Two Questions

[MrsGlitz]

I noticed mrsraggle asked what you all use to store formua powder in when you go out. I am BFing but I FF when out as I am not confident to BF in public. Anyway, I make up a bottle in advance. So I boil kettle, let it cool for 20 minutes, pour water into bottle, add powder, shake then put into bottle carrier thingy. The bottle is given within 2.5 hours of being made. Is this OK?

Also, DH is suggesting giving a bottle for one of the night feeds tonight because I am exhausted and poorly; I mean I feel physically drained as Harry is going through yet another growth spurt. How is the best way to prepare one for night feeds? Harry is quite happy to have a bottle at room temperature.

 

[blahblahblah]

You have three options really

1. put the boiled water in the bottle and add the powder when you need it. The water might be room temp by then though, so make sure you're happy with that. You could put the hot water bottle in an insulated bag to keep it hotter a bit longer if that helps.

2. Make the bottle up and store in fridge to warm when needed. This can take a bit of time in the night - 5-10 mins with bottle warmer/jug of water, or 30-60 secs in microwave.

3. use cartons. More expensive option, but easy as long as the carton is the right size - they are normally 7oz, which is fine as long as your LO doesn't take 8 or 9oz bottles!

for the going out thing, I'd do one of the above instead - once made up it's better to use it a bit quicker than that really.

 

[MrsGlitz]

Our bottle cover that came with the changing bag is insulated, so I guess for going out we'd be best to go with option 1 and find something to store powder in. Thank you. We did buy cartons of ready made but DH started complaining about the cost.

 

[suzib76]

if its only the occasional feed i would use cartons purely for the convienience, especially as your lo is happy to take at room temp - simply open and pour

 

[blahblahblah]

Our bottle cover that came with the changing bag is insulated, so I guess for going out we'd be best to go with option 1 and find something to store powder in. Thank you. We did buy cartons of ready made but DH started complaining about the cost.

If you have a look in any supermarket, chemist or mothercare etc, you can buy a little container - usually they call it a 'milk powder dispenser' or something like that - they are usually anything from £1-£5. It has 3 compartments and each can take up to 9 scoops, so you just tip it in when you're ready. It's also useful if you have to make up a bottle in the night as it's hard to remember how many scoops go in when you're still half asleep!

 

[MrsGlitz]

if its only the occasional feed i would use cartons purely for the convienience, especially as your lo is happy to take at room temp - simply open and pour

We were, then DH bought a tin of Aptimal powder!

 

[LoobyLou75]

I use ready made cartons too. They are expensive and we used to use them quite a lot for night time feeds and going out but now we just use them when we go out so don't use half as many.
Very convenient.

 

[Lara310809]

You're only supposed to keep the made up feeds for 2 hours, so try to give it before. Remember that LO can take 30 minutes to drink it, so by that point it's 3 hours old, and in the summer temps there's more chance of bacteria growth. I've been known to do the same, and it won't kill LO, but it's not advised. It's better to carry the boiled water in a thermos and make up the feed when you need it. You can't feed on the go anyway, so you will probably want to stop for a coffee somewhere, and they can give you a tub of cold water to cool the milk in.

Regarding the night feeds... We don't make bottles as the rules suggest, but this is we boil the kettle before going to bed, and fill up a thermos flask of boiling water. We then make up the feed with the water in the thermos. If you have a good thermos flask, it should still be hot or quite warm 4 or 5 hours later. We then cool in cold water, and it's given within 5 minutes; very quick. We tried making them properly, i.e. boiling the kettle each time and cooling from hot, but it took too long and we needed our sleep

 

[Lara310809]

it's hard to remember how many scoops go in when you're still half asleep!

Bahaha! LO had just gone up to 5oz feeds, and OH went to prepare a bottle during the night, and he forgot all about it, and actually went back in time to when LO was newborn, and only added 3oz of powder to 5oz water. Poor thing was starving, and he was so angry that she kept waking up I make sure I dispense the powder into little containers now; even during the night, so we can just pour and go.

I also get annoyed when you use the powder scoop to =measure the powder into the bottle, because the steam causes the powder to stick to the scoop, so now I just use containers all the time. Scoop into the container beforehand, then when you need it, tip into the bottle

 

[kayleigh&bump]

what i do is, in the evenings, i make up all the feeds i am going to be using the next day (always 6 for us), quick cool them in a sink full of water, and then put them in the fridge. They are fine stored in there for 24hours. Then when i go out, ive got a avent cool bag which keeps bottles cold for 4 hours, so i put one in there, and then take my tommee tippee travel flask to warm it up where ever i am.

At night, if he needs a feed, i will always have one in the fridge ready... pop it in the microwave for 45 secs and its done! I know its not the recommended way, but works for us... just make sure the feed is well shaken to prevent hot spots xx

 

[brandonsgirl]

SMA gold is about 53p for a carton of about 7 oz which would cover the nights. And we would just fll the bottle with water and then put the powder in a sandwhich baggy and when we needed to use it we could just cut a bit of the corner off and pour straight into the bottle. Saved loosing the powder all over the place lol.