bottlefeeding - how to prepare quickly!

[larena90]

hi, my dd is 2.5 weeks old, I've bf her until a few days ago and for various reasons am now transitioning to bottle feeding, which she is handling well.

My question is, does anyone have any tips on how to get bottles ready for her quickly? When I can anticipate that she'll want one soon I can get it ready for just before she needs it, but it's awful when she wants one before it's ready and she's screaming herself hoarse while I'm boiling water/heating/cooling etc.

I know there are guidelines and stuff, what I've been doing is making up 2 or 3 to store in the fridge for during the night and making fresh during the day, but just wondering what others do and if there are ways to be more efficient!

[tabulahrasa]

What I used to do...and it's not ideal as you are storing them, but I think? the safest way of doing that is...

I made up 24 hours worth, with hot water, cooled them quickly under running water and then kept them in the fridge.

[Waffles80]

Quickest and safest way - make up the feed with 2/3 just boiled water and 1/3 cooled sterilised water. The water will be the right temp to sterilise but not damage the proteins in the powder, and the whole bottle will be quicker to cool under the tap (and won't burn you quite so much if you spill it - bitter experience). I also have an Avent container with three compartments which I measure out powder into in advance, then I shake it into the bottle. Saves precious seconds.

[angelopal]

We use a tommee tippee perfect prep machine. Not cheap but worth it IMO. Fresh bottles quickly and no waiting on kettles boiling or cooling bottles.

[flingingmelon]

We used formula from very early on. I worked out how much he drank every three hours and then made up enough for 24 hours. Stored it in the fridge or a cool box if we went out. He was absolutely fine with that. If you follow the instructions to the letter, you throw out any formula that has been out of the fridge/cool box for over an hour and you're careful with your sterilising you should be fine.

[Gooseysgirl]

We make them up in advance according to guidelines, then cool quickly and store in the fridge.

[Babetti]

I second the Perfect Prep machine - felt a bit silly buying it because it's so gadgety but absolutely worth the money and definitely makes life easier.

[MrsWooster]

Prob too soon but when she's older I used to sleep with a carton in bed with me to reach body temp and chuck in a sterilised bottle on bedside table as soon as she woke. A tiny bit older still and both mine had cold milk which neither minded at all and meant boiled water into bottles in the morning to be used as and when.

[KittyCatKittyCat]

I third perfect prep! Got it from 2 weeks, have used it EVERY DAY. Also v good because it sterilises the powder with a hot blast of water. DD 5mnths now, still using for every feed. The noise it makes now actually pauses her if she's having a teething tantrum!

[sleepdodger]

I made them fresh each time but if I was starting again now would buy the tommy prep machine- time is so v precious when you e a screaming baby and it's cheaper than pre made at 2/3/4/5/6am

[larena90]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll try it all! Think I also just need to get used to a screaming baby and accept I can't always sooth her immediately.

[Redling]

Perfect Prep all the way. When it became clear that as much as I expressed, we'd need a formula back up, I ordered one from Amazon for next day delivery. I cannot see how anyone can go with the official guidelines of making every bottle up fresh and have to have a screaming baby for that long. Sometimes I can't even bear the two minutes or so the machine takes! If you think of how much you feed the baby, and how much it would improve your life to not have to listen to the baby scream, it's a purchase that is worth it. If it is too much of a stretch could maybe some family members club together as a baby gift? I honestly can't overstate how helpful it has been!

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

My steriliser does four bottles at a time so id sterilise, make all four bottles, chill and refridgerate.

I generally fed dd to a schedule so knew roughly when her feeds would be so wouldtake the bottle out of the fridge 30/40 mins before and serve it ar room temp.

[Redling]

Also, sterilised bottles in the changing bag and ready made formula when out, room temp is fine and you don't have to juggle flasks of hot water.

[MrsGiraffe12]

Perfect prep machine here for when were at home, and a sterilised bottle and ready made formula when out and about. I've got individual feed containers for the powder too and measure out 6 feeds worth in the morning too, makes it even quicker when making a feed x

[Lally112]

give her a drink of water while you are waiting on it heating or cooling. I always did that with mine.

[Katejjjjjjj1]

When my dd switched to formula at 6 months, I just used the ready made up formula. It was HIPP Organic and I used to get it in bulk from Amazon. I dont think it worked out that much more expensive either. Although obviously at 6 months she was drinking less milk than a newbie!!! It just seemed soooo much easier - who wants to spend their life boiling the kettle, letting it cool down etc.!!!! Especially as you are also doing this during the night, it was bad enough during the day.

It might be worth having a look - you never know.