What's the best way to make up bottles, especially for the night?

[porkypig]

My lo was born 3 days ago, and I initially breast fed but it didnt work out so she's on the bottle. Ive given her the Aptamil cartons as they were easy but I want to move on to powder as its cheaper. What's the best way to make up the bottles, especially for the night? what are your methods?

 

[Sarachka]

Firstly, congratulations on your new arrival! I have also just moved on from BFing.

I usually make up 2 or 3 bottles at one time. I make them with freshly boiled water and rapid cool them by adding them to a pot filled with cold water and ice, then add them to the fridge. It's "OK" to make up 24 hours in advance but I usually just do 12 hrs maximum to be on the safe side.

However, my LO is 3 months old so her stomach is a bit stronger, this might not be advisable for newborns, I am sure someone can confirm.

HV and MWs will tell you not to make in advance, but I think a lot of that is to do with the government trying to scaremonger and make bottle feeding seem more complicated than it really is, to try and encourage BFing more. This is just my personal opinion though!

 

[time]

my midwife has told me that it is safer obviously to make the bottles as you need them, however for night feeds etc this is just not always best.. especially with a starving, crying baby at early hours of the morning.. and waiting for the kettle to boil/cool down.

she went on to say that preparing a few bottles at a time fully, leaving to cool and then placing at the back of the fridge, leaving for a max of 24 hours, and just placing in a bottle warmer when you need them, is the best option (this is what i will do)

i have also heard of people making the water up in bottles, placing in the fridge and adding the formula as you need, however there is a lot of question about whether this is safe, as formula is meant to be heated to a certain temp in order to be safe, as formula milk is actually not sterile until hot.

I think for me the best thing is to make up a few bottles and place in the fridge, and warm up when needed. Always throw away after 24 hours and always keep at the back of the fridge, not in the door or anything, and always use sterile bottles x

 

[annanouska]

ditto on the make up and put in fridge advice. we are also on aptamil and it mixes and keeps fine this way ive found.

our LO eats a bit randomly at times so its hard to wait for a feed xxx

 

[emsie_123]

I put 1/3 of sterilised water in each bottle.
Place in fridge to cool.
Take the needed bottle and add 2/3 boiled water plus powder - good to go

 

[StaceyKor]

I do mine the same way as time. I moved on from BF when my Baby was 4 days old and have done it this way ever since and she's been great up til now x

 

[fl00b]

i have a mini fridge in my room, i boil the water for 2 or 3 feeds and put them in there - then just add the formula as i need it

 

[Linzi_x]

i boil the water, leave to cool for 30 minutes, add it to sterilised bottles, leave it on the side, add formula when i need it then heat

 

[MrsButterfly]

I do it the same way as time. Reason being is that formula powder is not sterile and therefore it's important it's added to hot enough water to kill off the bugs potentially in it. I try and use my pre-made bottles within 12 hrs but would keep in fridge for up to 24hrs. X

 

[ke29]

The correct way to do it is to pre make fully (boiling water or water boiled within 30 mins and formula) mix well, fast cool and put in the fridge for a maximum of 24 hours, you can do as the others have suggested and put water in bottles and just add the powder as you need it. This is the least desirable method as it doesnt kill the bacteria in the milk but as long as you feed it to LO then throw it away straight away then it should be ok (ie dont let LO snack on it over a period of time). With my first LO I pre made for at home, used the boiling water and added the formula if and when we were going out for the day. With the new baby I will use buy the 1L cartons of sterile formula at night and make fresh during the day. Not sure what I will do when we go out for the day probably the hot water method again.

Another method I tried and liked was having a jug of pre boiled water in the fridge. For a 6oz bottle I used to mix 2oz of boiling water with 6 scoops of formula, mix well to kill all the germs and leave a couple of mins then add 4 oz of fridge cold water and then you've got a 'fresh' bottle thats ready to serve straight away.

 

[Mummythree]

During the day i just make up bottles as i need them, ds feeds every 3hours during the day so half hour before his feed is due i make up the bottle and cool down to desired temp.

If im going out i'll make a bottle and put it in a insalted bottle bag whilst its still hot and it stays warm for 3-4hours. i used to do the same for night feeds but now my Lo sleeps longer anything from 8-11hours i just take a clean sterilised bottle and a small carton of formula up to my room with me.
i bought a flask today so may try putting hot water in and the powder into the container for powdered baby milk and just pour in the water and baby milk when he wakes up. if its too cool to do this i'll just keep using the cartons for morning feed until her sleeps till the same time every morning. and then i'll get up before hes due a feed and make it myself.

 

[socitycourty]

I'm in the USA so don't need to boil/cool water....I use Gerber mixing water or nursery water, make a pitcher of formula (Dr. Brown's formula pitcher is a godsend!) pour it into bottles and then heat as needed. if I'm out I just use powder and bottled water

I have also used ready made and the concentrate (which you add water to) they're expensive