Is bottled water really unsafe for making up infant formula?

The NHS advises parents not to use bottled water to make up infant formula feed, so parents face a dilemma when this is all that is available. Unfortunately, when they turn to their local healthcare professional, many are not given the correct advice. When mains water supplies are disrupted or there is a problem with water quality, water utilities make limited quantities of safe drinking water available, and one increasingly popular option is to distribute bottled water to affected households. Healthcare professionals regularly caution parents against using this for infant formula preparation because of its perceived unsuitability. This advice is usually given without recommending appropriate alternatives, leading to confusion and anxiety. Under these circumstances, there is a serious risk that parents will turn to unsuitable or unsafe forms of infant feeding. A review of the chemical quality of bottled waters readily available in supermarket chains established that healthcare professionals' concerns are not justified. There appears to be a serious deficit in the information provided by the NHS, and in the education and training of healthcare professionals. In order to protect the lives of infants, it is important that this is rectified quickly.