Making up bottles - your way

[charliebear]

We used to pour the water into the bottles and leave them on the side and just add the powder when he needed feeding. He liked his bottles room temp in the early days which is why we didn't put the water into the fridge x

We used to do this too and its how I plan on doing little miss' bottles. x

 

[Lolly85x]

I sterilise 4 bottles at a time. Boil the kettle. Wait 20mins. Pour the water in the bottles and then add the formula. Leave to cool. Then put in the fridge. I heat in the microwave for 20seconds to take the chill off them. When I'm giving him his 2nd last bottle I make up a new batch. I do this once in the morning and a night.

 

[steffy]

We make 2 bottles at a time now. It works out for us so well now she is in a routine. Make 2 about 45 mins before she is due for a feed, then once she is fed then the other one is cool enough to go in the fridge. Then heat it when she is ready for her next feed xx

 

[kaytee11]

Make them up once a day, store in the fridge & heat when needed. At night I used to put 2 hot bottles in a bottle warmer bag in her room for when needed
As long as bottles are thoroughly cleaned, sterilised and used within 24 hours they will be fine

Exactly what i do. No need for night time ones anymore but always have one inf ridge just in case

 

[clairebear22]

We used to pour the water into the bottles and leave them on the side and just add the powder when he needed feeding. He liked his bottles room temp in the early days which is why we didn't put the water into the fridge x

Im combi feeding, but I used to leave four bottles and leave on the side but the hv said that bacteria on water can grow if I did that, so now I put no more than two at a time in the fridge. IRS a right faff constantly boiling the kettle and making sure I've got the next one ready.

Also I thought we had to heat formula to kill off any bacteria as the powder isn't sterile.

Am I taking the cleanliness/sterile thing a stage too far?

I thought the problem was with the milk powder not the water? Boiled water is sterile and putting it into sterile bottles surely means it stays that way? It's the milk powder that isn't sterile and that's why you don't pre mix it.
I was really worried about sterilising and how to make up bottles but everyone I know seems to pre do the water. You can't expect a baby to wait for boiled water to cool when they are hungry!!!
I might be wrong on this tho?!

Yep it's the powder thats not sterile, the water is fine. We made enough 'waters' for the day and then enough for the night.

We were actually told to give him it at room temp in hospital! Mind you after a few weeks he stopped drinking it so we warmed it up and he's had it warm ever since.

Wait until they can have cows milk ....... sooooooo much easier!! x

 

[My1stBaby]

Well I've always been told the water has to be a certain temp to kill off the bacteria in milk powder- that's why you can't cool the water for any longer than 30 mins.

So I used to make up 3 at a time, do boiled water, let it cool for 20ish mins, add formula, cool them down in cold water or just leave on the side, then put in fridge n heat when needed.

Now I know when he's gonna feed so I make them up fresh eachtime.

I was also told they only last 12 hrs in the fridge, and if out of the fridge and been heated they only last 2 hrs

I hope I haven't been wasting my time this whole bloody time lol

Xxx

 

[lizzie1978]

I also sterilise the bottles, boil the kettle and let it stand 30mins then pour into 5 bottles, allow to cool and put it in to the fridge and when ellie wants a bottle i add the formula and heat in a warmer as she doesnt like room temp milk

 

[Hope81]

I got two thermos. (in case i ff Or just for expressed milk )
One I will fill every morning with boiled water, one I will fill with cold water. (repeat probably at afternoon)
I also have a jar that fits a bottle.

So my plan is to have the bottles ready with formula inside, add the hot water (it's stays around 80 degrees for long long time) then emerge it in the jar that I fill with cold water from the thermos.

Tried that the other day I had a ready bottle in the right temperature in 3 min.

In case of expressed milk I will just use the hot water and the jar to warm it fast.

My auntie did it this way so I thought I will try it and see if it will work.

 

[FirstBabyEek]

We used to pour the water into the bottles and leave them on the side and just add the powder when he needed feeding. He liked his bottles room temp in the early days which is why we didn't put the water into the fridge x

Im combi feeding, but I used to leave four bottles and leave on the side but the hv said that bacteria on water can grow if I did that, so now I put no more than two at a time in the fridge. IRS a right faff constantly boiling the kettle and making sure I've got the next one ready.

Also I thought we had to heat formula to kill off any bacteria as the powder isn't sterile.

Am I taking the cleanliness/sterile thing a stage too far?

I thought the problem was with the milk powder not the water? Boiled water is sterile and putting it into sterile bottles surely means it stays that way? It's the milk powder that isn't sterile and that's why you don't pre mix it.
I was really worried about sterilising and how to make up bottles but everyone I know seems to pre do the water. You can't expect a baby to wait for boiled water to cool when they are hungry!!!
I might be wrong on this tho?!

Yes you're right, my DH read the NHS website and told me that you could leave the water longer, having gone back and re-read it myself it's actually referring to storing made up formula, not water stored in sterilised bottles - typical blokes! Xxx

 

[frankie247]

We used to pour the water into the bottles and leave them on the side and just add the powder when he needed feeding. He liked his bottles room temp in the early days which is why we didn't put the water into the fridge x

This is what I do too, although now we use Colief I make up one bottle in advance and store in fridge to allow Colief to get to work and then heat it to room temp.

 

[FirstBabyEek]

We used to pour the water into the bottles and leave them on the side and just add the powder when he needed feeding. He liked his bottles room temp in the early days which is why we didn't put the water into the fridge x

This is what I do too, although now we use Colief I make up one bottle in advance and store in fridge to allow Colief to get to work and then heat it to room temp.

Ah man! Wish I'd known you could do this as it would have made night to ups much easier! Colief takes four hours to work but most formula manufacturers say use within two hours - is it ok to leave made up formula in the fridge for longer? Xxx

 

[leesey]

Did any of you see midwives on bbc where that woman was offering the same bottle through the night?

Do you mean she made up one bottle and used it through the night or that she went back to a bottle that the baby hadn't finished?

I use ready made formula and it just has to be used within 4 hours of 'decanting' so I sometimes finish off a bottle an hour or two later. Is this really really bad?

I didn't know this

 

[Lou12]

It was a ready made bottle, but the kind with a teat and she was using it throughout the night.

If baby has been drinking from a bottle, it has to be used within the hour as baby's saliva breaks it down making it worthless (so I've read).

But the cartons, I've used half then popped it in the fridge to use later.

 

[pinkyprincess]

It was a ready made bottle, but the kind with a teat and she was using it throughout the night.

If baby has been drinking from a bottle, it has to be used within the hour as baby's saliva breaks it down making it worthless (so I've read).

But the cartons, I've used half then popped it in the fridge to use later.

It wasn't a ready made bottle it was an Avent one because the midwife told the husband to boil it

 

[LoopyLouize]

It was a ready made bottle, but the kind with a teat and she was using it throughout the night.

If baby has been drinking from a bottle, it has to be used within the hour as baby's saliva breaks it down making it worthless (so I've read).

But the cartons, I've used half then popped it in the fridge to use later.

It wasn't a ready made bottle it was an Avent one because the midwife told the husband to boil it

That was to sterilise the new bottle hun. The original bottle was a ready made SMA one that the women had been reusing all night x

 

[leesey]

It was a ready made bottle, but the kind with a teat and she was using it throughout the night.

If baby has been drinking from a bottle, it has to be used within the hour as baby's saliva breaks it down making it worthless (so I've read).

But the cartons, I've used half then popped it in the fridge to use later.

Ah right. When I was using the wee bottles in the hospital we had to use them within an hour, but the SMA guidance says "If fed directly from the bottle dispose of leftover feed that has not been used within 2 hours" and I'm sure I read something about 4 hours for decanted bottles but I don't know now. I don't tend to leave it longer than 2 though so that's fine. It's never done her any harm but I'll maybe be more vigilant from now on.

 

[Tanya4beauty]

Not sure about ready made feeds but my formula says use within 2 hours. I offer the same bottle if it's not been finished and is within the time. Hope that's not wrong!
I think we can be too over cautious sometimes, think how formula used to be made up years ago and we are all ok! Not that I'd want to do anything to risk Mia's health. X

 

[Lolly85x]

If my boy doesn't finish a feed I usually start a new one for the next feed.x

 

[leesey]

Not sure about ready made feeds but my formula says use within 2 hours. I offer the same bottle if it's not been finished and is within the time. Hope that's not wrong!
I think we can be too over cautious sometimes, think how formula used to be made up years ago and we are all ok! Not that I'd want to do anything to risk Mia's health. X

I agree. I follow most things to the letter, sterilisation guidelines etc, but when our parents made up formula they could be made up in advance and kept much easier without so many restrictions. One of the reasons I use the ready made formula is that I can have a whole day's worth in the fridge without worrying about whether or not advanced preparation is 'against the rules'. I tried the powder format and found that it was just too much faffing about for a baby who was already upset during feeds due to reflux. Much less stressful for both of us if the bottles are ready to go when needed. More expensive, but worth it I think.

 

[glass angel]

Thanks for this thread, I've been making up fresh bottles each time during the day, and using ready-made at night. I thought the powder needed to be added to boiled, hot water to kill any bugs in it, but I am really confused about how far in advance I can make up the formula - I'll ask our midwife today. I know I'm being extra cautious because Seb was preemie, but letting him fuss and scream for 30 mins can't be good for him either. We hadn't budgeted for formula as I planned to breastfeed, so if I can get the hang of safely using powder, that would be great!

Re steralising bottles, I have a steam steriliser, and it says it only remains sterile until opened. Can I take out the sterile bottles and keep them in a steralised, sealed tupperware until needed?

Carrie