tips for using powdered formula?

[Mica]

Hi.
We've been using the liquid concentrate formula (Similac Advantage), and that's been working out just fine. But we are thinking that it might save a few bucks to use the powdered formula. Just not sure if that's going to be easier or harder. I guess it probably is just a matter of getting used to it.
Honestly, I'm a little intimidated by the powder! I know you have to be even more careful to make sure everything is sterile. And I've been peeping at other threads here and reading about how the water temperature has to be just so. Do you use a thermometer? How do you rapid cool? Do you prep all your bottles ahead of time? What if I want to make 4.5 ounces for one bottle and then 2 ounces for another? (We kind of demand feed LO. Once we have the liquid formula mixed, we can just pour out how much we want and warm a bottle. Can you do that with powder?) Also, if we start using powder can we just switch over entirely, as long as it's the same brand? Or do you have to ease into it by replacing one bottle at a time?
What do you find easiest? Can someone give me a brief rundown on the ins and outs of powder?
Sorry, I don't know why I'm so freaked out by it! Ha ha!

 

[MindUtopia]

Do you have an electric kettle? We don't have the liquid concentrate here, but for the powder, I just boil the kettle (takes about 60 sec). Then leave it for a few minutes to just cool slightly so I don't burn myself handling the bottle. You don't need a thermometer as long as you're using recently boiled water (so like within 30 minutes, it should still be hot enough to burn you if you stuck your hand in it). Then pour the hot water in the bottle, dump in the powder, put the lid on and shake. Then you can cool it in a bowl of cold water until it's the right temp (adding ice helps if you have an ice cube tray or an ice machine in your fridge, we have neither so just use cold water). You can make them in advance, as long as you cool them and put them in the fridge right away as they shouldn't be left out to cool. You can make up as much as you want, you just have to measure it properly and make sure it's cooled and stored away. It's really not hard. We don't have the liquid concentrate here so I have no comparison, but it really takes no time at all. I even make all the bottles fresh as I need them and it's easy, so don't let it worry you.

And maybe someone else knows more, but if you're switching to the powdered version of the same brand, I wouldn't think you'd have to do it gradually. I use ready-made liquid cartons (so it's sterile formula in like a milk carton, not concentrated, you just pour in the bottle and feed) when I'm not at home to make a bottle (as do most people). And it's fine to switch between those, so I imagine the liquid concentrate would be the same as long as it's the same manufacturer/brand.

 

[Mica]

Thanks for the tips MindUtopia. I feel like I should know your name, you are always offering me sound advice. I really appreciate it.
We don't have an electric kettle, but if I can get ahead of things a little bit it doesn't take too much longer to boil water on the stove and make several bottles at a time. One question about the bottles - do they need to be sterilized after every use? We have been washing bottles with warm, soapy water after every use, but only sterilizing everything once every 24 hours. Will we need to sterilize more often?
Do you warm the bottles that you've had in the refrigerator? I have been reading that some ladies serve them up cold and that's okay. I guess I thought that would upset LOs tummy...
Also, if you're going to be out of the house for a while, do you bring pre-mixed bottles with you? If so, do you use a cooler? Would you ever mix the powder with boiled water that had cooled? That way you could just bring bottles of water and mix the formula as needed when out. I saw someone do that at the doctor's office the other day, and it just seemed so convenient. But I also wasn't sure if that would still be sterile.

 

[Scout]

I tried switching my lo to powder but it didn't sit well in her tummy so we just went back to liquid. It seems things are different in the UK than the US regarding powder and bottles and such. I'm in the US. Bottles are typically sterilized after purchasing, but that's it. I wash mine in hot soapy water.

When I was using powder, and my sister who always used powder, we made a days worth at one time. I boiled water in a pot on the stove and then poured it into a large measuring cup (usually did 24 oz) then I'd add my powder to the water in the measuring cup and stir. Then I'd pour it into a glass container, put the lid on, and put it in the fridge. I'd either pour bottles from that as needed, or make up a few and put them back in fridge. When I'm ready for a bottle, I always warm it since my lo prefers that.

Don't mix formula with cooled, preboiled water. The purpose of boiling the water is to kill the bacteria or whatever in the formula since powder formula isn't sterile. When going out, I would take a premade bottle in a cooler and then warm it when I needed it. My sister would take powder with her and mix bottle with tap water. You could even use powder at home and take liquid when going out.