Is it dangerous to pre-make formula?

[Mummy Bean]

I think the three main things for the uk to consider are:
1) bottles are steralised after each use.
2) any water used has to have been boiled at some point to kill of bacteria and any chemicals in it.
3) the formula should come into contact with hot water (+70c) to kill of bacteria in the formula.

i think as long as these 3 things are done then in what order and when and how much shouldnt be too much of a concern and should be down to each parent to suit there needs.

 

[Saphira]

Depending on the specific recommendations of your follow-on milk or formula manufacturer, powder should only be added to water once it has cooled to 40, 50, 60 or 70°C. If the temperature falls below 40°C, the powder will not dissolve properly and lumps will form. On the other hand, exceeding the recommended temperature destroys important nutrients such as
probiotic cultures.

Just read this from the Nip site. On the back of the box of the formula we use is stated to add the powder to boiled water brought down to 50ºc so that's what we've been doing.

 

[susan_1981]

This is all so confusing, everything conflicts! My mum, mother in law, sister and sister in law all used to make up 3 bottles of formula at a time with boiling water, leave it on the side and use when needed. This is what I plan on doing. That's 9 children who have been fed this way that i know and all are fine so I intend to do this from now. Up until now, I've been making up fresh bottles on demand (as well as expressing and breast feeding but this just isn't working out for me) and using the pre-made formula at night but this is getting expensive. It's very interesting to read everyone's views and the conflicting advice that's been given. To me, if the powder isn't sterile then using cooled down boiled water would surely be pointless?

 

[MrsPear]

A) Half the confusion over who says and does what on here is the difference between the US and UK guidelines - which differ massively - this is probably the only forum I really take note of the poster's location when reading posts for that reason.

B) I don't actually see why the OP is sticking her nose in to be honest - some kind of "making a FF mum feel crap" crusade?

C) I've always read it that premaking has "a" risk to it, is less than ideal but in storing the bottles sensibly and following precautions - it's something you balance out for yourself versus the ideal method which requires rubbing your head, patting your tummy, consoling a sobbing infant while bottles cool and standing on your head farting rainbows. You make the decision for your own child - but don't let that get in the way of internet FF-bashing vigilanteeism.

I don't know that that's entirely fair. The OP was simply asking whether it was dangerous or not because she didn't know, and has stated that based on the age of the child and the responses given, she will not say anything. It didn't have anything to do with labelling her friend with a certain parenting method or criticising her, just (it seems to me) a genuine concern that her friend may be risking something like food poisoning for her LO, and whether people thought in the situation the risks would be great enough to speak up to her friend about it.

 

[Courtcourt]

I've always done it that way. It's fine, as long as she stores it in the fridge properly and doesn't make it too far ahead. I've got a formula mixer and make it for the day, I wouldn't use it the next day. Just enough for morning through bedtime. Ive not known off of bnb that made every bottle on demand with boiled water.

 

[flashy09]

Just out of curiosity, do you have Nursery Water in the UK? It makes it so easy. It doesn't need to be refrigerated and so formula is always room temperature. No chemicals and all the right levels of fluoride,etc. So the water is taken care of, but I am not sure why we in the US don't worry about bacteria in the powder....a lot of the formulas with probiotics added like Gerber Good Start actually say to not let the formula get hot or it will kill the good bugs.

Learning a lot on this forum! I just started giving one bottle a day and trying to learn all the formula guidelines before I make a big mistake!

 

[PinkGlitter87]

I have pre made all of Aidan bottles since he was born, i make 5 every morning for the whole day and store them in the fridge... each to their own i think x x x

 

[readytotry]

@Midori where are those figures from? Its just I am trying to do the maths here?

2 in 1000 works out at 0.2% right?

From what I have seen, number of cases of salmonella in the Uk in 2010 were just over 9000 and the number of babies born were 720,000. Now I couldn't find a break down of figures but assuming all of those cases were babies thats 0.0125%.

Okay so of that 9000 it was all ages and salmonella cases so covered anything (interestingly enough the highest cases were over the summer), so that 2 in 1000 is certainly not correct?

Have I misinterpreted that somehwhere?

Editted to say I have also just read that there have actually only been 70 cases of E.sakazakii worldwide 2 of which were in the UK in 1961, (infected incubator). None have been recorded since. Again where does one in 100,000 come from?

I am honestly not trying to be awkward, just interested in those figures...

NERD!


I mean that as a compliment btw.

 

[Linzi_x]

clearly by this post, everyone does it differently.

i boil a kettle and wait for it to cool for 30 minutes. while that's happening i wash the bottles, teats, lids etc in mild soapy water then sterilise. once the kettle has cooled i use a sterilised tea strainer to pour the cooled water into 6 bottles. i then leave these on the and use them as and when needed. i add the formula as i need it, i never make ready made bottles. i then warm them up using the tommee tippee travel bottle warmer. did use the microwave but heard it can cause hot spots in the milk so i've stopped that now. might buy the electric bottle warmer

i've heard that premaking formula feeds can introduce bacteria which can grow so that's why i always add the formula when baby wants a bottle.

 

[time]

if the bottles are freshly sterilised, and they are stored correctly at the back of the fridge, then there is far less chance of the spread of bacteria by making up whole bottles and storing in the fridge than there is by adding formula to cooled down water, for 1. the bottles have been left out on the side so are more likely to attract bacteria than at the back of the fridge with the lids on, and 2. the formula is the part that is not sterile in the uk, so it says you have to add it to water over 70c to kill the bacteria in it, if you are simply adding it to cold water, no matter how clean the water, then the actual formula is not sterile and this is what could cause problems.