Making up bottles - how are you doing it???

[Jacki2010]

As I was prepared for breastfeeding, I am totally confused with all this formula feeding, making up bottles, sterilising etc. MW's are saying each feed has to be freshly be made, has anyone got any easy tips for this? As at the minute, we're using cartons in the night time and I'm having to sterilise everytime I take a bottle out.

Any help would be fantastic xx

 

[NatEvz]

Im gonna be totally honest, i steralised the bottles for sam before bed and then made up a feed ready!As he finished that one we meade the next before dropping off to sleep so it would be ready for his next feed!We have on occassion made up all the feeds that he needed through the night before sleeping!I know its not advised that you do this but sams been fine xxx

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[rainbow dancer]

I make all the bottles up with the amount of water then add the powder when needed. I don't heat the bottles as Lucy has always taken them at room temp. This way I can wash and sterilise and make up the bottles for next day. Hope this helps. I did try making as we go but it felt almost impossible!! Xx

 

[Lacey's Mummy]

I made mine up 6 at a time with both kids and both are healthy.
I think making bottles up as you go is very unrealistic especially through the night!
Just make sure you put the made up milk at the back of the fridge to stay cool

 

[lesleyann23]

I make all the bottles up with the amount of water then add the powder when needed. I don't heat the bottles as Lucy has always taken them at room temp. This way I can wash and sterilise and make up the bottles for next day. Hope this helps. I did try making as we go but it felt almost impossible!! Xx

This is how we do it and my Lo hasnt had any issues

 

[Stunned]

I sterilise 3 bottles every evening and fill them with boiling water and put on the teats and caps, and leave them out on the kitchen counter cos Eva drinks milk at room temp. I add the formula when required and serve straightaway. I have the little pots that you can put the formula in, very useful when we are out and about as I can make up the bottle as and when needed.

 

[Lulu_Laroo]

As I was prepared for breastfeeding, I am totally confused with all this formula feeding, making up bottles, sterilising etc. MW's are saying each feed has to be freshly be made, has anyone got any easy tips for this? As at the minute, we're using cartons in the night time and I'm having to sterilise everytime I take a bottle out.

Any help would be fantastic xx

I'm in the same boat, I was certain I would breastfeed and not have problems with it and we didn't even buy any formula just in case! When I had trouble with breastfeeding I regretted not researching bottle feeding more and didn't even know which brand to choose etc etc.
All friends/family I know with LO's who bottle feed make up the formula in advance (about three bottles at a time) as it is totally inconvenient and unrealistic to get up when you're bleary-eyed at 3am with a screaming baby and wait 30mins for the kettle to cool. I think they have to tell you not to on the box to cover themselves but it does say the risk of any bacteria is very small.
I don't know anyone who has had problems with pre-preparing formula, as long as you're sterlising properly and keep your hands clean etc. xx

 

[Jacki2010]

Thanks Ladies. Its just all so confusing. Doesn't help that different MW's say different things either x

 

[LuW]

When I was working in nurseries - we always had the parents make up all feeds for the day and bring them to us in the morning, then those who liked theres hot had it heated through in a pan of boiling water.

Totally unpractical for anyone to make up feeds as and when their needed! Meant to be 'healthier' but when's the last time you heard of a nursery being shut down for having feeds made up by parents or just making them all up in one go.

Same for night feeds! Looking after my god daughter was a pain in the backside when I thought the only way to do feeds was to make them up when she wanted it- wasn't til she was coming off bottles I told her mum how glad I was and she looked at me like I'd grown two heads when I explained how I'd been doing it! loll!!

 

[JJ Mum]

I make all the bottles up with the amount of water then add the powder when needed. I don't heat the bottles as Lucy has always taken them at room temp. This way I can wash and sterilise and make up the bottles for next day. Hope this helps. I did try making as we go but it felt almost impossible!! Xx

This is how we do it and my Lo hasnt had any issues

That's how I did it when my three older ones were bottle fed, no wastage of milk, easy at night time ( bottles next to bed), and get a powder dispenser tub or two , and you can pre-fill the compartments with the right scoops of formula and just twist and tip into water in night or when out)

 

[clairebear22]

I make all the bottles up with the amount of water then add the powder when needed. I don't heat the bottles as Lucy has always taken them at room temp. This way I can wash and sterilise and make up the bottles for next day. Hope this helps. I did try making as we go but it felt almost impossible!! Xx

Thats exactly what we do x

 

[Jacki2010]

I make all the bottles up with the amount of water then add the powder when needed. I don't heat the bottles as Lucy has always taken them at room temp. This way I can wash and sterilise and make up the bottles for next day. Hope this helps. I did try making as we go but it felt almost impossible!! Xx

Thats exactly what we do x[/QUOTE

I've got into a routine with it now, I sterilise then put in 2oz of boiled water and put them to the side and when needed I put the other 2oz of freshly boiled water and the powder in. This is also handy when I need an oz or 2 of boiled water to have between feeds if she needs them. This was recommended by a couple of ladies in my FB group and its made my life so much easier xx

 

[ippa]

I make all the bottles up with the amount of water then add the powder when needed. I don't heat the bottles as Lucy has always taken them at room temp. This way I can wash and sterilise and make up the bottles for next day. Hope this helps. I did try making as we go but it felt almost impossible!! Xx

I'm another that does this! Makes life so much easier and means you can actually go out rather than making sure you home for every feed! Its ridiculous that they try and encourage it that way! You wouldnt be able to go out till their on solids if you did that!
XxX

 

[Piglet's Mama]

I found this thread so helpful as like you Jacki, I was totally prepared for breastfeeding but hadn't thought about bottle feeding at all - luckily I'd bought formula (just in case) and we'd been using the steriliser for all of Brooke's EBM.

I too have started filling 3-4 bottles with water at a time and then using my powder dispensers as and when she wants feeding - soooo much easier! Like Ippa said, it makes feeding when you're out and about and in the middle of the night a heck of a lot less hassle! x

 

[Lulu_Laroo]

It sounds so much easier to boil the kettle, fill the bottles and then add powder when needed, and sorry to throw a spanner in the works, but I'm worried; isn't the point of the boiling water to kill off any bacteria in the powder? I read that the water needs to be at least 70 degrees to kill off any bacteria. Leaving it to go cold means that bacteria won't be killed off? But you also can't add boiled water straight away as it kills vitamins/nurtrients, you should wait 10mins after kettle has boiled, when it is still above 70 degrees but not too hot. Ohhhh I don't know it's all so confusing
I think I'll carry on with adding the powder to freshly boiled water after 10mins as that's how I've been doing it and part of my routine now

 

[Froslass]

My mums had five kids, and she always made up the bottles in the morning with boiling water, then put them in the fridge to cool....

When baby wanted feeding she just used a pan of water to warm them up x

Dunno if they advise against it now, but she never had any problems with us x

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[ippa]

It sounds so much easier to boil the kettle, fill the bottles and then add powder when needed, and sorry to throw a spanner in the works, but I'm worried; isn't the point of the boiling water to kill off any bacteria in the powder? I read that the water needs to be at least 70 degrees to kill off any bacteria. Leaving it to go cold means that bacteria won't be killed off? But you also can't add boiled water straight away as it kills vitamins/nurtrients, you should wait 10mins after kettle has boiled, when it is still above 70 degrees but not too hot. Ohhhh I don't know it's all so confusing
I think I'll carry on with adding the powder to freshly boiled water after 10mins as that's how I've been doing it and part of my routine now

I really don't mean to sound rude or anything, im just interested, but with doing it that way, do you manage to get out and about much, like for a day?
Also how do you cope with a screaming hungry baby when you have to wait for it to cool down?
These are just the things I wouldn't have been able to deal with if I made them fresh everytime!
XxX

 

[Lacey's Mummy]

Years ago you were meant to boil kettle, wait for it to cool down for 30 mins then add the powder, the waters still hot enough to kill the bacteria so she is right with what she's saying but it's more for if your gonna make 5-6 bottles up at a time. I've always done it that way, I found cold cooled boiled water didn't mix the powder very well x x

 

[Lulu_Laroo]

It sounds so much easier to boil the kettle, fill the bottles and then add powder when needed, and sorry to throw a spanner in the works, but I'm worried; isn't the point of the boiling water to kill off any bacteria in the powder? I read that the water needs to be at least 70 degrees to kill off any bacteria. Leaving it to go cold means that bacteria won't be killed off? But you also can't add boiled water straight away as it kills vitamins/nurtrients, you should wait 10mins after kettle has boiled, when it is still above 70 degrees but not too hot. Ohhhh I don't know it's all so confusing
I think I'll carry on with adding the powder to freshly boiled water after 10mins as that's how I've been doing it and part of my routine now

I really don't mean to sound rude or anything, im just interested, but with doing it that way, do you manage to get out and about much, like for a day?
Also how do you cope with a screaming hungry baby when you have to wait for it to cool down?
These are just the things I wouldn't have been able to deal with if I made them fresh everytime!
XxX

I make them up in advance, so I don't get a screaming hungry baby. I boil the kettle, wait 10mins or so then make up around 4 bottles at a time, store them in the fridge & warm them when Poppy is ready.

 

[ippa]

Ahhh Fair enough, lol that makes more sense now!
XxX