Managing without a microwave - is it possible?

[Sheen4272]

I don't have a microwave and have a baby due in 2 weeks. Can you realistically manage without one for milk and then weaning? If so, how do you heat up the food/milk?

[grouphug]

Hi Yes you can. Heat up the food in a bowl of water or on the hob.

As for milk have you thought about breastfeeding your baby? It is so much easier than heating, sterilising and preparing bottles.

[bergentulip]

Yup. No probs.
Have done so for my two. currently weaning no.2.
Just take the icecubes out the freezer a couple of hrs before needed, and to warm up anything, just stick it in a bowl in boiling water. Milk or food.

[spicemonster]

I have a microwave but very rarely heat up food and never milk for my DS. If they only ever have it cold, they don't know the difference. But I agree that you might want to try bfing - lot less faff.

[bergentulip]

(grouphug, maybe sheen4272 will be breastfeeding and is talking about warming up expressed milk from the fridge/freezer?)

[grouphug]

Bergentulip I wasn't being rude, it was a genuine question I was just trying to help? many women I come into contact with at work do not consider breastfeeding and posing this question is what I was taught to ask???

[bergentulip]

Ok. Fine. Fair enough. I just see sooooooo many times on MN, the OP will be asking about something related to FFing, or bottles, and then there will be about 10 others responding with 'have you thought about breastfeeding?'. I just get a little tired of it.

I did breastfeed, so I am not opposed, and certainly 'pro' bla bla bla.... but I just get a little bf/ff weary. Did not mean to make that seem like a complete attack on you. I did not think you were being rude.
I was just seeing the question from op's point of view,-- if the op had been me... if that makes sense. It would have got on my tits basically. (no pun intended!)

i guess I don't come into contact with people who would not even consider BF, so the thought had not crossed my mind.

And sorry OP. I'll stop hijacking now! (easypeezy without microwave! )

[hercules1]

I thought you werent meant to use the microwave anyway to heat milk up. Maybe advice has changed.
Of coourse you can manage. Microwaves are a fairly rercent invention.

[Sheen4272]

Am really hoping to breastfeed so the warming of milk would be a) if for some reason it doesn't work and b) for expressing later on. I'm looking at sterilisers on ebay and thought there's no point looking at microwave ones if I'm not going to buy one! Thanks for all your comments.

[FTMum]

you can use milton and water to sterilise (from what i remember).

you shouldn't realy rewarm formula at all even in micro (although many do).

make up ff fresh and cool down. use a flask for hot water at night. (boots/tesco/mothercare sell the flask- have a look online)

i'm sure you can get by without microwave for the baby. (i couldn't live without one for myself!!)

[yomellamoHelly]

I use ours for heating up plates and that's about it. If it's any help you can get one for £20 in Tescos.

[Indith]

I don't use the microwave for ds at all, in any case heating in a microwave causes hot spots so easier to a. burn the baby by not realising that a bit of his food is way too hot as the bit you tested was ok and b. to not heat things through properly causing an upset tummy.

[pinata]

i'm sure you can - hob etc, as suggested above, but it means things take longer, which can be a pain when baby screaming. i use ours to heat water for the milk and sterlise bottles. rarely used it before having DD, but that and the kettle are essential these days

is there a reason not to get one? space issues for example? they're pretty cheap these days as yomellamohelly says

[Fingerbobs]

You don't need to heat expressed breast milk at all, just take it out of the fridge beforehand and let it get to room temp. Much less faff!

[theyoungvisiter]

I didn't buy a microwave until DS was about 18 months old.

Not necessary at all, for weaning but it does save a bit on washing up as I had to heat things up in a saucepan and then transfer to a dish. Now I have a microwave I obviously just heat it in the dish I serve it in.

As for milk I don't really know about that as I exclusively breast-fed - I do know that it's v easy to heat up frozen EBM in a jug of warm water - only takes a few seconds. I don't think it's recommended to microwave it anyway.

[Tinkjon]

I'm going to be the only person here saying this, I can see that but I couldn't get by without a microwave. DS is FF and I don't think there's any way of sterilising which is quicker and easier than the microwave. We also use it to heat his milk(we heat the water in it, then add the powder) and this only takes 15 seconds, as opposed to a few minutes in a bowl of hot water (and when babies want their milk they want it NOW!) As for food, I guess this depends on how organised a person you are - I'm not very organised and I often have to defrost food at the last minute, or heat it up quickly, and I couldn't do that without the microwave.

Why not get a steriliser which you can use either in the microwave or as a cold water Milton-style one, that way you've got both bases covered. Tommee Tippee do a great one...