Is it dangerous to pre-make formula?

[bumpy_j]

I ask this as I know nothing about formula feeding - I have a friend at work who recently told me that she's never made bottles on demand and has pre-made them and put them in the fridge to use at night. I always thought you had to make formula fresh but she said 'I know they tell you that but I've never had a problem with it'.

Her LO is about 10 months now so it may well be too late to say anything and I should probably just leave her to it because I assume she'll probably go onto cows milk in a couple of months. Just wondering what anyone else would do in this situation; would you say anything and is it actually dangerous? Thanks !

 

[Amber4]

Yes. Now you are supposed to make up fresh. Although I know many people who make the bottles in advance - the guidelines used to say that was fine. I make her morning feed and put in fridge only because I think handling boiling water is dangerous tired. Plus Brooke would scream waiting! Each to their own I think.

ETA - I have heard so many people say they make their bottles with boiled water that has cooled and then add formula (made the water for the day then add formula when needed) that is dangerous I think. I don't say anything though as it's up to them and I'm pretty sure a HV or midwife would of said when they had LO.

 

[summer rain]

It is potentially risky, there have been a few cases, though none in really recent years of babies contracting salmonella and other bugs that are in the powder. And yes this is the same in most developed countries, if you're making a milk powder on a mass industrial scale in huge vats its impossible to make this remotely sterile. Also there are a lot of cases of gastroenteritis in very young babies which may or may not be due to incorrectly prepared/stored formula hence the advice in some areas to use cartons for at least the first couple of weeks. There are WHO guidelines on premaking and storing as safely as possible but the safest thing is not to pre-make. If your friend hasn't had a problem now she has gotten away with it but personally I'd advise her of the current guidelines and why they are in place. A lot of people do assume powdered formula is sterile until opened when it is not, or they assume the reason for the guideline is due to bugs in the water, not the powder xx

 

[babybutton]

I think to acctully make up formula is dangerous. we steralize all bottles in evening and fill with boiled water then add formula when needed. We never leave a bottle of water more than 24 hours. I know a lot of people that do it this way. X

 

[steph.]

We have started combi-feeding and everything i read on the internet and formula tin say to make it fresh. But i went to visit a day-care last week and the lady there said now they premake the formula and leave it in the bottle-warmer So i guess it cant be that bad. I wouldnt say anything, she has probably been doing it that way for a while and wont change.

 

[lovelylaura]

i think it was because people put them at the front of the fridge so constantly opening the fridge made the temp drop therefore milk was up and down in temp which is not good, but i was told by HV if you store them at the back and only 2/3 at a time it will be fine x

 

[My_First]

We used SMA Staydown milk. The guidelines are to make it with chilled water. I couldn't really see the difference in chilled than room temperature, so I made it with room temperature water, on demand. I honestly cant see the difference as it woudl be packed in the same factory?

That said, what Summer Rain has said. The cases of babies getting sick from the way formula is made is very, very rare. I would expect more to get sick from incorrect storage, leaving it out to long, leaving the lid off the tine etc. So, in answer to your question, I woudl say not to bother saying anything as I believe very few people actually make it up the 'correct way' anyway. I sure as heck know that I wasnt going to spend half an hour waiting for boiled water to cool to feed my screaming baby...

 

[Amber4]

We used SMA Staydown milk. The guidelines are to make it with chilled water. I couldn't really see the difference in chilled than room temperature, so I made it with room temperature water, on demand. I honestly cant see the difference as it woudl be packed in the same factory?

That said, what Summer Rain has said. The cases of babies getting sick from the way formula is made is very, very rare. I would expect more to get sick from incorrect storage, leaving it out to long, leaving the lid off the tine etc. So, in answer to your question, I woudl say not to bother saying anything as I believe very few people actually make it up the 'correct way' anyway. I sure as heck know that I wasnt going to spend half an hour waiting for boiled water to cool to feed my screaming baby...

Good point about the SMA staydown as we used it for a few weeks. I was concerned and asked the doctor who told as long as the bottles were sterilised then she'd be fine. Seems strange it's safe with that milk but not with others. I don't know about anyone elses baby but if I leave it out for too long she wouldn't drink it anyways? Must taste funny? I don't know!

 

[midori1999]

I think to acctully make up formula is dangerous. we steralize all bottles in evening and fill with boiled water then add formula when needed. We never leave a bottle of water more than 24 hours. I know a lot of people that do it this way. X

Actually this is more dangerous than pre-making and the UK guidelines state that water must be at least 70 degrees C when the powder is added. This is because formula powder is not sterlie.

Making up bottles in advance and storing in the fridge for up to 24 hours is not the ideal method, but is acceptable.

https://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_124526.pdf

 

[beth_terri]

Hv- we have to recommend you make fresh bottles, but in the real world who wants to be up with a screaming baby at night making up a fresh bottle.

I pre made my eldests bottles (not at first) and he's turned out just fine x

 

[ChristinaG]

i use concentrate and the box says that it can stay in the fridge up to 48 hours. |Each night I boil water and sterilize 6 bottles, then make up a can of formula in a sterilized glass jug, then pour into bottles and use them within 24 hours.

WHen I used powered, I would sterilize the bottles and put boiled water in each bottle and leave them on the counter, then add powder as needed.

A lot of doctors don't even believe in sterilizing bottles, or using sterile and those babies survive too. Its up to you! If you find your baby has an upset stomache after using stored formula, then don't. If s/he doesn't seem to mind, then do what works for you! Don't make life harder than it needs to be!

 

[midori1999]

I don't want to scaremonger, as the chances of your baby getting ill from incorrectly made formula are very small, but if you don't use water hot enough to sterilise the powder, this can be the end result, so it's really, really important.

https://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/a1/article_8d4f5e4d-7e74-5603-8709-77ce9f0b8be9.html

(I am only posting this as I see lots of Mums posting that they use cool/cold water to make up formula and it's really important that it is 70 degrees. I am NOT 'formula bashing, just re-interating how important it is to make it up safely)

 

[My_First]

But how do I do that when its suggested to make it with chilled water?

 

[babyoneill]

i have pre made my bottles with all 3 of my children and it did them no harm and i just make one in advance unless im goin out then i make a couple x

 

[GracieGoo]

I think to acctully make up formula is dangerous. we steralize all bottles in evening and fill with boiled water then add formula when needed. We never leave a bottle of water more than 24 hours. I know a lot of people that do it this way. X

See I have been told that this way of making up bottles is dangerous as in the uk, powder (unless specified on the tin), should be made up with water that is at least 70 degrees to kill all of the bacteria in the formula.

To the original poster - this thread is likely to throw back a lot of opinions, especially as I understand that in different parts of the world the way it says on the tins to make up formula is very different. Also as aother poster has said, her hv said it was ok to premake although nhs guidelines say not too. My midwife also said it is safe - talk about major contridiction eh!

I am in the UK, and although it is advised to make up bottles from fresh, I also follow the WHO guidelines to making up bottles. I make up 3 at a time, rapid cool and place in the back of the fridge. It works for us, all feeds are used within 1 hour of heating back up, and if we are leaving the house I always make fresh as I cannot regulate the temp of the bottle otherwise. I am sure your friend will have done her research and she has chosen a way to make up feeds. It does work for us, some people say I may have been lucky to not experience any problems, thats fine. I am confident in the way I make up bottles based on the research I have done.

 

[bumpy_j]

Thanks everyone - I wasn't sure as I really don't know a thing - I assumed it was just incase of contamination but I was also concerned there was something more to it like maybe it goes off. She said herself she wasn't sure why those were the guildlines and I certainly didn't know so thought I'd double check. I probably wont bring it up due to her LOs age but if she mentions it again I'll probably do what summer rain suggested and tell her what I know now. Thanks again everyone - useful as always

 

[emilyjade]

Topics like this would be easier to understand if health care professionals knew the guidelines! With DS both MW and HV recommended to pre do the bottles of boiled water and add formula when needed. This was they best way for demand feeding apparently! x

 

[beth_terri]

But how do I do that when its suggested to make it with chilled water?

That's different hun as they are the guides for the type of milk you use. The other poster is talking about people who use normal sma for example and use boiled water that's been in the fridge so it therefore cooler than 70 degrees xx

 

[ClairAye]

I make up LOs bottles with boiling water then put them in the fridge when cool enough, they are never in there for over 24 hours

 

[stardust599]

We sterilise, pre-make, rapid cool and store in the back of the fridge for 4/5 bottles at a time. My little man has reflux and eats 10-12 bottles a day and there's no way I'm making up that many fresh bottles for him with a toddler to chase after too!