making up bottles

[mum3bubs]

im confused at the new rules... when my children were younger there 6 and 8 it was okay to boil water put in sterile bottles and leave to cool and as formula as nessasry now its not the same?
how do you make bottles if baby is not in a regular pattern and could want one anytime?

[WrappedInABlankie]

My ds is two and I would boil the water, fill the bottles then just add the formula when I wanted.

I was told not to boil the water leave and then reheat as that's when you get hot spots and germs etc. I also never gave my child warm bottles because imo it's creating a rod for your own back of always having to heat them or time them when they're cool enough

[APocketfulOfSpondulix]

The World Health Organisation says it's fine to make them in advance, flash cool them and leave them in the fridge for up to 12 hours. Worked for me...

[mum3bubs]

when did you do this

[Waggamamma]

You need to add the powder to hot water to kill the bugs in the powder. This is why you can no longer use cooled water.

I make 4 feeds with freshly boiled water, cool them quickly and store in the fridge until needed.

[mum3bubs]

i thought you werent meant to make and put in fridge either? also how long in fridge for hours wise?

[OsMalleytheCat]

I keep a jug of cool boiled water in the fridge and when I make a feed I put all the powder in a few oz of boiling water shake etc then top up from the cool boiled water..
The powder has been boiled and it's to temperature almost instantly.

[DuelingFanjo]

The powder shouldn't be added to 100 degree water, that just kills all the nutrients doesn't't it? That's why they say cool to 70, so the powder is sterile but not boiled?

[OsMalleytheCat]

Oh, my MW told me to add it to just boiled water to kill a germ that could be lurking in the powder...
Hmm just checked my tub and it says "allow boiled water to cool for no more than 30 minutes".
So I've no idea!!

[APocketfulOfSpondulix]

OsMalley the water is meant to be at about 70 degrees to kill certain bugs. That's why you're meant to leave it for 30 minutes, so it drops from 100 to 70.

[WrappedInABlankie]

I never added my powder to boiled water only cool boiled he's fine, wasn't told about that though and will do it again with this one the same way.

I know people in the states that just use filtered/tap water and add the power in straight away

[APocketfulOfSpondulix]

Wrapped I had my second baby in a country where this is the case. My pediatrician has never heard of adding hot water to the milk to kill germs! I still do it out of habit though, I'm sure it all comes from the same place.

[WrappedInABlankie]

I just think it's easier doing it all cold then having to faff around with perfectly cooled boiled water. I understand some babies won't take it cold though.

I don't think there's any harm in just using bottled or cooled boiled, do what you think is best op I didn't even put mine in the fridge they stood on top of the microwave till I needed them

[mum3bubs]

Its awkward to make on demand this way as ifbabys not in a routine fr milk which not all babies are how would you know when to boil kettle to be ready for half hour later? Ive started filing a flask with boiled water then pouring into bottle adding formula and cooling slightly then feeding

[WrappedInABlankie]

THats why I did it like I said I had about 14 bottles and would just fill them up and they'd be there to grab, I also had formula pots so I would sort it all out in the morning and then just pour it in the bottle. No fussing really :)

[mum3bubs]

Its all the tummy big stuff that makes you worry although my others are fine

[mum3bubs]

How long ago was that @wrappedinablankie

[Karasea]

The chance of awful poisoning is small if you don't use water at around 70 degrees but it is a real chance and the impact is huge. Powdered formula isn't sterile.

Best practice is to make each bottle fresh with water at 70 degrees and the next best is to make up a few this way, to flash cool and refrigerate.

Wrappedinablankie, delighted your child wasn't hospitalised with ecoli or similar but that is a very very real risk with your method.

[ChippingInAutumnLover]

I wish people wouldn't say 'there's no harm' or 'mine's fine' the rules are there for a bloody good reason Anecdote does not equal data.

Infant formula can have bacteria in it. The water needs to be at 70deg to kill the bacteria. A lot of babies have 'upset tummies' or end up in hospital with gastro issues which are generally down to the formula, some babies die. It's at best unpleasant at worst fatal.

The easiest way to do it is to have a 70 deg kettle, but if you don't want to buy a new kettle, boil it and allow it to cool a bit or rapidly cool it to 70 deg, measure about half of the water you need for the whole feed into the bottle & add the powder powder and give it a good shake.

Measure out the additional water you need (do not guess it, especially for very small babies) and then add that to the hot milk feed.

Shake and test.

You will soon get to know what ratio (of hot and cold water) works for you and your baby. It takes no time at all to do and is the safest way to make up a feed.

If you are going out you can make up a feed and take it with you and heat it up in a microwave or cup of hot water, both are fine as long as you give it a very very good shake and test it.

It's OK to make up a few and put them in the fridge if you want to, making them fresh is really no trouble though.

The thing you definitely, definitely do not want to do is mix the powder with cold water, boiled or otherwise, the bacteria is in the Powder not the water. Most people use boiled water, but actually the chances of there being a problem with any mains cold tap water in the UK are virtually nil and the least of your worries.

[FoxSticks]

Formula is not sterilised and bacteria can be present. When it is made up or stored incorrectly there is a big risk that it could cause gastroenteritis. Formula fed babies are five times more likely to be admitted to hospital with gastroenteritis, which in the majority of cases is preventable.

From this article in the Telegraph.

They aren't cheap but I've heard good things about the perfect prep machine. It makes bottles up in a couple of minutes I think.

[mum3bubs]

Its simple to do fresh you say but takes longer to cool and is still very warm after running under cold tap for over 5 mins this is after allowing kettle to sit for 30 mins where areyou able to get 70c kettles

[WrappedInABlankie]

2012. My midwife and health visitor told me to do it that way. I can say there was no harm because my son is fine! I'll be doing the same with this one as well as I said, I made up all my bottles and grabbed and go, I also know a lot of other people and only one had a warm bottle and she was endlessly having issues with if it got a bit to cold her ds wouldn't touch it, to warm he wouldn't even with food now she has the same issue.
      
      Having a prep machine is wonderful if your baby likes hot milk, my son doesn't he liked Cold milk if it was anything above room temperature hell would freeze over before he'd drink it.

[mum3bubs]

Also its safe to put in a flask and keep water hot for hours then put in a sterile bottle and add formula it says on nhs website isnt it

[WrappedInABlankie]

And having it in the fridge would of made it very cold as well, numerous midwives and health visitors told me not to reheat the milk as it can make babies ill, you either have to do it perfectly timed, get a prep machine at about £70 or do it cold.

Mum id do as what you feel best tbh, my son never got a stomach bug, ecoli or anything else what anyone is saying, he did get a chest infection though but I doubt it was caused by the milk

[WrappedInABlankie]

If you sterilised the flask you maybe could, you can get them advent thermo bags that's meant to keep It cool and hot if you put hot bottles in there maybe one of them?

[mum3bubs]

You don't need to sterilise flask as long as its clean hot water does when you put in it says on nhs