not sure if im doing things right.Help

[scaredbuthappy]

First of all ive heard that you arent supposed to make up bottles of formula in advance. Is this just companies/people being too overcautious or are they strict rules and if you dont follow them your baby will get sick? I make 3 bottles up in advance with boiling water, leave them to cool, then put them in the fridge. Ive heard this is wrong and you should only make up as needed and ive also heard that i shouldnt leave them to cool naturally before putting them in the fridge and that i should cool them ASAP under cold water and put them in the fridge ASAP because of bacteria !! Surely if its made up with boiling water then how can bacteria spread by leaving them to cool naturally then putting them in the fridge.
Im so worried now about everything im doing with her feeds.

Also i use a steam steriliser and put it in the microwave and then take it out but ive always just thought once the bottles are sterilised then i can use them whenever? I steam then and sometimes dont use one of the bottles until maybe several hours later but apparently this isnt ok?? What can happen to the bottles that can maybe my baby sick?

One more thing, if baby doesnt finish milk whats wrong with keeping it for later as long as it has a cap on and its in the fridge?
Can someone with experience on these matters give me their opinions please as i feel im doing everything wrong.

 

[debecca]

First of all ive heard that you arent supposed to make up bottles of formula in advance. Is this just companies/people being too overcautious or are they strict rules and if you dont follow them your baby will get sick? I make 3 bottles up in advance with boiling water, leave them to cool, then put them in the fridge. Ive heard this is wrong and you should only make up as needed and ive also heard that i shouldnt leave them to cool naturally before putting them in the fridge and that i should cool them ASAP under cold water and put them in the fridge ASAP because of bacteria !! Surely if its made up with boiling water then how can bacteria spread by leaving them to cool naturally then putting them in the fridge.
Im so worried now about everything im doing with her feeds.

Also i use a steam steriliser and put it in the microwave and then take it out but ive always just thought once the bottles are sterilised then i can use them whenever? I steam then and sometimes dont use one of the bottles until maybe several hours later but apparently this isnt ok?? What can happen to the bottles that can maybe my baby sick?

One more thing, if baby doesnt finish milk whats wrong with keeping it for later as long as it has a cap on and its in the fridge?
Can someone with experience on these matters give me their opinions please as i feel im doing everything wrong.

I'm not experienced but have spoken to SMA about this. Basically formula is sterile UNTIL your baby starts drinking it because that introduces bacteria etc from their mouths and hands... and this is why you cannot reuse it and it must be chucked. The lady on the phone said that as long as it's not mega hot, formula can be made up an hour in advance if required but it must be used within another hour of the baby starting to drink it, as that's when it's no longer sterile.

Have you thought of using the other cheat's method of making formula?

* Sterilise all your bottles for next day (I have steam steriliser but assume microwave is the same) and boil kettle.
* Fill all bottles to 1oz less than required with JUST WATER FROM KETTLE.
* Leave on side with lid etc on - these are now basically sterile and will remain so.
* When needed, top up the extra oz with boiling water and add powder. Mix. Serve.

It is the POWDER that's not sterile so this is a much easier and safer way of doing it than keeping formula in the fridge AND has the added bonus that it's at the right temperature straight away.

Good luck hun

 

[ozzy]

this is what i do but im sure others will reply with different ways and then you can work out what is best for you.

I use a cold water steriliser and put the bottles in there this way have a sterilised bottle ready each time for a feed.
I boil the kettle and then fill up a flask. when lo is ready for a feed i get my bottle from cold water steriliser then pour the water from flask into my bottle then add powder.i then cool down in a jug of cold water. i then boil the kettle and fill flask again then water has cooled down 4 hours later for next feed.

The reason i use boiled water from a flask is that the water is still hot enough to add to powder. if u notice on your formula tin it says to boil kettle then wait 30 mins then add to bottle this is not pratical when baby is screaming for feed. i use the flask cos it is hot and fresh each time.

there is a lot of mixed info when to add powder to water its cos the food standards agency say that the powder needs to be added to water which is over 70c to kill bacteria as powder is not sterile ( reason why i use flask as water is over 70c still) however a lot of people dont worry about this too much and add powder to room temp boiled water already in the sterilised bottle.

you can still make bottle up the night before and store in fridge. you just have to make sure you cool your bottles asap and store at back of fridge at less than 5 oc.
have a look on the uk foods standards agency website which will give u this info.

i hope i have made it a bit clearer for you.