according to NHS.co.uk I've been doing it wrong!

[Gina91]

Up until the last week or so LO has been breastfed, then I started one formula feed at night which I made up fresh from the kettle. Now I'm ready to exclusively formula feed so I've been boiling the kettle and using that water throughout the day and she'll take it at room temp.

I've just gone online and apparently the water should be 70 degrees to kill any. Bacteria. I have no idea how to make up the bottles and store them anymore :/

 

[Lou1234]

I have friends that just prepare their formula bottles just with cooled boiled water with no problem at all but I do it according to the instructions.

I boil the kettle in the morning and once it has been left for 20-30 mins I fill a flask. The water stays really hot in the flask all day and I do the same in the evening. The flask was really cheap from Argos.

Others make up some bottles, cool them rapidly and leave them in the fridge until ready to use them.

 

[sue_88]

UK powdered formula is not a sterile product. There can be potentially dangerous bacteria present (although incredibly rare).

You must cover the formula with a shot of water over 70c to destroy these bacteria if they are present, you can then top up with cool boiled water to make a good temp for baby.


Liquid formula is sterile.

 

[hattiehippo]

I used to make 4 bottles up at a time using boiled water left to cool for 20 mins (used to set a timer when the kettle boiled!), put them straight into a bowl of cold water with an ice pack in, and then stored in the fridge till needed.

I never had any problems this way and it made sure the powder had very hot water on it to kill any bacteria.

 

[Nicola27]

i make up the bottles as needed but use water that has been boiled and then put into a flask - it then stays really hot in there for 6 hours so is good for a couple of feeds.

 

[Kitten-B]

I think the nhs guidelines are a bit unrealistic especially if you have a baby that suddenly gets very hungry. The World Health Organisation (google it) have a leaflet on safe formula prep which at least talks about the best alternatives to spending 40 mins making up each bottle.

This time around I can't be bothered to stress about it so I'm just using ready feed. Bulky and stupidly expensive but making my life so so much easier, better than buying expensive equipment, clothes etc IMO!

 

[sbl]

UK powdered formula is not a sterile product. There can be potentially dangerous bacteria present (although incredibly rare).

You must cover the formula with a shot of water over 70c to destroy these bacteria if they are present, you can then top up with cool boiled water to make a good temp for baby.


Liquid formula is sterile.

This is exactly what I do!

 

[kettle28]

Lo is on hypoallergenic formula which has to be made with water that's been boiled and cooled til warm to the wrist (temp baby would drink at).

We pre make bottles and put in the fridge, it takes about 40 mins for water to cool enough otherwise!

If standard formula though, I'd be saying bugger the kettle and give me a tommee tippee perfect prep!

 

[Chloe.E]

I half fill my bottles with boiled water, put them in the fridge then top them up and put the powder in when needed. Easier, and perfect temp!

 

[MindUtopia]

I don't see what all the stress is about. I make bottles fresh all the time (except the one overnight one, just out of habit more than anything) and it takes no time at all. I sterilise all the bottles twice a day (that's the only thing that's a pain in the ass), then when I need one, boil the kettle and make the bottle (takes about a minute) and then it cools in cold water while I change my daughter for about 5 minutes and then it's ready to eat. Generally, I know about how long she goes between feeds, so it's easy to anticipate when I need to put the kettle on. I used to use a flask, but just doing the kettle and making them fresh was so much easier (no flask to clean!). Formula smells and tastes better when it's fresh anyway. I find the nasty rotten cabbage smell only gets worse when they sit around. And there have been babies who've died from improperly made formula, so I figure since it's easy might as well do it the right way.

 

[Gina91]

I don't see what all the stress is about. I make bottles fresh all the time (except the one overnight one, just out of habit more than anything) and it takes no time at all. I sterilise all the bottles twice a day (that's the only thing that's a pain in the ass), then when I need one, boil the kettle and make the bottle (takes about a minute) and then it cools in cold water while I change my daughter for about 5 minutes and then it's ready to eat. Generally, I know about how long she goes between feeds, so it's easy to anticipate when I need to put the kettle on. I used to use a flask, but just doing the kettle and making them fresh was so much easier (no flask to clean!). Formula smells and tastes better when it's fresh anyway. I find the nasty rotten cabbage smell only gets worse when they sit around. And there have been babies who've died from improperly made formula, so I figure since it's easy might as well do it the right way.

That's fine if I'm at home, but I don't take a kettle out with me? I've got a flask now which stays hot all day. Its quite a mission getting out of the house!

 

[lozzy21]

If i needed to make a bottle in a rush i would boil the kettle, put the boiling water in the bottle and rapid cool for a few mins, add the formula and then rapid cool untill it was cold enough to drink. Took less that 10 mins.

Crying is one of the last hunger signs so if you know your babys cues you can get the bottle done before they get inconsolable.

 

[Katerz]

I half fill my bottles with boiled water, put them in the fridge then top them up and put the powder in when needed. Easier, and perfect temp!

I do this too xx

 

[Beanonorder]

Well I've been doing it wrong too then!
I have a jug with a lid that has cooled boiled water in it and every time I make a bottle I boil the kettle and add the newly boiled water to the cooled water until its warm and then make the bottle. I used to make it with boiled water and cooled it in cold water until I learnt this trick from my friend with twins back home.
I never make up bottles to use later though. Always freshly made for each feed. If we're going out I take a small flask of perfect temperature boiled water and make up the bottle at feeding time.

I don't use UK formula though. I use imported formula from Holland. (Am in China). Think it makes a difference?

 

[Nessicle]

My babies are/were fed on demand they never had a set routine with feeds so impossible to know when a feed was due, therefore the guidelines were unrealistic for us. Before my awesome perfect prep machine I would add the cooled boiled water to the sterile bottles and leave on the side add powder when needed after warming in the microwave. Worked for us!

 

[bathbabe]

https://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/PIF_Bottle_en.pdf

Premaking was the best way for us. Thats the WHO guildlines on it.

Basically...
Boil kettle
Make a day worth of feeds
Rapid cool - we used to put all the bottles in the washing up bowl filling it with the water only a tad higher than where the milk sat in the bottle - so they wouldnt tip over!
Put them in the BACK of the fridge - where it is a more constant temp
Heat when needed!


Super easy when you go out coz you can just stick one straight in your bag ready for when you need it or most places are very helpful with warming them I never had an issue. x

 

[bathbabe]

and chuck out any feed not used within 24 hours x

 

[Lavendel]

Well I've been doing it wrong too then!
I have a jug with a lid that has cooled boiled water in it and every time I make a bottle I boil the kettle and add the newly boiled water to the cooled water until its warm and then make the bottle. I used to make it with boiled water and cooled it in cold water until I learnt this trick from my friend with twins back home.
I never make up bottles to use later though. Always freshly made for each feed. If we're going out I take a small flask of perfect temperature boiled water and make up the bottle at feeding time.

I don't use UK formula though. I use imported formula from Holland. (Am in China). Think it makes a difference?

i live in holland and i can tell u that at the hospital (when i didnt have any milk yet) they prepared the formula for a whole day and put it in the fridge. plus they r not so picky with boiling and storing. i sometimes make a formula bottle and take it around for emergencies if i should stay out too long.
i was told it is ok to warm the water in the microwave too. also i was told it is unnecessary to sterilize more than once every 24hours.
i mean, we like in the 21st centuary in the rich part of the world, it is not that dangerous, unless the water u use is not safe and cannot be drunk!

 

[randomrach]

I don't see what all the stress is about. I make bottles fresh all the time (except the one overnight one, just out of habit more than anything) and it takes no time at all. I sterilise all the bottles twice a day (that's the only thing that's a pain in the ass), then when I need one, boil the kettle and make the bottle (takes about a minute) and then it cools in cold water while I change my daughter for about 5 minutes and then it's ready to eat. Generally, I know about how long she goes between feeds, so it's easy to anticipate when I need to put the kettle on. I used to use a flask, but just doing the kettle and making them fresh was so much easier (no flask to clean!). Formula smells and tastes better when it's fresh anyway. I find the nasty rotten cabbage smell only gets worse when they sit around. And there have been babies who've died from improperly made formula, so I figure since it's easy might as well do it the right way.

You obviously don't have mam bottles put a hot bottle in a bowl of cold water and you get leaks in through the holes in the bottom. It doesn't make a difference how tight you do it up or press the rubber seal in the bottom. I've always made in advance and lo has had no problems. If I were using a different type of bottles I would make day time ones fresh and probably keep nighttime ones in the fridge. If I'm out I take a sterile bottle and a bottle of ready made formula. Easy.

 

[Librastar2828]

The easiest way is like others have said is to boil kettle. Makes feeds up and put in cold water to cool. Store in fridge..

However when out you need to reheat as well as keep cool tillyouneedit

I used to boil the kettle
Fill bottles with water
Leave on the side
Add powder when needed.

Must be drunk immediately and any left thrown away
People will say this is wrong ect but my lo was perfectly fine and was never ill!
Meant I didn't have to keep feeds cool when I was out, nor did I have to Taff trying to heat them up. I did read somewhere that this is ok to do as well.not advised as the best way though