Bottled, boiled or straight from the tap? These are just a few of the choices new moms are faced with when it comes to preparing infant formula. Which is safest? Which is most cost and time efficient? And – most important – does it really even matter?

Michelle Agosta-Bermudez, a mom from New Jersey, was caught admittedly a bit unawares by the debate, but her pediatrician quickly clarified things upon the birth of her daughter. "I was advised to use purified water, as opposed to natural spring water," says the first-time mother. "Honestly, I never really paid attention to the difference before!"

So Agosta-Bermudez keeps a careful eye on the water she purchases. For instance, Aquafina can be used straight from the bottle to mix with formula and barley to make cereal. But other bottled water labeled "natural spring water" may need to be boiled first.

"The doctor's reasoning was that purified is clean from most/all contaminants that natural spring water is likely to contain," Agosta-Bermudez says. "Although for adults this isn't a problem, it can affect infants. This came as such a huge surprise to everyone in my family. I always thought 'natural' was the way to go. Additionally, my mother was very selective in terms of the food fed my two sisters and me as infants. She homemade all of our baby food, so I always assumed she knew the ropes and all of the secrets about what was best for infants."

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