Share your tips for formula feeding

[kat08]

Hi all

I am currently combination feeding with Aptamil cartons but think I may want to move on to formula full time as really struggling to express enough milk.

I am considering buying powdered Aptamil but don't really have a clue on how to make up bottles.

I know the recommendations are to make them up one at a time but how do you ladies do this? Do you put your steriliser on each time you want to make a bottle because I have a microwave one and it says when you open you need to use the equipment there and then or it isn't sterilised?

Also what kind of water do you use boiling, cooled down etc? My LO is having EBM at room temp at the min and Aptamil cartons at room temp.

Lots of advice would be great.

Kat

 

[bathbabe]

personally i premake as its easier! I sterilise the bottles, leave them in the steriliser unopened until im ready for them, boil the kettle, let it cool for up to 30mins, then make up all the bottles that i know im going to use within 24hours, pop them in the sink with cold water for 10mins then put them in the fridge and take them out when needed and either boil the kettle and warm the bottle up in a jug of hot water or use the microwave to heat it up x
If you do premake dont use any milk that has been made more than 24hours before

 

[bumbleberry]

^^ wss

This is how I make up my bottles and now I'm in a routine with it its no bother really. Dont worry though I found it all confusing when I made the switch too

 

[Kimmer]

Personally I would never premake to be honest. After the milk is made up, it's only okay for 2 hours. So I wouldn't give my baby essentially gone off milk.

I half fill my bottles with cooled boiled water, then when it's feeding time, I boil the kettle and fill it to whatever we need, then add the powder.

Only takes a minute so it's easy!

 

[bumbleberry]

Personally I would never premake to be honest. After the milk is made up, it's only okay for 2 hours. So I wouldn't give my baby essentially gone off milk.

In an ideal world making up fresh would be great, however its not always possible. I researched premaking bottles beforehand and have gone with what the WHO guidelines state for premaking bottles. They advise this especially in care settings etc so surely it must be safe??

THis is the link to their guidelines for anyone who is interested.

https://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/pif_guidelines.pdf

 

[bathbabe]

Personally I would never premake to be honest. After the milk is made up, it's only okay for 2 hours. So I wouldn't give my baby essentially gone off milk.

I half fill my bottles with cooled boiled water, then when it's feeding time, I boil the kettle and fill it to whatever we need, then add the powder.

Only takes a minute so it's easy!

Its put in the fridge so it isnt 'gone off' milk . and its safer than making bottles with luke warm water

 

[daniellelk]

personally i premake as its easier! I sterilise the bottles, leave them in the steriliser unopened until im ready for them, boil the kettle, let it cool for up to 30mins, then make up all the bottles that i know im going to use within 24hours, pop them in the sink with cold water for 10mins then put them in the fridge and take them out when needed and either boil the kettle and warm the bottle up in a jug of hot water or use the microwave to heat it up x
If you do premake dont use any milk that has been made more than 24hours before

I also do this.
I usually make 6 up in the evening for the following day.

 

[peanut56]

I don't premake either, but I thought if you did premake the bottles and put them in the fridge that they were good for 24-48 hours (not sure which one)? Is that wrong? Dr. Brown's has a formula mixing jug that mixes something like 32 ounces at once, you mix it all up, keep it in the fridge and pour into bottles as necessary. Surely that isn't all supposed to be used within a couple of hours....I'm confused now!

 

[babyfromgod]

Premade formula has to be used within 24 hours not 2 hours if stored in the refridgerator, the 2 hour rule applies to milk left sitting out at room temperature

 

[NuKe]

now poppy is 9 months and only on 2 bottles a day i just wash the bottles in the sink. but when she was on formula full time, i sterilised all the bottles in one go and would make them up with just-boiled water and cool them down in a sink full of cold water and put them in the fridge (for night time) and during the day i would just make them up as i needed them (sterilised them all at once and took one out as i needed it, replacing the lid afterwards.