Formula newbie - help please!!!

[wish4baby]

Hi ladies!!! It’s been awhile since I’ve been on, but at times like these, i am so grateful for a community like this
Anyway, we unexpectedly ended up with custody of our newborn nephew. We have 6 kids, our youngest is just over a year old, so it’s been ROUGH! But he’s a little angel - almost a month old now. He’s been with us almost 2 weeks.
He’s drinking powdered formula, which I have never used. I have found it easiest to make a pitcher and keep it refrigerated for 24 hrs, pouring bottles from there & just running it under warm water to take the chill off (he’s fine with that).
My question is: Can I reuse a bottle for a few hours, rinsing in between? I know to throw out unused formula after an hour... but for example: Can I pour 2.5 oz, he finishes, i rinse out, then he naps for an hour and wants another oz, so i use that same bottle? I’d never let it go for hours and hours, though. Also, just to note: i keep a bowl of hot soapy water + vinegar next to the sink and soak the bottles & parts in there until the evening. Then they all go in the dishwasher on a sanitizer cycle - every night.
Due to what the darling has been through in his short life, I’m not going to try to stretch the time or anything, just yet (well nothing more than a diaper change/burp/lay him down to see if he’ll wake for more). He’s 100% on demand for the next couple months... he likes to munch and nap all day/night, which makes it difficult

Second question...I’m too embarrassed to even ask anyone in real life so if this is way too taboo, please be gentle LOL
I’m still nursing my youngest...would anyone consider pumping milk into a bottle for their nephew? I have thought about it but it seems strange.

Thanks in advance!

 

[krissie328]

I use to rinse out ds's bottles throughout the day with a bottle brush and soap that was exclusive to that purpose. We never had any issues. At the time we didn't have a dishwasher and that made it way easier.

I see no reason he cannot have your expressed milk. I've heard of people using doner milk and I think its lovely.

 

[Witchrose]

Cleaning the bottles that way is fine.

Regarding the expressed bm, while that is generally fine to do, I would not unless I spoke to the child's mother and received an "okay". To do something like that without getting permission, seems to me, to be crossing a line.

 

[krissie328]

Regarding the expressed bm, while that is generally fine to do, I would not unless I spoke to the child's mother and received an "okay". To do something like that without getting permission, seems to me, to be crossing a line.

Considering she has custody of the child and the mother does not want him I see no reason to involve her.

 

[Witchrose]

Regarding the expressed bm, while that is generally fine to do, I would not unless I spoke to the child's mother and received an "okay". To do something like that without getting permission, seems to me, to be crossing a line.

Considering she has custody of the child and the mother does not want him I see no reason to involve her.

We don't know the full story. The mother could still be part of the child's life. If she's not, and will never be... that's one thing. But if she is still involved, then I would ask. Anything involving bodily fluids is a very personal thing. Plus, bodily fluids can carry things. And that last bit is not directed at OP. I'm just saying it *can*. So for several reasons, I don't think it's right to take such a liberty.

The OP obviously loves her nephew and is taking great care of him. She doesn't need to go beyond that into perhaps shady territory.

But ultimately, the OP will do what she feels is right.

 

[wish4baby]

Regarding the expressed bm, while that is generally fine to do, I would not unless I spoke to the child's mother and received an "okay". To do something like that without getting permission, seems to me, to be crossing a line.

Considering she has custody of the child and the mother does not want him I see no reason to involve her.

We don't know the full story. The mother could still be part of the child's life. If she's not, and will never be... that's one thing. But if she is still involved, then I would ask. Anything involving bodily fluids is a very personal thing. Plus, bodily fluids can carry things. And that last bit is not directed at OP. I'm just saying it *can*. So for several reasons, I don't think it's right to take such a liberty.

The OP obviously loves her nephew and is taking great care of him. She doesn't need to go beyond that into perhaps shady territory.

But ultimately, the OP will do what she feels is right.

Yeah, I think part of the reason I am questioning it is because I would feel like this regarding MY child...however, his mother is a homeless drug addict who walked out of the hospital the day she had the c/section, disappeared and never looked back. He tested positive for multiple serious drugs at birth that being said, I don’t think she cares at all what we do and I wouldn’t know how to find her anyway.
His father (my BIL) tried (?) to care for him for a few days but he also is unfit and luckily the police found him before he could cause any lasting harm to baby...but baby lived in a crack motel with strangers in a cloud of smoke for his first week or so, his needs barely being met. I suppose I *could* ask his dad but I don’t really want to get involved with him, nor do I care what he thinks.

Glad to hear that doing the bottles this way is ok. I figured they were clean enough, I’d drink out of them lol just wanted to double check.
Thank you all for your input!!