Linda, It is a little known fact that distilled water will NOT boil because it lacks impurities. However, it can become very hot, and if anything with impurities touches it, it can create an explosion. I realize that most parents will not be heating a bottle to that high a level, but I cannot help but think of the safety involved because I believe a baby's saliva has impurities. It is very strange because my husband and I were just discussing this yesterday, and I have not been following this discussion. He just saw something on television about this, and gave both of our sons a lesson about NEVER heating distilled water. Then I saw this on LACNET. I will be honest, as a private LC I have not given directions on how to mix formula, so this is not something I regularly worry about. If a mother asks what type of formula I should give, I refer her back to her pediatrician. I have never been asked how to mix formula in all the 14 years I have assisted breastfeeding moms, so I am not an expert on the subject. I am just concerned about heating distilled water. Debbie Albert, Ph.D., IBCLC Tampa Lactation Counseling Tampa, FL - In a message dated 5/31/04 12:05:22 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes: Since taking the IBCLC prep course with Jan, Linda and Carole, I have started routinely recommending distilled water for formula preparation to the future parents (ie still pregnant) as well as the parents of my formula- fed infants. I think it is important for both safety to the child as well as to fulfill my own agenda...making formula feeding more difficult!! The other pediatricians in my group think I have lost my mind!!! So...I now present each of them with the "BREASTFEEDIG TIP OF THE DAY" when I arrive to work!! It is a very slow process of educating MDs as I'm sure I do not need to tell all of you!! *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html