Heating milk

[laurarna87]

Hi moms! Let me introduce me, I’m Laura, the proud mom of Ryan, a big handsome boy (4,1 Kg). He’s almost 2 weeks now, and I couldn’t be happier for having him. I wanted to rise what it would sound trivial for most of you, but it is a mystery for me. How do you heat your baby’s milk? And how do you check that it has the perfect temperature for your babies? I know that there are several ways of heating: water-bath using stove, microwave, electric baby-bottle heaters… but what do you use? Why? Is there something healthier (less bacteria or something) than others? And then, how do you check the milk’s temperature? Do you just test it on your hand? Taste it? Use an infrared thermometer? What is it better and why? Thanks in advance. Laura

 

[caz_hills]

Firstly massive congrats on becoming a mum!! Woohoo!

For heating milk we always made it (kettle boiling water and cooled it) so when we gave it to my son it was about the right temperature. But as he got older we started hearing the milk so it was warm and now we have a milk diva! Aged 5.5 he has milk morning and night and always needs it warm. I would Hearn it by putting in the microwave for say 15 seconds and give it a very good swirl so there are no hotspots. But I know that's not recommended. To test it I just put a few drops on the back of my hand. I always am cautious so prefer it cooler than warmer.

For our daughter I'm determined that she will take milk cold, warm or whatever! We have a perfect prep machine so it makes it a good temperature. But if I use the ready made cartons I don't hear it so that she won't be fussy like my son!

 

[xdxxtx]

When I'm only heating a few ounces, it takes exactly 3 minutes to put hot water in a big coffee mug and stick the bottle inside and get it to my babies' perfect body temperature. Otherwise, I do use a bottle warmer. I breastfeed for the first few months, so most of my babies wanted their thawed breastmilk to be my body's temperature. Otherwise, you just make the bottle room temperature and then warm it up more if baby complains. I had one baby who'd take bottles straight out of the fridge - I LOVED that. I test the milk on my wrist.

 

[Mrs. MB]

I have a Dr. Brown's warmer. It has guidelines for heating bottles on the back but you kind of figure it out on your own depending on the bottle and amount. I test is on the inside of my wrist. If I ever overheat I pop the bottle under running cold water and it's perfect in no time. Bottle warmers do take a few minutes to heat but so does boiling a kettle and warming the bottle. My little one is on formula because I had crap milk so microwave isn't an option and I don't trust the formula mixers.

 

[MindUtopia]

I always set it in a bowl of boiled hot water from the kettle for about 3 minutes (this is from refrigerated, obviously if I made it fresh, I would chill it in ice water in the bowl). I've been told not to microwave as it can create scalding pockets in the fats in formula and breastmilk, which can burn, even when the bottle itself doesn't feel hot. Also, our microwave isn't super clean, not disgusting, but I don't clean it every day like I would a bowl. I also found it was near impossible to make it too hot this way. Really, temperature was just down to the feel. Once you get used to what the right temp feels like, it's easy just to hold the bottle and check. Otherwise, I'd just drink some and see if it was too hot. The temperature really doesn't matter for safety (assuming you've made the formula with hot water at the right temperature), so it's really just a matter of preference. Some will drink it cold straight from the fridge, but I usually warmed it to room temp or just above. The ready to use cartons I offered at room temp though and never warmed (because I only used them when we were out and had nowhere to heat them anyway).

 

[Twag]

My DD will only take milk from a bottle hot (I must have hot boobies as the only way we could get her to take from a bottle and now she will only have it that way) I do her's 30secs in the microwave and give it a shake (for no hotspots) NOW I know this is too warm for most babies but this is THE ONLY way I could get her to take from a bottle at all - to test it i used the wrist as that is the most sensitive spot I think - her milk feels slightly warm (not scolding) whereas other babies like my son if you tested it you wouldn't feel it as it was body temp if that makes sense?

Sorry I am rambling now

I have heard perfect prep machines are good

 

[Gem_Clem]

Ive always done it in microwave for both my LO's, always shake it when it comes out so theres no hotspots obviously. You just get to know with the size of bottle they take, how long it needs, so she takes 8oz bottles now, it takes 1 min, all microwaves will differ depending on power etc. I check it on the back of my hand.

 

[Wannabe Mommy]

We always put half the amount of boiling water in then topped up with cooled boiled water we kept in the fridge. It worked out perfect temp and was quick.

 

[kellyc1987]

We used a perfect prep machine but if I needed to warm breast milk I'd probably put boiling water in a bowl and put the bottle in that and test it in my wrist before giving to baby

 

[nessaw]

I got into the habit of making it whilst Eva was napping so it had time to cool. I made it with boiling water and put it in a jug of cold. By the time she woke up it was just warm. I checked on the inside of my wrist. In the end I got 2 flasks-one proper thermal one and one like you have for coffee at work. I filled them with just boiled water then mixed the hotter and colder ones to get the right temp. I never heated ready made stuff. I used to take the flasks up to bed and made it upstairs in the night.

 

[CRWx]

Hot water in her bottle with formula then stick it in a sink of cold water to cool down here!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Mine just drinks at room temp

 

[claireanddaz]

Perfect prep machine best thing ever