Sterilising/making up bottles/going out advice please

[sleepwhatsleep]

My DS is 2 weeks old and we have the tommee tippee electric steriliser and the perfect prep machine. So far we have been sterilising a load of bottles then leaving them in there and just taking out a bottle, lid and teat when needed to make up a bottle using the machine to make them on demand like you're supposed to.
I thought the bottles would be ok as when opening the steriliser lid the parts which the milk will be in aren't exposed to air (bottles are upside down in steriliser and teats are right way up) so I thought that was ok? But just read they're only sterile for 3 hours? Spoke to OH about it and he thinks I'm being over cautious.

When it comes to going out I'm planning on making a bottle in advance and chilling in fridge for an hour and then putting in bag with an ice pack (which is advice from NHS website). If I'm out and about does it have to be heated before giving? It doesn't say anywhere about temperature when giving to baby on NHS website.

Getting really stressed about it. I did plan to breastfeed but I had a traumatic delivery so it didn't work and were totally unprepared to bottle feed. Thank god for Amazon next day delivery and Tesco 24 hours.

[WipsGlitter]

You're probably being a bit cautious it's only air touching them and your baby is exposed to that anyway.

We used a microwave steriliser which was quicker. But I think they're frowned on too now.

For ds1 I made all the bottles in advance (six at a time) and kept them in the fridge to hear when needed.

Advice had changed for ds2 but I did the same.

I think you would need to heat the travel bottle a bit otherwise it would be cold in their wee tummy.

It's so hard to know what to do. An American friend made hers with cold water straight from the tap and I was but that was what she was advised!

[DollyBarton]

Don't stress! The rules change regularly. I'm on my third baby so the sterilisation freak out has dulled to clean bottle, has been sterilised before use at some point recently, hands have been washed when preparing, nothing is going to turn to poison in the fridge or flung in bag for a bit.

Don't let guidelines take over your common sense. Keep things as clean as (reasonably) possible and feed the baby. I'm sure there was 2day old breastmilk on my boob occasionally when too exhausted to shower in the early days....

[jellycat1]

I was like you with ds1 until our night nurse told me to chill out. She was a hygiene freak (and a surgical nurse as well!) so I listened to her. She would sterilise enough bottles for each day and fill them with half the required amount of boiling water and leave on the side fully closed etc. Then when each feed is due, you just boil the kettle and fill to the right level and add formula. You can pour a bit out and add more hot if not warm enough or leave in some cold water if too hot. I've now done this dor 2 babies and it's worked like a dream. I've actually made two days with with ds2 so technically they wouldn't be totally sterile but we've had no issues. For going out, if ill be feeding him within an hour, I'll make bottle up before we go and make it extra hot. Our changing bag has a pocket that keeps bottles warm but they cool down somewhat so I just judge it. If feed not due for a couple of hours, I'll empty one of the half filled bottles on the side and fill completely with boiling water. Then take the tin of formula with me and make up when required. If still too hot just run under a cold tap :)

[CatsAndCocktails]

I think what you plan to do is fine and milk doesn't need to be heated up. You can buy bottles of ready made milk as well that might make the whole thing less stressful for you or if you want warm milk you could take a thermos with boiled water in it and another sterile bottle with cooled boiled water and make a bottle from powder once you are out.

[sleepwhatsleep]

Thank you for the reassurance I guess k am stressing too much.

Ready made milk I'm not sure about as DS is currently being trialed on special milk as GP thinks he could have a milk allergy. If his symptoms improve on that milk then we will have to use that powder. Today is the 2nd day and there's not much difference so hopefully it's 'just' reflux and I can take cartons out with me instead!

[jellycat1]

Ds1 was on neocate and 2 is on nutramagen. All good fun! :)

[TheNewMrsD]

I can't use the ready made milk either as my boy gets painful gas from them so we're on comfort milk.

I sterilise enough bottles for the day, put them together as soon as the steriliser is cooled. I assume they are fine as the lids are on and the air doesn't get to them, I may be wrong but my little boy is perfectly fine, I'm not worried.

I learnt a trick from my friend for bottles going out. For say a 6oz bottle, put 4oz of boiled water in an empty bottle and leave to cool. Take an empty bottle plus this cooled boiled water and a flask of boiling water out with you. When you need a bottle making put 2oz of boiled water in the empty bottle, add the powder and shake, then add the 4oz of cooled boiled water. It's essentially what the perfect prep does. Look at how much boiled water your perfect prep releases for what bottle size you want so you know what cooled boiled water you need to prepare for when you go out. If you need more than one bottle when out just do another bottle of cooled boiled water as you will have an empty bottle from the previous cooled boiled water which was used in the first bottle made up..... Do you follow?

Hope this helps! Maybe someone will tell me I'm doing it all wrong, the rules change so frequently!

[Artandco]

Jelly - your way is not recommended. The formula powder should be going in water between 70-100 degrees to kill germs in powder as that's not sterile. Adding powder to previously boiled but cooled water is pointless as won't kill the bacteria

The easiest way to travel and make milk correctly is to take a flask of boiling water ( a flask that keeps it hot for at least 12 hrs). Then when you want to make bottle, add say 4oz of the hot boiling water from flask, add 4 scoops of powder. Lid on and swirl ( don't shake as makes air bubbles). Leave to cool 10 mins or until drinkable.

can speed up in cafe by asking for a bowl of cold water to stand sealed made bottle in) or by running sealed bottle under cold tap

[Artandco]

The new - the issue with that is that 2oz of hot water isn't really enough to sterilise 6 scoops of powder. Hence 6oz of hot water to powder needed. This is why the perfect prep isn't recommended by medical professionals either

[welshweasel]

Put the bottles together once the steriliser has finished and use as needed. So long as your hands are washed when you put them together it's better than constantly opening the steriliser. If you're getting stressed its worth bearing in mind that many developed countries don't recommend sterilising bottles at all! When making up formula you really do need to use water above 70 degrees though. So take a flask of hot water or use ready made if you can.

[TeaBelle]

It might be your perfect prep causing the tu.my issues - try making bottles with a kettle for a week and see if he improves. They aren't all they're cracked up to be

[Anotherdayanotherdollar]

Artandco I would agree that jellycats method is not great, but i think nutramagen and neocate have to be made with cooler water??
Definitely don't make two days formula at a time OP. And why not just take all bottles from the steriliser once the steriliser is cool and assemble them? The cap will keep the teat covered so it won't get contaminated. Although if you use tommee tippee closer to nature bottles you need to buy the Cao separately.

[Iizzyb]

I sterilised bottles once a day & filled with boiled water then tipped in milk powder (either straight from the tin at home or from a little blue scent milk pot if out). Then - shock horror - warmed milk in microwave. My friend was taught to mix this way when her ds was in scbu (not microwave heating up!) never believed this sterilising milk with 70 degree temp water - how are you going to judge the temp? Ds now almost 4. Total milk monster. Never had an issue ever. Always always washed my own hands lots. Needed special cream from gp for my poor hands for ages X

[jellycat1]

Never said I make 2 days worth of formula! One hour in advance max. Anyway like Lizzie the method I was taught and have been using for 2 years has been perfect for us but you've obviously got to be comfortable with what you're doing. Ds1 currently stuffing sausages into his face which makes life easier! He also also now hoovers all manner of dairy so that too passes for most. All the best with it.