Nighttime Bottle feeding

[JulyBug]

Hi ladies,

First time mummy here!

So I've decided Im going to bottle feed because of a few personal issues so I'm after some advice mainly for the best way of doing night feeds. I have a TT perfect prep machine which I plan to use once he is up to that amount of milk (starts at 4oz I believe) as I think I'll waste a lot otherwise! I'm trying to find the best way of not having to wait for the bottle to warm up I.e I'm not planning on getting a bottle warmer purely because I will use the perfect prep.

I have previously asked a few people and have had a few recommendations:

1. Keep a jug/spare bottle of cooled pre boiled water and a thermos flask of boiling water with me at night. Pre fill bottle with measured powder. When ready to feed fill with half the required amount of water with boiling shake then top up with the cool? (Cant remember the exact ratio for right temp?)

2. Pre make the bottles but with only half the required amount of boiled water. Keep in fridge. Add the remaining required amount of water from thermos with boiling water when needed to bring up to temp?Only downside to this I thought was that I'm assuming the bottles would need to be kept in the fridge so I'd still have to go downstairs to get the bottle from the fridge?

3. Pre make the bottles and just warm up with the boiled thermos water (I have one of those TT thermos with the cup thing to put the bottle in) does it take forever for the bottle to warm though? That's what I was trying to avoid. Downside again is that I'd have to go down and get the bottle from the fridge (not a huge issue I know and willing to do if it's the best way!)

4. I've also been told that I don't necessarily need to warm the bottle? But does this mean he can't have warm milk? I.e could he have warm milk during the day and cold at night? And also as the bottles would need to be stored in the fridge wouldn't they be too cold straight from the fridge?

Sorry if i sound completely clueless it's probably because I am!

Firstly, Is there anything wrong with any of above ways? And does anybody have any other options?

Any advice appreciated!

xx

 

[redbear]

Maybe put a flask of boiled water inbyour bedroom. Make bottke up using that then cool running it under the cold tap? Xx

 

[redbear]

Baby will be up to 4 oz in no time so it's only for a few days xx

 

[millielaura]

Could do the flask or if baby likes cold milk then for the sake of a few days then just use the premade bottles are night. Baby wont drink much out of them at all so you would have to go and collect from fridge though.
I'm not sure what the ratio is when baby doesnt drink much. I do 3 or 4oz boiling water and 5 or 4oz cool boiled water for 8oz when I'm out and about. I usually try and just make it up before going thougu and keep in the bottle bag if I'm not out long lol.
I think Immy was on 4oz by a week old lol and we started using prep machine just before that and just wasting some xx

 

[JulyBug]

Oh really, I didn't realise they are up to 4oz so quickly, that's good then so whatever I choose it won't be for too long.

I did consider the pre-made cartons and if it will only be a couple of days or a week I could just buy those and he can have those at room temp can't he?

Do you pre-make it on your perfect prep before you go out? Am I right in thinking it has to be used within 2 hours if it's not refrigerated?

x

 

[millielaura]

I don't usually make it with the perfect prep before going no as she hates it cold. I would do if she didnt mind though!
I make it with the kettle and even in the bottle bag within a couple hours it coools down to the right temp. Yeah 2 hours
If i make it up from the kettle and go out though if its not been drank out of i do leave up to 3. My friend said her HV told her this was fine as long as not drunk out of. At the hosp they told me 1 hour if its been drunk out of. I was really cautious at first but now i go by 2 hours for if prep machine or drunk out of (usually i have to waste anyway as it goes cold) or up to 3 if im out and its made from the kettle. Usually she will have it after 2 anyway lol xxx

 

[JulyBug]

Oh right ok, thank you!

I always thought you couldn't pre-make bottles and leave them out of the fridge to cool because its the warm milk that is the dodgy bit, is that why is has to be used within 2 hours so it's not warm milk thats sitting around?.. So if going out for a couple of hours I can just pre-make with just boiling and keep in my thermos bag and use within 2-3 hours, sounds simple enough!

So for the sake of a few nights I might just pre-make and warm up in thermos cup thing - how long does it take to warm up like that do you know?? Does it have to be a certain temp or just enough to take the chill off?? sorry for all the questions!

I'm sure once I get into the swing of it i'll be fine i think I'm just overthinking it all! lol xx

 

[redbear]

Oh right ok, thank you!

I always thought you couldn't pre-make bottles and leave them out of the fridge to cool because its the warm milk that is the dodgy bit, is that why is has to be used within 2 hours so it's not warm milk thats sitting around?.. So if going out for a couple of hours I can just pre-make with just boiling and keep in my thermos bag and use within 2-3 hours, sounds simple enough!

So for the sake of a few nights I might just pre-make and warm up in thermos cup thing - how long does it take to warm up like that do you know?? Does it have to be a certain temp or just enough to take the chill off?? sorry for all the questions!

I'm sure once I get into the swing of it i'll be fine i think I'm just overthinking it all! lol xx

Just a touch warm usually, although my first only liked room temp milk! She was terrible to cool down milk for x

 

[millielaura]

For my baby it takes too long haha she hates it even on the cold side but every baby is different.
I think the prep machine maybe made her fussy to the temp haha.
If it's a hot day I'd probably try use asap but i make it with boiling water the whole bottle before going out so the milk isnt sitting warm as its too hot for ages..if that makes sense lol ! She was a January baby so was easier at the start in a way as i worried less because it was so cold outside haha.
But yeah shouldnt take long to warm it up and that will be beford you use prep machine so hopefully baby is fine with the temp lol.
They feed a lotttt at night at the start though so you'd be leaving them more fhan a couple hours (well the first one you wouldnt) but all the other feeds, anx still would have to get out the fridge.
I think i did fridge feeds for one day but i was constantly worrying about the temp of fridge and then took ages to warm them up. I microwaved in the end... not recommended though because of hot spots.. i did 10 seconds and a time and shook like mad. I wouldnt do that for a newborn though. I know some people do the whole fridge thing but wasnt for me. You will find gour own ways though xx

 

[JulyBug]

Yeah I don't think the fridge thing is going to work for me either, my bedroom is quite a distance from my kitchen so ideally wanted to avoid going back and forth and I just feel it will take to long to warm straight from the fridge?.. So I will either just use the premade cartons at nights for a few days and just warm those up slightly or do it with mixing the boiled with the cool (only thing I worry about that is whether in my very tired state i'll be able to manage it! lol).. OR i think just think sod it, I'll just use the perfect prep and live with the fact I'm going to waste some!

I guess I'll see how I feel when he's here Thanks for all your advice xx

 

[Leighwiltshire]

i think im going to use the flask method, one filled with boiling one filled with cool and change every 4-6 hours, have the formula weighed out in the bottles and then fill on demand i also have a perfect prep but will only use on a night feed i think.

my mum was talking to me about giving them cool milk on a night time so they start to realise the difference between night and day

 

[JulyBug]

Leigh, by flask method do you mean doing a mix of boiled and cooled? I'm thinking this seems like the easiest way, it's just whether I'll be able to do it accurately half asleep! lol

I just saw this on another forum re the cartons, does this sound ok to do? I know you can keep unused carton milk in the fridge but wasn't sure about keeping in a spare bottle?

"I take 2 empty bottles for each carton. When I need to feed I pour half the carton into each bottle. I feed from one, then if DS needs more I top up the emptied bottle from the other one. Anything left in the drunk from bottle after 1 hr is discarded. The remains in the untouched bottle lasts 4 hrs at room temp if not heated"

I will probably use the perfect prep whenever im at home so it's just for those first night feeds and when I'm out and about.. I'm just picturing me lugging around a massive flask and thousands of bottles! lol.. I guess this is the downside to bottle feeding lol xx

 

[Leighwiltshire]

yea thats the one - i think this will be easiest for me i will also carry a couple of premade cartons just in case anything happens - out longer than expected etc etc.

keeping the cartons/bottles i think it sounds okay as you can buy the bigger bottles which have a few feeds in or individual bottles. but you can get cartons which wont be sealed once you have used the required amount you need to i think it would be safer in a bottle.

i wish i was comfortable with breastfeeding but im just not ive ordered a pump to get the first milk off but other than that i dont want to feed xx

 

[JulyBug]

I'm exactly the same, I had decided long before I fell pregnant that I wouldn't want to breastfeed.. I have flat nipples so I know that would make it more difficult too, I know I just wouldnt deal with the pressure and stress of it very well. My midwife is very pro-breast so it'll be interesting when the conversation comes up.. I don't want to be made to feel guilty or get pressured into anything so I'm going to have to stand my ground. I hadn't even thought about the first milk? I really don't like the idea of a breast pump either! xx

 

[Leighwiltshire]

i really dont want to give any milk however being a farmers daughter i know how important the first milk is, i dont want him to latch on to me tho! i will use the breast pump when im comfortable and by myself. i decided i didnt want to breastfeed very early on too, i dont want the pressure and as i suffer from depression i also dont want to feel like im failing him if he isnt managing to feed properly - im going to need lots of help from my OH and parents and i feel bottle is the best way for me. xx

 

[JulyBug]

Yeah exactly, i feel exactly the same. I'm glad its not just me xx

 

[Onedaysoon25]

Il be using the ready made bottles that come with teats (Like they have in hospital) for the first days. They can be given at room temp so no going downstairs to get out the fridge and no sterilising for a few days either x

 

[millielaura]

Sterilising is the worst haha i hate all the washing etc too

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[redbear]

Sterilising is the worst haha i hate all the washing etc too

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I have a dishwasher this time!!! I'm so thankful washing was the worst part. I'll still have to sterilise afterwards but at least I can cut out that part. I don't like milk myself so I hated doing it before. Xx

 

[Browneyed Girl]

I was discharged with my baby on Friday, I'm bf but giving formula top ups until my milk comes in so was given advice on both bf and ff feeding - my NHS trust now advise new mums using formula to only give ready made formula for the first 4 weeks before moving onto powdered milk. Apparently this is to do with a risk of gastroenteritis xx