Will i be able to refrigerate open cartons of ready made formula in hospital?

[12ylnon]

I understand they keep open in the fridge for 24 hours. I've bought 3 small cartons, in the hope that i'll be able to use one, possibly one and a bit per day whilst i'm in there (hopefully won't be in for too long!). Surely they won't make me throw them away- it would be so wasteful considering that newborns only take 5-7ml per feed in their first day?

Any experience of this? Midwife wasn't sure when i saw her as she's with a different team to those at the hospital so i'm not sure who i could ask.

[CaffeineDeficit]

We were, but DS was having formula on medical recommendation (which is a whole other story) - I don't know if the procedure would be different if you were FF for other reasons

The hospital had white labels by the milk fridge, on which you had to write your name, the date and the time you opened the carton. We were told anything unlabelled, or over 24h old, would get chucked. No one was allowed to keep bottles of formula (e.g. if baby had half drunk one) in the fridge - they had to be poured away.

[tamster83]

eh ? where are you from ? do they not give u bottles of milk in your hosital.....

[Panzee]

Can you get the tiny bottles of SMA from Boots? They are the same as the ones some hospitals give out. Teats included. I got a box of 12 for 12 quid.

[12ylnon]

I'm planning on using MAM bottles and they have very different teats to those SMA ones. I really don't want DS2 to get used to that type of teat (otherwise it'd be a very good idea!).
tamster The hospital i'm going to doesn't provide anything except sterilising equipment unfortunately.

[Rhubarb78]

My hospital had single use pre sterilised bottles that you could decant your carton into, label and keep in the

[Rhubarb78]

sorry child on keyboard
*in the fridge for 24 hours

[Heavensmells]

You could when I had my ds. You just labelled and put time on and put in the fridge.

[ditavonteesed]

I would doubt very much that they will let you keep an opened carton in the fridge.

[bonzo77]

Yes. Bring labels and a pen.

[12ylnon]

I would seal them with clips- would that make a difference!?

[AmandaPayne]

Ours didn't let anyone keep open things in the fridge- they said a fridge that anyone could access (as you would need to for feeds) was too much of a risk as you'd never know if others had touched it, used it or (god forbid) done something nasty to it.

[givemeaclue]

They give you formula in little bottles

[AmandaPayne]

Mine doesn't. They only give formula if medically indicated, not if it is just your feeding preference/pre-planned. That's quite common now.

[12ylnon]

Ok, so clearly it differs from hospital to hospital. Does anyone know which department i'd have to ring to find out?

[AmandaPayne]

How far along are you? Could you ask the midwife at the next appointment for the right phone number to check, or is it all too imminent? Are you going on a tour of the labour ward - they'd know then.

[CaffeineDeficit]

IME, you'd want to speak to someone on the postnatal ward.

[Twinklestarstwinklestars]

When I had ds2 they wanted to see them using the bottles you were going to use at home before they left, and you had to provide your own milk, ds was given some of the pre done bottles as I was going to bf but changed my mind as he went into scbu and I had to pour them into my bottles.

[Springforward]

Your labour ward/ MLU will be able to tell you their own policy, if you call them.

[SchroSawMargeryDaw]

I didn't see or hear of anywhere you could on the postnatal ward but I was able to fridge expressed breast milk in SCBU and assume there would be somewhere I could have on the postnatal ward.

Maybe you could get the little BM bottles and they would let you then?

[Blobby11]

Some brands of formula are available in screw top bottles rather than cartons. Might be helpful if you're not allowed to store anything open