Formula question

[MummyPony]

Hello

It's all confusing how advice varies per country

In UK To make up formula you have to boil water and make it fresh each time, you cannot store made formula and you cannot set up sterile bottles of booked water in advance

Yet only in Ireland you can set up the sterile bottles of water and even make it up in advance with boiling water and store for 24hrd

Why does the advice vary so much?

It would be so handy to make up the feeds in advance but or midwives say not to but if I lived in Ireland it would be ok so clearly not causing harm to babies!

 

[skunkpixie]

The World Health Organisation guidelines state to prepairing feeds the way we do in the UK (each one fresh using water above 70c) is the safest way to prepare formula. The second safest is to prepare the feeds as above and then rapid cool, store in the fridge and use within 24 hours. The third safest is to store cooled, boiled water in sterilised bottles, then add the formula powder to the room temp water when baby needs a feed.

However I have read studies from other bodies that state that the chance of the parent/baby being adversely affected by using hot water to prepare feeds (ie scolding) is much much higher than the chance of a baby getting sick from potential bacteria contained in the formula (which is probably true). This is one of the reasons that countries such as USA, AUS, NZ all use room temperature water to prepare feeds.

xxx

 

[skunkpixie]

So basically if you're happy to prepare feeds with cooled boiled water left in sterile bottles then go for it! This is what we do as DD3 has Hipp Organic formula which needs to be made up with cooler water. xx

 

[MummyPony]

Excellent - thank you for reassuring me - I will use cooled boiled water and that way we can prepare them in advance

 

[mandimoo]

I carefully prepare 3 at a time by using water above 70deg, then cool quickly in a bowl of cold water for 10 mins then in the fridge. This way the bottles are stored for approx 12 hours max (half the recommended max time) and I make the next batch when I use the last stored bottle. I was so paranoid about going against the guidelines but in the early days I just couldn't anticipate when she would want the next bottle and the idea of trying to make her wait for it once she had started crying for it...!!! No chance! She is much more predictable now, but as she didn't get ill yet I guess I think it's okay to pre-prepare the feed. I jus make sure I thoroughly clean and sterilise the bottles, the work surfaces and be very mindful of the time limit advice re storage and how long it can be used once out of the fridge.

 

[mandimoo]

BTW.... If you mix the formula using *cooled* boiled water, that water will not be hot enough to kill any bacteria that may be lurking in the powder. It would be safer to mix as I described above. X x

 

[Leesy]

I wash & steralise bottles and fill with boiling water. When I need to make one (water has cooled) I warm it in the microwave then add the formula. My lo is fine lol.

 

[b4baby]

I was worried before giving formula as DD goes from 0-hungry in 0.6 seconds and all the formula cartoons say to boil kettle, leave 30 mins, add powder and cool. But there was no way that I could do that. So now I boil the kettle and leave to cool for 30 mins, add formula and cool and then put it in the fridge. I do a couple of these at a time and then just warm them up when I need them. So far DD has been fine with this. My sister used to make all her bottles up the same way as I do but she did them all the night before ready for the next day and she never had any problems.
Personally I think the formula companies only write that on the box as a precaution to cover themselves. Very few people I know make them up fresh each time

 

[JMB1992]

I do the same as Mandimoo. It kills all potential bacteria then. I do agree its strange though. As in hospitals (uk) they have a milk kitchen and all bottles are made in advance and stored in the fridge. My lg's been in twice and this is how they have done it. I asked why the guidelines are to make up fresh and they said they just tell people that and it's really because a lot of people's home fridges are dirty! Nothing to do with the actual milk breeding bacteria! :S x