As a new mom, a portable baby bottle warmer may not be on your priority baby gear list. But this little device can be a lifesaver if you intend to express breastmilk or bottle-feed.
It’s not required to use a baby bottle warmer because you can simply warm up breastmilk with warm water. However, there are several advantages to using a bottle warmer.
A bottle warmer makes it more convenient to quickly and safely warm bottles, especially when you have a hungry baby screaming at the top of their tiny lungs.
With a fast bottle warmer, you can quickly bring your baby’s food to the perfect temperature without the risk of overheating the milk and destroying delicate nutrients, not to mention exposing your infant to scalding or burn injuries.
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Is a portable bottle warmer worth it?
Parenting is hard enough, therefore, anything that makes it a little easier is great. A travel bottle warmer certainly makes feeding an infant easier, especially when you’re outside your home or traveling.
Every parent knows that leaving home with an infant can quickly become very stressful, and you can only ease the stress by packing the right gear.
Whether you’re running a quick errand, going on a family trip, travelling by air or going camping with your baby, a travel bottle warmer will make any trip with baby easier.
There are more than a few perks that come with having a travel bottle warmer, and we discussed a few of those below;
Babies love warm milk
Babies do not necessarily need warm milk, but they do prefer their milk warm because it mimics the warm and cozy feeling of breastfeeding. Babies enjoy warm milk since they find it comforting and soothing.
This is something to keep in mind if you’re bottle feeding. Since the natural temperature of breastmilk is the same as body temperature, if you express and store milk in coolers, it’ll help to heat them up a bit before feeding time.
It’s safer for your baby
Although it’s important to warm breastmilk or baby formula before feeding your infant, you have to be very careful with how you do this. Because milk that is too hot can burn your baby’s mouth or scald their body.
Baby milk warmers are safer than other methods because they are programmed to bring baby milk to the best temperature. It’s easier to overheat milk when using other heating methods like microwaving, which you should never do.
It’s fast and convenient
This is another excellent reason why portable baby bottle warmers are great. Yes, you can heat up milk by holding it under running hot water or placing it in a bottle of warm water, but how fast and convenient are these methods when you have a hungry baby.
A travel bottle warmer does a near-perfect job in much less time; one of the reasons many moms swear by them. Many of these products come with integrated temperature settings, so that they can always heat up your baby’s bottle to the ideal temperature.
Preserves nutrients in breastmilk
Overheating breastmilk is a real risk when heating up baby milk. Overheating breastmilk is bad for your baby because this could change the milk’s composition and destroy important nutrients.
If breast milk becomes too heated, it may lose important vitamins and nutrients. The nutrients are completely lost, and you can’t get them back even after the milk has had time to cool down.
This could be counterproductive to your baby’s breastfeeding goals. Your breast milk won’t ever be overheated by a bottle warmer, which ensures the healthiest possible nutrition for your baby.
How does a portable bottle warmer work?
Portable bottle warmers heat bottles in a variety of ways; some use a hot water bath to warm the bottle, while others use steam. These devices are made to easily heat milk and are great for a variety of situations. The majority of baby bottle warmers for travel heat the milk indirectly using induction heat, either with an integrated battery pack or a USB charging cord.
Theoretically, travel bottle warmers that use the warm water bath technique work in the same way as homemade warm water baths. The breast milk bottle is put right into the warm water and given some time to warm up.
Bottle warmers that run on steam require less water. These warmers warm breast milk by heating water in a separate compartment using a heating element or hot plate; the resulting steam then rises into the bottle compartment. Breastmilk is heated more slowly and gradually using this method.
There are both electric and non-electric bottle warmers. Non-electric bottle warmers use rechargeable batteries, while electric bottle warmers need to be plugged in to work. Rechargeable bottle warmers are obviously the more portable products, since they don’t have to be plugged in all the time.
Types of portable bottle warmers
There are four primary classes of portable warmers for baby bottles, each of which works differently:
Battery-operated
In my opinion, these warmers are more dependable and convenient, especially for cold bottles. Baby bottle warmers that run on electricity or batteries are more practical in instances where you need the milk to be ready as soon as possible and the bottle hasn’t been pre-heated.
An excellent electric bottle warmer is the Oyadisiiop Portable Water Warmer, this is a great choice for travelling moms because a fully-charged battery can last for up to 12 hours plus it can hold up to 14 ounces of milk. Another great choice is the baby’s brew bottle warmer, it’s a portable bottle warmer pro with up to 12 hours battery life.
USB-powered
These types of travel bottle warmers receive power from a USB cable. Warming your baby’s bottle with an electric bottle warmer is as simple as plugging it into a USB port, so you can do it just about anywhere you can find a charging port.
Many parents favor this travel baby bottle warmer because it enables them to warm a bottle for their child whenever they need it. The Beeva USB-powered bottle warmer is great because it has an integrated temperature sensor, 4 heating options, and 9000mAh battery capacity.
In-car bottle warmers
If you enjoy family road trips with your baby, then an ideal bottle warmer for you should be one that can be plugged right into the cigarette lighter of your car. A car bottle warmer is efficient and handy for road trips and camping adventures.
A good baby bottle warmer for car and home is this Geezo smart car bottle warmer, it’s great for family excursions because it makes it very convenient to warm baby food or beverages on the go.
Diaper bag bottle warmers
Some diaper bags come with special, insulated compartments for baby bottles and a portable baby bottle warmer. These are known as feature-rich diaper bags or all-in-one solutions for highly-mobile new parents.
They work well for shorter day trips and are ideal for new parents who are still stocking up on baby necessities. Depending on the brand and cost, they may or may not offer a USB heating capability. This mummy diaper bag is an excellent multi-functional waterproof travel bag with an integrated USB charging port bottle warmer.
Thermal flask bottle warmers
This is a thermos-style bottle warmer that functions like a conventional thermos, but has an extra cover for storage. The idea is that they safely store hot water that you can use to heat up your baby food.Thermos containers are great for day trips that last no longer than a few hours, but they may be unreliable to use on long road trips, at the workplace, or when traveling. You can check out this simple-to-use, mini bottle warmer with a portable design.
FAQs
Why use a bottle warmer instead of a microwave?
Bottle warmers are safer for warming breastmilk because they are preprogrammed with slow heat technology to heat up breastmilk to the best temperature. Microwaves are not ideal for heating up baby milk because the milk will get too hot, which may destroy some nutrients in it and even risk burning your baby’s mouth.
Can you take a portable bottle warmer on a plane?
Yes, you can bring a portable bottle warmer on a plane. The best travel bottle warmers to take on a plane are those with built-in rechargeable batteries that can last for up to 12 hours on a single charge.
How long do bottle warmers take to heat up?
On average, bottle warmers take about 4 to 6 minutes to warm up a refrigerated bottle. However, a frozen bottle will take much longer to defrost and heat up.
How long can you leave baby food in a bottle warmer?
Ideally, breast milk bottles should only stay in a bottle warmer for a few minutes. You can leave your baby milk in a bottle warmer for about 10 minutes at most.
Do bottle warmers turn off automatically?
Some travel bottle warmers do come with an automatic shut off. For instance, this Phillips Avent bottle warmer automatically shuts off after 60 minutes.
Final thoughts
It can be challenging to get ready for a trip with a newborn or toddler who is still breastfeeding, and a bottle warmer for travel can make a world of difference.
A solid portable bottle warmer should be easy to use, compact, and lightweight. It is a safe, hygienic and convenient way to warm baby food, plus it removes extra stress from your baby’s feeding schedule.