case, you can introduce milk gradually at a cooler temperature until the baby gets used to it.
- The fat layer may not mix well: When milk is cold, the fat can separate from the rest of the liquid. Those calories are essential for babies, so mix your breast milk well and keep an eye on it when you are feeding them.
- Cold breast milk upsets the baby’s stomach: Some babies experience stomach upset when they drink cold formula.
