formula feeding when out and about

[HeavenK76]

I know this must've been discussed before but I want to be absolutely sure about this.
I'm due in 7 weeks and planning to FF little one.
How would I go about making feeds when I'm out for a few hours following the new guidelines.
You're best tips plz.

[Boudica1990]

You can either buy the little bottles of ready made formula they range from 60p - £1 a bottle, and keep them for going out only. Other option is to take a flask of boiled water some powder and make them up as you go.

[HeavenK76]

If using a flask, what's the best way of cooling the milk quickly as baby might be screaming

[Boudica1990]

I have no idea on that one, think you just have to let it cool or go to the bathroom and run it under a cool tap.

Im planning to take out ready made formula for when I go out for pure convenience, but I am a little lazy lol

[ShadowFall]

I used to use the little cartons of ready made formula when out and about.

Pricier than the powder but no need to worry about making it up wrong!

[thatstoast]

If i'm out for a long time I take ready made. Sometimes I make one at home if I'm only going to be out for an hour or two. Nhs guidelines are as follows:

If made-up formula is stored in a fridge, use within 24 hours.
If made-up formula is stored in a cool bag with an ice pack, use within four hours.
If made-up formula is stored at room temperature, use within two hours.

More info here: www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/infant-formula-questions.aspx

[Andcake]

If not using mini cartons - I would buy one of these www.mothercare.com/Tommee-Tippee-Closer-to-Nature-Insulated-Bottle-Carriers---2-Pack/935414,default,pd.html type things
I carried expressed milk about so would last a bit longer but thatstoast guidelines are good - I would take a made up from home bottle in my cool bag but then have a little carton in my bag for emergencies

[HeavenK76]

How long will a carton keep once opened at room temperature and how do you keep it from leaking when open.

[Boudica1990]

Well some are single feed bottles like the sma ones, so you feed the amount baby wants and dispose of it. Others like the cow and gate or aptamil come in little plastic screw top bottles, you would have to read their guidelines on once opened, they should be on the back of the bottle.

I wouldn't worry about those screw top bottles leaking.

[thatstoast]

I apply the same rules to cartons as made up powder, so two hours at room temperature. I've just assumed it was the same to be honest so if anyone has any more info on this I'm interested to hear it. Of course the point of the cartons is they're opened just before a feed. I always use the 200ml ones as that's enough for 1 feed now that DS is 4 months. They have lids so leaking shouldn't be a problem.

[thatstoast]

Actually just checked on one of the bottles and it says to put the cap back on and store in the fridge for 24 hours. No info about room temp.

[skyeskyeskye]

I took out made up bottles which had usually cooled to right temperature by the time you needed them, using insulated bags. I also had a fisher price flask that you could carry hot or cold water in and the lid was massive, big enough to hold the bottles.

[lbsjob87]

I used these and intend to again.
www.tommeetippee.co.uk/product/milk-powder-dispensers/
You boil the water in the morning, pour it in to a sterilised bottle and drop the pot in, which has the measured dose for that size bottle, that then seals it until you need to use it.
I think they might only fit Tommee Tippee bottles but others might be available.

[ExBrightonBell]

lbsjob, do you mean that you make the bottle up with the cold water?

If so, then that's against all the current guidelines (NHS and formula companies themselves) which state that the feed must be made up with water over 70 degrees.

[BikeRunSki]

Google "fridge to go". Mini bottle cool bags that stay fridge/ cold for 8 hrs. Very handy for taking made-up bottles for days out and nights.

[Andcake]

I would also hasten to add that feeds must be made up with water of 70 degrees not cold pre boiled water. Its the powder that needs to be sterilized not the water as bacteria has been found in the powder and water of 70 kills it. I think their were a few deaths when babies got ill in France and Belgium a few years back.

[lbsjob87]

Sorry, exbrightonbelle just saw this.
No, I let the boiled water cool for five minutes, tops, then pour it in.
The pods never seemed affected by it, they must be designed for that purpose, I guess. The water then cools before it's needed.

[ExBrightonBell]

Perhaps I'm being a bit dim about this...

but... when you're using those "in bottle" powder dispensers does the powder actually mix with water at 70 degrees+, or with cold water? I think you are saying that you fill the dispenser with powder, and the bottle with just-boiled water. At this point the two are not mixed together. At a later point, when the water is cold, you then mix the powder with the (cold) water.

If that is what you are doing, then I think my statement still stands that this is not safe. The powder must be mixed with hot water at 70 degrees+.

[lbsjob87]

I mixed it with cold water when needed, but was advised by the HV that as the bottle was sealed when it was pretty much boiling, it was fine.
Having said that, this was five years ago, so if the guidelines have changed, I will look into it before DC2 arrives next month.
Thanks for the heads up.

[ExBrightonBell]

I don't know about in the past, and when it changed, but that is definitely the advice now. The danger is not from the water - in the UK water is clean and treated. The danger is from the formula powder which is not sterile and can contain very unpleasant bugs as it's a perfect breeding ground.

Useful links:

NHS guidance
UNICEF guidance
World Health Organisation guidance

[lbsjob87]

Ooooh. I'll investigate, thanks. Although why they have to keep changing things is anyone's guess!

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

I used to.make four feeds at a time. All with hot water, flash cooled and stored in the fridge. If we went out, I simply put a ready made bottle in my bag and served it when needed. They are good at room temp for two hours or so and id rarely be out all day so it worked for me. dd never had a warm bottle - made hot but served at room temp.

[Hamnvik]

I used the tommee tippee cool bags to take made up bottles from the fridge. When they are really little they have bottles that often that taking two bottles out would only last 4 hours anyway!
It gets tricky as they go longer between feeds but I just tried to time it that he would need a bottle one hour after we went out and that he could then go another 2 hours before I needed to get home. It is a bit of a faff I definitely would have used ready made stuff if we weren't using Neocate.

I also used to put a bottle in the cool bag and take it up to bed with me then replace with one from the fridge and repeat for however many night feeds you have.

[LittleBearPad]

Ready to feed little bottles are much easier, certainly until you get used to how much you'll need for each feed and how frequently you will feed.

Once opened they are ok for two hours at room temp (from memory) but I used to bin after each feed.

[Atbeckandcall]

Sounds like things are a lot stricter than when I had my dd 3.5 years ago.

Just remember these are guidelines not the law and they have to be "over the top" because the are written for those considered the least hygienic (SIL is a GP and has been on many WHO seminars about infant feeding, also has two of her own).

The water being 70 degrees when the powder is added is nothing to do with sterilising the powder. It's a dry substance with no moisture in it, therefore bacteria cannot breed in it. They say 70 to sterilise the bottle in case it hasn't been done adequately before the feed is made.

As long as you know your hygiene is good before make a bottle up (washing down surfaces and the sink with anti bac stuff and washing your hands, thorough sterilising the bottles etc) there is no reason why a bottle of formula should be a problem.

If I was going out for the day (I'd do this everyday anyway tbh).

The night before I'd add the boiled water to all of the bottles and put the kids on.

I'd then use a powder dispenser pot and measure out all the formula powder I'd need for the bottles (I used two or three of them before solids). That way of I lost count it would mess up a bottle I could just start again.

I used to take out with me a tommy tippee flask that I could warm them up in and the water stayed hot for hours.

Of course each to their own, but I certainly wasn't going to make life tricky for myself unnecessarily. I did follow the guidelines to the letter when I first started ff and found it rather stressful until SIL came over one day and showed me what she used to do. It was a doddle after!

[LittleBearPad]

When out and about. At home they went back in the fridge, where they are ok for 24 hours from opening.