Confused about making up bottles?

[shellideaks]

Hi all. My little girl is still in hospital at the moment but she's coming home tomorrow and I'm confused about how to make up her feeds. I understand it's not advisable to make them in advance these days (with my son I made 6 bottles in one go with boiled water and just added powder when he wanted his bottle) and I'm quite happy to make them up as needed during the day at home, but how do people work around night feeds and when you're out and about?

Any tips, or even explaining how you personally do it would be greatly appreciated

 

[Katy Bug]

I don't boil my water, just use filtered fridge water. When out and about I take however many bottles I think I may need and have them already filled with water. I have a little container with three dividers that holds the powdered formula. I just slide the top to the right divider and pour the measured amount into the bottle.

 

[shellideaks]

See that's what I used to do but the midwife has told me today that the water has to be hot when mixing as if it's not, it won't sterilise the formula?

 

[skunkpixie]

Hey there. Guidelines in the UK and those outlined by the World Health Organisation stress the importance of powder formula being made up with water at a temperature of at least 70c+ (so still hot and steaming). This is because formula powder is not sterile and can potentially (but rarely) contain bacteria than can be very harmful to babies. Using water at a temp of 70c+ will destroy this bacteria.
You can store hot water in a thermos flask and use when needed rather than boiling the kettle each time. Just boil kettle, leave to cool for 10-15 mins, fill your flask up and use throughout the day to make up feeds. Replenish flask with more hot water when needed. The only waiting time you will have then is a 5-10 min wait while the feed cools to a drinkable temperature. xxx

 

[Saphira]

We go by the exact instructions on the back of the formula box, which varies depending on the brand and maybe country. So, I can only speak going by the formula we use. It's stated to make up every bottle fresh. We first boil water, then put it through the Cool Twister (cools boiled water to desired temperature in 80 seconds), which brings the water temperature down to 50°c. Temperatures above that can kill the nutrients (again, going by the formula we use). Then we add the powder, give it a good shake and serve. When out and about we bring a thermos filled with boiled water and a formula dispenser. When she's hungry we add the desired amount of water in her bottle, let it cool to desired temperature, then add the powder and shake.

Hope that helps! Congratulations on your baby girl, by the way!

 

[Ktothema]

I second the flask of hot water method. I use this, pop a bottle on and leave it in a jug of cold water we keep stored in the fridge.

If you need bottles a little more quickly some people suggest having a flask/jug of cooled boiled water in the fridge and making up the bottle with half boiling water, add all the formula and mix, add half cooled water. This is fine as long as you measure the water properly (personally I'd make sure the measurer was sterile too).

 

[shellideaks]

Brilliant, thanks for everyone's help! I'm gonna go get a thermos flask today before we pick her up. Will also take a look at the instructions on the powder that I've got

 

[youngwife20]

Hi all. My little girl is still in hospital at the moment but she's coming home tomorrow and I'm confused about how to make up her feeds. I understand it's not advisable to make them in advance these days (with my son I made 6 bottles in one go with boiled water and just added powder when he wanted his bottle) and I'm quite happy to make them up as needed during the day at home, but how do people work around night feeds and when you're out and about?

Any tips, or even explaining how you personally do it would be greatly appreciated

Formula is not safe to be made in not boiled water anymore. for sure not in cold.

I do make 3 bottles.

Boiled water poured in bottles ( Use the boiled water within 30mins so it isnt to cool)

Add the right amount of formula. then rapid cool with ice and water.

Store in the fridge.

When out I take a flask and a contianer and warm when I need.

I make one bottle from fresh as it last 2 hours take in her warm bag, so I have one ready when she needs it.

Also take 2 cold bottles in her FridgetoGo bag
https://www.fridge-to-go.com/ ( I got mine from tescos

If you are making it as you need it.

Here is a way.

If I need to make a 6 ounce bottle.

I add 3 ounces of boiled water.
Add 6 ounces of formula.
Shake well.
Add 3 ounces of COLD water that was boiled that has been in the fridge.
Shake and serve
Ready instantly at the right temperature.
This is a very easy method , bacteria gets killed with the boiled water and you still get to use it instantly as you would want.

Hope your baby is home with you soon


Also when your out you could get these little compartments for formula dispensers were you measure the right amount into the compartments and you can use a cool bag that keeps water/or whatever cold. and you can make bottles while your out the same way as above.