We are just going to formula and I am a FTM. Do you use powder or liquid? If using powder do you boil the water first or just use tap water? I have good city water but heard about possible bacteria in powder and how you should heat water, mix formula, and then cool. That seems like would take along time when baby is hungry. What does everyone do?
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Preparing formula
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MindUtopia
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Yes, boil water, allow to cool for a bit (usually 20-30 minutes), then mix and cool to the right temp in a bowl of cold water. It wasn't hard once you got an idea of baby's feeding pattern. The first 8 weeks are a bit all over the place, but somewhere between 8-12 weeks it naturally developed a pattern so it was easier to predict and I could generally guess that in about 30-45 minutes she'd probably be hungry, so I'd boil the kettle in advance so it was ready when I needed it (and then formula is fine once made at room temp for 2 hours, so even if she didn't want it in exactly 30 minutes, she certainly would in the hour after that, which would still be perfectly fine). But yes, you're right, the reason you boil the water is more to kill the bacteria growing in the formula (it's a milk powder based product, so prone to bacterial growth) rather than necessarily the water. I'm not sure if you're in the U.S. or the UK, but I have heard that American formula is sometimes pre-sterilised, so you don't necessarily need to sterilise with recently boiled water, but I would check the packet. Even as a scientist though, I would still be inclined to use hot water for a young baby because food contamination is so easy to do if you happen to have something on your hands from touching something else in the kitchen you scoop the formula out, etc.
Some people also get the Perfect Prep machine, which does it all for you. I didn't have one and got on just fine. I don't plan at this point to FF next time, but if I did, I would consider getting one just to make things easier. Remembering to boil a kettle is not too terribly hard with one, but once you have two, I can see the likelihood for error increasing!
For any times I was out of the house, I would use the liquid ready-made cartons and bring a sterile bottle. I insisted for about a month in making formula fresh when we were out with a thermos of boiled water and pre-measured pots of powder. But after 10 minutes stuck in a cafe bathroom trying to cool a bottle in a running sink of cold water while holding a screaming hungry baby, I decided, nope, I'll pay the extra for the cartons!
Some people also get the Perfect Prep machine, which does it all for you. I didn't have one and got on just fine. I don't plan at this point to FF next time, but if I did, I would consider getting one just to make things easier. Remembering to boil a kettle is not too terribly hard with one, but once you have two, I can see the likelihood for error increasing!
For any times I was out of the house, I would use the liquid ready-made cartons and bring a sterile bottle. I insisted for about a month in making formula fresh when we were out with a thermos of boiled water and pre-measured pots of powder. But after 10 minutes stuck in a cafe bathroom trying to cool a bottle in a running sink of cold water while holding a screaming hungry baby, I decided, nope, I'll pay the extra for the cartons!
TTC First
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We boil the water and store it in a jug on the counter. When a bottle needs to be made we use that water. There is no rule that the water has to be hot when you actually make the bottle.
I started this because I was out one time and wasn't able to heat the bottle when we were out shopping. lo refused the bottle and screamed all the way from the store till I was able to get somewhere and heat up the bottle.
I started this because I was out one time and wasn't able to heat the bottle when we were out shopping. lo refused the bottle and screamed all the way from the store till I was able to get somewhere and heat up the bottle.
The advice is now to make every bottle up fresh with hot water and allow to cool. The midwives and health visitors advise against preparing a number of bottles together. I don't think this is workable as you have to predict when baby might be hungry or else they have to wait
I have the tommee tippee perfect prep & adore it. Feeds are ready within a couple of minutes & that's just about as long as my DS is willing to wait! When we go out, I try to take a freshly made bottle with me (good for 2hrs), but I'll take a thermos and powder out too, just in case. My DS is on comfort milk, which doesn't come in premade cartons, otherwise I'd use them. Soooo much easier!!
I boil water, allow it to cool a little then store it in a thermos. Each bottle is made fresh. This works at home as well as when out. I don't worry about bottles being hot, my baby just prefers them warm.
My husband is a bio chemical scientist and he likes this method too.
My husband is a bio chemical scientist and he likes this method too.
FTM here too and baby has been on formula since 8 days old. At his first doctors appointment I asked about what water to use and they told me bottle water and to avoid tap if possible... We also prepare our bottles with room temp water and he has been fine since 8 days old and the doctor said it was fine. Makes prepping bottles VERY easy. I am in the US if that matters...
