Am I doing it right?!

[SilasLove]

Wow! It seems you ladies have to go through a lot to clean and make bottles. I wash bottles in hot soapy water and leave them to dry on a bottle rack and then when Bryson is hungry, I use room temperature purified bottled water in the bottles and add the formula and give it to him. I have never had a problem and he is just fine. Different customs I guess.

Hah, right! I do not go through all that at all. I think I would go insane if I did honestly, since Anthony is hungry when he is hungry!

 

[Kit]

There seems to be quite a bit of conflicting information out there - I think technically the correct method is to boil a kettle, let it cool slightly, put it in a sterilised bottle with the milk powder and let it cool down to the right temperature but I cannot possibly see how this would work in practice unless your baby is incredibly predictable in its feed times and you never leave the house! I boil a kettle whenever I sterilise bottles and fill up all the bottles and put them in the fridge. When I need to make a feed I just top them up with fresh boiled water to get them to the right temperature and add the powder.

 

[Aidedhoney]

I do it your way, its the way the HV and the hospital suggested.

Everyone has their own ideas, i do what works for me x

 

[sweetcheeks85]

I make up each feed fresh as I need it by using a flask.

I boil the kettle.
Let it cool for half an hour.
Fill the flask (water stays at correct temp for 4-5 hours)
Make up feed with water from flask when needed.
Cool down in jug of cold water.

Personally I dont think it takes anymore time than trying to heat up a cold feed from the fridge, but then again my LO like his feeds quite warm anyways. When out and about I use a ready made carton for convinence.

I agree with aided honey, everyone has their own ideas on how to best make up a feed but u need to do wat works for you and ure family.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I think the most important thing is that you know all the facts about why it is safest to make up each feed fresh, then make your decision. I use ready made, but if I used powder I'd do same as sweetcheeks85. Second choice would be making up several bottles fresh, cooling on the side, then storing in the fridge, then re-heating when required. I would not add powder to room temp water.

 

[Kte]

I make mine differently but I don't think there really is one set way, I was soooo very confused at the beginning too. My HV recently said when out an about to put the boiled water in a thermos to keep it warm then add the powder to it, so to me that sounds similar to how you are doing it now i.e warming up the water and adding powder.

If your LO seems happy and healthy with the way you are doing it then I don't see why you should change your methods

 

[Vici]

I'm with Claire, I don't like to add powder to water that has been left for longer than 30 mins as I want to make sure the bugs are gone. Because of that, i boil kettle, wait 20 mins, remove bottles from cold water steriliser, add water, add powder, stir and quick cool in ice water. I thern pop at back of fridge and heat to room temp when Imi needs a bottle. When I go out I use ready made

 

[Mary Jo]

Also, why does the water have to cool down for half hour before I put it in the bottles? Surely it doesn't make a difference if it cools down in the kettle or the bottles?

I think this recommendation might be in place because pouring boiling water into a bottle that is not BPA-free might cause more of the BPA to be released. If you use BPA-free bottles, you can add it when boiling, though not the powder till it's cooled slightly as I have heard it can get burnt. I think I remember seeing something about too-hot water destroying some of the added nutrients in the formula, can't remember which, though.

news story that mentions the boiling water in bottles thing

 

[Chaos]

I can't be doing with all this boiling/waiting for things to cool so I just get a big gallon of distilled water at the time (Distilled water is basically the same as boiling it. .. they boil the water and then collect the steam as it turns back in to water) A gallon has lasted us 2 weeks so far and is like 2 bucks for it.

I never warm her bottles, unless I'm giving her breast milk from the fridge, then I do. The body digests things better at room temp anyways.

Here's what I do:

Wash the bottles, chuck them in the sterilizer (I have 3 bottles).
I'll fill them with 5 oz of water, leave them on the side next to the formula box.
When she's ready to feed, shove 2 scoops of powder in, shake it and its ready to go.

She's fine, the pediatrician says its fine.

Roll on 4 months when we aint got to sterilize anymore lol.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I used to leave them in the fridge for 24 hours lol mine are both fine x

 

[Vici]

I thought about that too Chaos, but I am more concerned about adding milk powder to cold/room temp water because it doen't kill the bugs. I do know guidelines are very diff in the US

 

[lexy604]

I just boil water in the morning and either let it cool or add to bottles and let it cool either way i dont use it until its room temp i never heat the bottles Carter takes them room temp. I make them up as i go i was doing them up and putting them in the fridge but it was a pain to reheat them. My formula actually says cool the water to room temp so im not worried about "killing the bugs" in the formula.

 

[lexy604]

I can't be doing with all this boiling/waiting for things to cool so I just get a big gallon of distilled water at the time (Distilled water is basically the same as boiling it. .. they boil the water and then collect the steam as it turns back in to water) A gallon has lasted us 2 weeks so far and is like 2 bucks for it.

I never warm her bottles, unless I'm giving her breast milk from the fridge, then I do. The body digests things better at room temp anyways.

Here's what I do:

Wash the bottles, chuck them in the sterilizer (I have 3 bottles).
I'll fill them with 5 oz of water, leave them on the side next to the formula box.
When she's ready to feed, shove 2 scoops of powder in, shake it and its ready to go.

She's fine, the pediatrician says its fine.

Roll on 4 months when we aint got to sterilize anymore lol.

I never thought about the distilled water thing thats smart than i dont have to worry about boiling the water and waiting for it to cool as sometimes i totally forget and than i gotta cool it quick haha

 

[NIfirsttimer]

i havent read all the replies so forgive me if im repeating!
as far as i know, becasue the powder isnt sterile, it needs to be mixed with water of 70 degrees or more to kill any bacteria that might be there... the reason they recommend waiting 30 mins is to avoid the risk of scalding yourself (they must think we are stupid!) what i do with formula bottles is... boil kettle & steralise bottles, add the 8 scoops into empty bottle, measure out water in avent bottle & add to mam bottle, shake, and cool on the worktop for about 20 mins, then stick in the fridge, microwave for 50 secs as required (naughty me!) it works perfectly for us, and as the milk is made with hot hot water, then chilled quickly the chance of bacteria is minimal

 

[mum2beagain]

chaos,

are u really only told to sterilise for 4 months where u r blimey i wish it ws that easy in uk we are told u should sterilise up untill 12 months isnt it funny how guidelines are different in differnt countries where r u from

 

[lexy604]

funny how we all do all this sterilising and such when i was young my mom never sterilised my stuff and 27 years later im still here lol Ill probably do it for about 6 months i figure he more likely to get sick off something he puts in his mouth god knows where than his bottles not being sterilised

 

[Chaos]

Have a read of this Easier than me trying to explain haha

https://babyparenting.about.com/od/nutritionandfeeding/f/sterilizebottle.htm

 

[tinkabells]

Wow i dont do any of that, i found it all too much
I sterilise my bottles 4 at a time, then boil the kettle, put the water in her bottles, then her powder and then leave til when she needs, them i will if needed pop her bottle in the bottle warmer and feed her, i make up 4 bottles each time, hollie has never had any problems so it works well for us xxx

 

[letia659]

I can't be doing with all this boiling/waiting for things to cool so I just get a big gallon of distilled water at the time (Distilled water is basically the same as boiling it. .. they boil the water and then collect the steam as it turns back in to water) A gallon has lasted us 2 weeks so far and is like 2 bucks for it.

I never warm her bottles, unless I'm giving her breast milk from the fridge, then I do. The body digests things better at room temp anyways.

Here's what I do:

Wash the bottles, chuck them in the sterilizer (I have 3 bottles).
I'll fill them with 5 oz of water, leave them on the side next to the formula box.
When she's ready to feed, shove 2 scoops of powder in, shake it and its ready to go.

She's fine, the pediatrician says its fine.

Roll on 4 months when we aint got to sterilize anymore lol.

this is what I do except I just put my bottles in the dishwasher then use bottled water and I never warm his bottles they are given at room temperature

 

[littlekitten8]

Katie - I do it the same way as you and James hasn't had any problems. Also if we are out I have the TT milk dispenser things and so I just add the powder to room temperature bottle if I'm not somewhere where I can get boiling water. He takes it just fine.