One look at the grocery store shelves tells you buying water isn't as simple as it used to be. You may see bottles labeled as artesian water, mineral water, soda water, distilled water and purified water — and have no idea what the differences are or which ones are right for you and your family. One to consider for your baby is distilled water, which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines as steam from boiling water is recondensed and bottled. Distilling water kills microbes and removes water's natural minerals.1
You can use a distilled water to mix your baby's formula and cereals, to dilute juices and as a drinking water. If you do not have access to distilled water, another option for preparing infant formula is to use water boiled at a rolling boil for one to two minutes and then cooled. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends this precaution until your baby is three months old and suggests talking to your health care provider to find out if it's necessary when the baby is older.2