FF on a two day mini break! Tips and advice please!

[Lucinda15]

I'm fairly new to FF and we are going on a two day break with an overnight stay in hotel next week. I need some advice and tips on how to manage FF around this!

DD is 9 weeks old, on comfort formula (so cannot use the ready made cartons) and feeds quite regularly, every 2-3 hours (although generally can be longer 3-4 hrs if out and about). I use the flask method, preferring to use hot water to make formula up on the go. So I take a flask of hot water, a bottle of cooled boiled water, powder in a dispenser and a couple of sterile bottles. I put hot water in the sterile bottle, add powder, shake, then top up with cold sterile water to make a drinkable temperature.

That method works well for me when out and about on short journeys. But we are most likely going to have quite long days with DS who is 5, at two theme parks. I'm not sure how much I can realistically carry with me. So am wondering what facilities are available to mums for formula feeding.... can anyone tell me if/what I can make use of while there? I've not done this before so am unsure! And has anyone used this flask method for long trips/journeys and have any tips? How long will my sterile bottles last for while out and about? I usually use them fairly soon after putting together but if I take a few out will they stay sterile all day? And How long will my cold sterile water be ok to use for? Alternatively, I've heard regular bottled water is not ok to use but someone said Evian is ok?

Re. Hotel. I am going to take my own kettle (dubious about some of the kettles I've used in hotels in the past!) and either a Milton cold water sterilisation bucket or my own steam steriliser. But is it ok to use the hotel sink to wash up bottles? I'm generally dubious about the cleanliness of hotels... call me paranoid but can't help it! Perhaps take my own washing up bowl? Please help with tips before I literally end up taking my own kitchen sink! Lol.

[soupforbrains]

Ok well, I couldn't breast feed so my ds had formula from almost birth. Very early on we had to figure this out as he was accidentally born overseas so we had to travel home with him. I also travelled with him a fair bit when he was small.

I would say that you may have to give up on the hot water thing, it's the only part that is really impractical for a longer time but that said once you reach the hotel you'll be able to use your kettle so the flask will still work for outings and for the journey there.

Milton cold water sterilisation tablets are what I always used when we travelled, often there just isn't space or a suitable counter for another method.

You're fine to wash the bottles in the hotel sink, remember you will be sterilising them afterwards.

Re the bottled water thing I never used it, I used to put the right amount of sterilised water into my sterile bottles and take the powder with me seperately to add to each bottle as required.

It's been a while since I was at this stage but I seem to recall that the sterile stay sterile for a day (provided they've not been rolled in dirt or over handled etc) as we used to do all the Milton sterilising overnight.

Hope this helps. x

[Lucinda15]

That's really helpful soup thank you! x

[EmmaJR1]

Hello, recently did a 7 hour car journey with my DS who is 3 months. I don't use hot water. I make up all my bottles for the day with boiled water and leave to cool. I use powder dispensers too and just make them up as you go along. Take your steam steriliser and you can do this each morning for the day. It's how I coped for a week in a holiday cottage.

Good luck

[LIZS]

We used travel sterilising bags which have a premeasured soluble sterilising tablet , can be filled with tap water and hung over the bath.

[mrsnec]

I've used the cheap supermarket sterilising tablets before and they've been fine. Also, can you get baby water in the UK? I used that quite a bit when I'm out and about. You can't get ready made formula here but people use that as it has a very low mineral content and you can make bottles up at room temp with it.

[Longhairmightcare]

Milton do a travel steriliser, which can be used as a cold water steriliser, or in the microwave. I product tested it when it first came out (thanks to mumsnet ). Doesn't leak FWIW even if upside down and jiggled about - I really tried!

[Lucinda15]

Thanks for the tips everyone! Think I'm just about sorted. However, still paranoid about using hotel bathroom sink for baby feeding preparation! But I can see if I sterilise it should be fine.

Is it ok tho to use the water from hotel bathroom tap to make up her milk (once boiled obvs)? DH says I'm being overMy paranoid.

[soupforbrains]

I'm not sure you are being over paranoid about using the water. Check with the hotel when you arrive if the water in the bathroom taps is drinking water. If they say yes then just just like using your kitchen tap at home. If they say no I would explain that you need drinking water for baby formula and ask them to send a large jug of drinking water to the room.
X

[CaveMum]

Making up formula with totally cooled boiled water is not safe, it is the powder that needs to be sterilised, not the water itself. You can only do that by using water that is at least 70 degrees.

When we go out for the day I pre-make bottles up with the hot water, then flash cool them under a cold tap/in a bowl of cold water. Then when it's time to feed DS I reheat the bottles by stopping at a food outlet and asking for a bowl/jug of hot water to stand the bottle in to reheat it. Takes about 5 minutes if the water is hot enough - DS is fussy and will only drink very warm milk!

[Lucinda15]

Thanks soup that's a good piece of advice! Will actually check in advance when booking I think.

cavemum yep I tend make up bottles as I need them with hot water that I carry with me in the flask. I was going to make up 1 or 2 feeds to warm up on the go but read that these only last in a cool bag up to 4 hours and we are likely going to be out for much longer than that. So I will use the flask for the rest of the feeds and am hoping to buy a car kettle actually for boiling any more water if I need it! Or hoping the theme parks will be able to assist somehow!