Have the ingredients changed?

[TheFace]

Hi all. I have a 9 weeks old who is FF.

We are currently making the bottles from scratch when baby wants feeding, even at 3am.

Several friends and family members are saying we are mad for doing so, and that it's perfectly fine to make your bottles up for the day, store in the fridge and heat up in a pan of hot water when needed.

However the advice has changed and we were told by HV that we were not allowed to do this anymore.

Does anyone know why? Have the ingredients in the powder changed or sown thing?

[mangofizz]

The way you are making them is correct. The NHS website does mention making them in advance and storing them at the back of the fridge but it isnt the 'right' way to do it.

Have you thought about getting a Perfect Prep? Everyone I know who bottle feeds has one and says they are a life saver, especially at 3am!

[TheFace]

Thanks so much Mango. We even had a friend round today who told us we were making it hard on ourselves and she makes up the bottles for her 4 week old to drink in a 24 hour period. Tired if being lectured for following the rules.

I'd never heard of a Perfect Prep before so thanks for the tip, I ordered one about 10 minutes ago :-)

[hollie84]

It isn't that the ingredients have changed, it's that we now know that powdered formula can contain dangerous bacteria after some babies died in about 2005.

However, the important thing is that you are making each bottle up with very hot water, over 70 degrees, in order to kill any bacteria that might be in the powder.

It is safest to make each bottle fresh with 70 degree water and then cool, but if that's not possible your next best option is to make the bottle up with 70 degree water, cool quickly and store in the fridge for no more than 24 hours. I used to make the night feed up at bedtime, cool it and put it in the fridge to be microwaved when DS woke.

[Carks31]

I have an nhs bottle feeding guidance leaflet dated 2014 which says fresh made os best, but if needed made, cooled and stored at the back of the fridge is safe as long as used within 24 hours. We do this. It also says storing freshly boiled water in a flask is om to do when out and about as long as it stays above 70 degrees it will kill any bacteria in the unlikely event it contains any.

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

You can make in bulk - as long as the powder is mixed with 70° plus water then it will sterilise the powder. Flash cool them and refridgerate. At 3am just swill the bottles under the hot tap to take the edge of the coldness off and serve.