So confused! Making up bottles?

[Char&Bump-x]

Is it ok to store bottles in the fridge?

I have 6 bottles, and my steriliser is on god knows how many times a day, its getting too much now to serilise and re-boil the kettle everytime she is hungry. She has no routine whatsoever so i have no idea when i'll need the next one, which often leaves her crying for a good 10 minutes.

Is it ok to leave a batch of whole feeds in the fridge? or just bottles of water, then add the milk and warm up? How long can they stay there for?

Who does this, and what is the way you find works best?

Thanks in advance x

 

[moomin_troll]

i fed zane on demand till he made his own routine at around 5 months as we are now told not to pre make bottles.

zane roughly fed every 2-3 hours so what i did is boil the kettle around an hour before a feed is due so when the feeding time comes the water shud be perfect.

im sure if u use cooled boiled water n stored that in the fridge and added the milk as and when would be fine, the water shudnt be in there for longer then 24 hours tho.

 

[x-Rainbow-x]

I sterilise the bottles, add cool boiled water, add the powder when needed i give alex his bottles room temp

 

[polo_princess]

I made 24 hours worth of bottles in advance and stored them in the fridge hun

 

[Char&Bump-x]

With the powder in too? That's my biggest question really

 

[~KACI~]

I sterilise the bottles, add cool boiled water, add the powder when needed i give alex his bottles room temp

#

This is what i did with both of mine

 

[v2007]

My suggestion would be make up all the bottles in advance with just cooled boiled water. Then leave them on the side/fridge.

The when Kyla is ready for her feed add the powder and warm up or serve at room temp.

Saves loads of hassle and steriliser is only on once a day, saves on electric as well.

V xxx

 

[adzuki]

My suggestion would be make up all the bottles in advance with just cooled boiled water. Then leave them on the side/fridge.

The when Kyla is ready for her feed add the powder and warm up or serve at room temp.

Saves loads of hassle and steriliser is only on once a day, saves on electric as well.

V xxx

I do this too!!!! bottle is ready in about 15 seconds

A

 

[angelae36]

I made 24 hours worth of bottles in advance and stored them in the fridge hun

I did that with both of mine and will be doing it with the one I am expecting too.
Stored in the fridge complete with powder already in!

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I know it's a pain but I think you should know that there is a bit of risk involved in adding powder to room temp water. This is from the NCT website:

Formula in tins is not sterile so when making up the formula you need to take care to prepare it in a way that will kill the germs in the powder and will prevent germs from the environment getting into the bottle and therefore into the baby. It is hard to do this so formula should be made up fresh for every feed and be thrown away if it is not all used. Germs multiply very quickly in warm milk. For more information, see “Using infant formula: your questions answered”. Alternatively, you can use ready-made formula milk which is sterile and take care when pouring it into the bottle. This is much more expensive, but can be useful when you are going out.

 

[Tsia]

so if making them in advance.. refridgeration seems the way forward.. I have started to do this.. cos i was making up 5 at a time and leaving them on the side. I think by the time I gave him the 5th bottle at room temp it was going off and contributing to his stomach griping and colic.
now I am keeping the remsinders in the fridge ready and warming back to room temp/body temp in the microwave when he wants one. takes 25 secs. x

 

[ruth222]

Yeah I have never put cooled boiled water in the bottles and just added the powder later. I have always made the lot in advance as its easier, and I know its not recommended but as long as they are being discarded if not finished, not left longer than 24 hours in fridge I don't see a problem in it, its all common sense isn't it. I make up 4 feeds in advance I use boiling water straight away to kill the bacteria from the powder and then put all 4 in the fridge, then get one out when he's ready and heat it in the microwave (I know your not supposed to do this either because of hot spots) I make sure is shaken well so its evenly heated and always check on my hand before giving it to him. Much quicker and much easier, and its never caused a problem for us x

 

[andbabymakes3]

Possibly a dumb question but do the bottles not melt if you microwave them?

 

[moomin_troll]

Possibly a dumb question but do the bottles not melt if you microwave them?

hopefully no one would put them in for that long so no. around 30 seconds is enough but needs mixing after.

altho i think the safest way to heat a bottle is to stand it in boiled water in a jug.

edit: if u do use a microwave dont put the teat on till after

 

[Aidedhoney]

I have been making mine up with cooled boiled water and leaving them on the side then adding the powder as required and serving at room temp. May start putting them in the fridge as seems bacteria is an issue at room temp.

 

[moomin_troll]

when zane was newborn i always made fresh on demand as i was always worried lol.

ive only started to get loose with bottles since 8 months lol and ile leave cooled water in a bottle either in the fridge or side then add the powder and hes had no problems

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I have been making mine up with cooled boiled water and leaving them on the side then adding the powder as required and serving at room temp. May start putting them in the fridge as seems bacteria is an issue at room temp.

There are 2 issues with bacteria:
Firstly the powder isn't sterile so it needs to be mixed with water 70 degrees or over to kill it.
Secondly in a made up feed, bacteria will multiply very quickly if left at room temp.

If you really can't make each one up fresh I would make a few up fresh in the morning, cool down on the side then refrigerate and re heat when required.
But the advice is to make up fresh.
I can't be doing with all this personally so have ditched a few luxuries so we can afford to use ready made. Lazy me.

 

[ruth222]

I have been making mine up with cooled boiled water and leaving them on the side then adding the powder as required and serving at room temp. May start putting them in the fridge as seems bacteria is an issue at room temp.

There are 2 issues with bacteria:
Firstly the powder isn't sterile so it needs to be mixed with water 70 degrees or over to kill it.
Secondly in a made up feed, bacteria will multiply very quickly if left at room temp.

If you really can't make each one up fresh I would make a few up fresh in the morning, cool down on the side then refrigerate and re heat when required.
But the advice is to make up fresh.
I can't be doing with all this personally so have ditched a few luxuries so we can afford to use ready made. Lazy me.

So with the ready made ones do you just sterilise all your bottles and then just pour in a carton when she needs one and heat it up or serve at room temp? Also how many cartons are you buying at a time then and how much does it work out, we buy the odd carton as it easier when we out and about but my concern is being able to get my hands on vast quantities of these, when I go to the supermarket they usually only have one tray of 12 I think it is out, just wouldn't be enough for say a weeks worth? x

 

[moomin_troll]

zanes always hated the ready made stuff and personaly a carton of milk thats left standing must have other stuff in it to give it its shelf life so that would put me off anyway

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I have been making mine up with cooled boiled water and leaving them on the side then adding the powder as required and serving at room temp. May start putting them in the fridge as seems bacteria is an issue at room temp.

There are 2 issues with bacteria:
Firstly the powder isn't sterile so it needs to be mixed with water 70 degrees or over to kill it.
Secondly in a made up feed, bacteria will multiply very quickly if left at room temp.

If you really can't make each one up fresh I would make a few up fresh in the morning, cool down on the side then refrigerate and re heat when required.
But the advice is to make up fresh.
I can't be doing with all this personally so have ditched a few luxuries so we can afford to use ready made. Lazy me.

So with the ready made ones do you just sterilise all your bottles and then just pour in a carton when she needs one and heat it up or serve at room temp? Also how many cartons are you buying at a time then and how much does it work out, we buy the odd carton as it easier when we out and about but my concern is being able to get my hands on vast quantities of these, when I go to the supermarket they usually only have one tray of 12 I think it is out, just wouldn't be enough for say a weeks worth? x

Yes that's exactly what we do. New cartons out of the cupboard we serve at room temp, opened ones from the fridge I heat slightly to take the chill off.
My mum goes to Asda once a week as it is next to her work and the cheapest, and buys basically as many as she can carry, so 2 x trays of 12 500ml cartons. That lasts us about 10 days!
Asda is the only supermarket that has loads out on the shelves in my experience.
Internet shopping will only deliver 1 x 12 carton tray, most annoying.