Making up bottles in advance?

[fifitot]

How do you do this? I am a novice at bottles having just started combination feeding after months of ebf. I have been using readymade formula but it is too expensive so have bought a tub. I know the guidelines say make up each feed as you go but what about when you are out? Also need something on standby for that hungry first bottle in the morning.

Am I right in thinking I use cool boiled water in a sterilised bottle stored in fridge until needed? Then add the formula and warm?

If so, how long can you keep the bottle in the fridge and what do you do when you go out?

[gallicgirl]

You're supposed to make up with hot water in order to kill any potential bacteria in the formula. While you're out, you could take a flask of hot water. I tried this and the water was still very very hot 5 hours later and was a faff to cool.

Personally, I just cool boiled water and take that out then add formula as needed. I think it's ok to keep for 24 hours. Not 100% sure though if it's 24 hours or 12. I always use within 12 hours.

I think you can also make up formula with hot water as normal, cool quickly and keep refrigerated until needed. This would mean using a cool bag or something while you're out though.

[BertieBotts]

I think if you have to make it in advance they recommend that you make it up with the hot water and then cool quickly and keep cool until needed.

If you need to make one very quickly like early in the morning, you can e.g. put 8 scoops of powder into 3oz of hot water to dissolve it, then add the other 5oz of cool boiled water to make it the correct concentration, and it will be the right temperature straight away. You'll need to experiment to get the correct ratio of hot to cold water though (and obv the total volume of water needs to be accurate)

[BertieBotts]

You can get various bottle insulating products which will keep one cool :)

[fifitot]

Thanks - baby nearly 1 so hopefully his immune system is reasonably robust now.

[RitaMorgan]

You would be better to make the bottles up correctly with hot (above 70c) water and then cool quickly and store in the back of the fridge - then you can warm them as you need them. Best to use them as quickly as possible but definitely don't keep any bottles for more than 24 hours in the fridge.

[mrspnut]

If he's nearly one then just start him on cows milk instead of bothering with formula.

[JackiePaper]

No don't use cooled boiled water to make up the bottles. Formula powder is not sterile, you need to add water at 70degrees or above to kill the bacteria in the powder. The minute you've made the milk up bacteria starts to grow so you need to use it within an hour. When you're out and about best thing to do is take hot water in a flask or put hot water in the bottle in an insulated bag, then add the powder when you need to feed baby.
The guidelines are really important, biggest cause of gastoenteritis in babies is incorrectly made up formula or formula made up in advance.
I'm sure if you look on line you should be able to find a PDF of the nhs bottle-feeding leaflet which has all the info, or ask your health visitor for a copy :)

[JackiePaper]

Ah if he's nearly one just use cows milk, less faff :)

[fifitot]

So could I boil water, put in bottle, leave it to cool, store in fridge and then add the powder tomorrow before warming and using?

(Plan to move to cows milk soon!)

[JackiePaper]

No you have to add the powder to hot water. Powder isn't sterile and only way to kill the bacteria in it is to add it to hot water.

[RitaMorgan]

No, the powder has to go into hot water - if you boil a litre of water then leave it to cool for no more than 30 minutes or it will be too cold to kill any bugs in the powder.

You can boil the water, add the powder, cool the made up bottle and store it in the fridge.

[fifitot]

AAAAAAAAAAGH! I keep reading different things! Soooooo confusing.

I have read that to make the bottles in advance and store is a risk as the milk isn't sterile. I read that you could store the cooled down boiled water in the fridge until needed and then add the milk. I have seen women with little pots adding it to water and then heating...............

Bloody hell - it was easier just to lob a nork out!

He should be OK if I make it in advance though surely - he's not a tiny anymore and has had all kinds of crap in his mouth since he started crawling! Plus we are 3-4 weeks off cows milk and that is definately not sterile!

[gallicgirl]

Just don't go out and make fresh everytime.

[JackiePaper]

I'm a maternity support worker, you definately need to add the powder to hot water. Don't take any notice of what other people do x

[RitaMorgan]

Where are you reading that you can add powder to cold water?

Cow's milk (and ready made cartons) are pasteurised - they can't pasteurise the powder though.

Lots of people make up bottles with cold water, but the guidelines changed in 2005 after several babies died from salmonella and enterobacter in formula. Maybe look up the NHS guidelines? There is some information on page 13 of the "Support for Formula Feeders" thread I believe.

[JeelyPiece]

Cows' milk is sterile, it's pasteurised. You can't pasteurise powder so formula bugs have to be killed by being mixed with hot water.

[RitaMorgan]

Basically making each feed fresh is safest.

Making bottles in advance (if made correctly and stored correctly) isn't ideal but is ok.

Making bottles with cold water is the least safe option.

[fifitot]

I keep reading it everywhere! What are all these people doing who are adding little pots of formula to their bottles, that I see out and about? The bottles don't appear to be hot. Maybe they are I suppose.

I thought that the guidelines now said you shouldn't make the bottles up inadvance which is why just the water was being stored.

I think I might stick to the ready made stuff.........

[JeelyPiece]

What are all these people doing who are adding little pots of formula to their bottles, that I see out and about?

Being numpties.

[RitaMorgan]

The guidelines are to make each bottle fresh. People store the water because they don't realise that it is the powder that contains bacteria, not the water. They think "making fresh" means adding the powder to water just before it is drunk, when actually it means adding to hot water.

[gallicgirl]

Just out of interest, while we're talking about it, how long do you take to cool a bottle to a suitable temperature?

Takes me 20 minutes even with use of ice. If you're making it from hot water while you're, it would take ages.

[hormonalmum]

Jeely
Maybe they are adding powder to hot water???

[fifitot]

Thanks everyone. I can't believe the amount of duff info on the internet wrt this stuff.

I am making a bottle in advance now for tomorrow using recently boiled and still hot water, putting in fridge until morning. I hope that is OK. Actually I will have to cool it down before putting in the fridge won't I? How do I do that? Just wait til it's cool or can I run under the tap.

[pooka]

TBH I'd go straight to cows milk if only a couple of weeks shy of a year. Or carry on with the cartons for when you're out, using the powder for at home. Though that doesn't help with the morning urgent feed...

[RitaMorgan]

Run it under a tap or put in it cold water.