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Original poster

Making bottles without prep machine

35 replies

cherrycoke7 · 27/02/2022 15:33

Our prep machine isn't working right, DS has 6oz bottles and for some reason it keeps making 4/5oz. I'm not willing to replace it anyway so I'm going to make them up without it I just need some advice. The past few bottles I have used boiled water to make up the bottle and cooled it down in a jug of cold. I haven't waited 30 mins though before pouring it out the kettle, is this ok? It just doesn't work. What is the most common method? I'm thinking about trying the method of pouring 2oz boiling water in, add formula, stir then add 4oz of cool boiled water (using an old bottle to make sure the measurements are right). I don't have a jug with a lid though. Is there a certain type of jug I need to use? Is there anything else I need to be aware of?

OP posts:

Original poster

cherrycoke7 · 27/02/2022 16:29

Bump

OP posts:

Lazypuppy · 27/02/2022 16:30

I just made all the bottles night before and put in the fridge, thrn takr each bottle out as needed next day

Sleepyquest · 27/02/2022 16:35

I used to boil the kettle and then make it about 10 mins later and then cool it down. I waited a bit of time or else I couldn't hold the bottle to shake it!

I hate hate hate making formula and will be doing it again soon. So will be looking for tips also

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Breast & bottle feeding

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 27/02/2022 16:39

Your method of hot / powder / cold was what I used when out and about with DD. It worked perfectly, just mimicked the perfect prep.
The important thing, as you've said, is making sure you're putting the right amount of cold in to take the total water to 6oz, rather than topping up the bottle to 6oz mark with powder already in there.

I used to put boiling water in little bottles (I think they came with the breast pump) and just let them go cold before I used them.

You can just keep them measured out and ready to be used. Just fill it with boiling water when you empty it to make a bottle - it'll be ready for next time.

Original poster

cherrycoke7 · 27/02/2022 16:41

The nhs website just says to leave water to cool for no longer than 30 mins. So I'm not clear on whether you can pour out straight away or how long/why you need to leave it for a little.

OP posts:

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 27/02/2022 16:42

Not sure I said that very well!

So you have your 4oz boiled water sealed in your old/ spare bottle, and it's gone cold.

You put 2oz hot in the bottle, add your powder and shake, tip in your 4oz cold, shake. It's a good temp to feed. Put 4oz boiling water in the spare bottle, seal, leave it to go cold and it'll be ready for the next bottle.

BluTangClan · 27/02/2022 16:44

Make them ahead and put them in the fridge. Microwave to warm them up.
This is against official advice, but seems the only way to get a bottle made quickly when you've got a screaming baby in the middle of the night.
I used to use boiling water when in a rush and cool the made up bottle under a running cold tap. This was a waste of water, time and energy.
Microwaving is discouraged as you might get hotspots in the milk, but you're only making it warm and you give it a good shake, so I don't see the issue.

superstar84 · 27/02/2022 16:44

Where did you buy it from? If amazon ring them up and they'll replace it free of charge

It's faulty so you'd get a refund/replacement

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 27/02/2022 16:45

It's because the water needs to be over 70something degrees when added to the powder, to kill any nasties. If you leave it longer it may be below 70 odd degrees. But you'll be adding 90 odd degrees to the powder, so that's fine.

It's not the water that isn't safe if it's cold, it's the powder that's the issue.

SquigglyOne · 27/02/2022 16:47

I used to use the boiling water from the kettle straight away 🤷‍♀️ “Cool for no longer than 30mins” could mean 2 seconds right? 😂

Bloodyshittystorms · 27/02/2022 16:49

For night feeds I used the ready made stuff. Was a life saver

Original poster

cherrycoke7 · 27/02/2022 16:51

I bought it from a friends mum so was only used as a spare, DS is 5 months now. He doesn't wake for a feed in the night and his bottles are roughly the same time each day but it still seems a faff to leave the kettle for 30 mins.

Exactly squiggly1, I just didn't find it clear as to how long! I understand why you shouldn't leave it longer, but not what is the ideal time to leave it for!

OP posts:

BobLep0nge · 27/02/2022 16:54

I used to use the boiling water from the kettle straight away 🤷‍♀️ “Cool for no longer than 30mins” could mean 2 seconds right? 😂

Using boiling water destroys the nutrients in the formula. So you gave your baby safe formula but it wasn't as nutritious as it would have been had you let the water cool a bit first.

7catsisnotenough · 27/02/2022 16:56

Can you not make up the bottles for the day using cooled, boiled water store them in the fridge and reheat them by standing them in a bowl of hot water? That's how we used to do it and my children have all survived?

NicAndNick · 27/02/2022 16:57

No longer than means any time from 0 to 30 mins.

Here's what the WHO say
<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/PIF_Bottle_en.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwi48Pz0rKD2AhWCoFwKHTLeBJsQFnoECAQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1TTZVgrAfA7CCnZowvLIkt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/PIF_Bottle_en.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwi48Pz0rKD2AhWCoFwKHTLeBJsQFnoECAQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1TTZVgrAfA7CCnZowvLIkt

Original poster

cherrycoke7 · 27/02/2022 16:57

@BobLep0nge

I used to use the boiling water from the kettle straight away 🤷‍♀️ “Cool for no longer than 30mins” could mean 2 seconds right? 😂

Using boiling water destroys the nutrients in the formula. So you gave your baby safe formula but it wasn't as nutritious as it would have been had you let the water cool a bit first.

Yes I did read that somewhere, so what is the ideal time to leave it?

It's not recommended now to take up bottles in advance for the day, the midwife at the hospital was very firm on it!

OP posts:

BobLep0nge · 27/02/2022 16:58

This^ is what I used to do. I didn't reheat the bottles though, just gave straight from the fridge.

RandomDent · 27/02/2022 16:59

Can you use ready made instead?

BobLep0nge · 27/02/2022 17:03

It's not recommended now to take up bottles in advance for the day, the midwife at the hospital was very firm on it!

That's because there's a risk of salmonella (I think). I still did it though, but made two batches hours apart so they weren't stored for more than 5 or 6 hours.

PinkOasis · 27/02/2022 17:04

I used to boil the kettle and leave for 30 minutes then added to a flask to keep the water at that temperature.
I had 2 flasks so when one was getting low I'd boil the kettle to fill the second one. Rinse and repeat.

BobLep0nge · 27/02/2022 17:06

You could boil some water and put it in a flask when it's reached near the right temperature. Then just as a bit of that to the powder when you need a bottle and top up with cooled water.

Hoowhoowho · 27/02/2022 17:08

Making up bottles in advance for the day is the second safest way of making them and recommended (and likely safer than a prep machine).
Formula needs to go into water at 70 degrees or more to avoid the risk of cronobacter sakazakii (which is the bacteria behind the recent infant deaths in the US and subsequent Simliac recall) 1 litre of water cooled for 30 mins will be about 70 degrees, however if you boil 300mls of water and left it to cool for 30 minutes it would be too cool.

If you don’t want to make up each bottle in the perfect way eg boil 1 litre of water and prepare the formula then cool (which almost nobody does) then the second safest way is to make up 12-24 hours worth of formula, flash cool and store in back of fridge (mine used to drink it cold which is far less hassle)

However assuming your baby isn’t immunocompromised, preterm or newborn then the risk of significant bacterial infection is extremely low so do what you want.

Original poster

cherrycoke7 · 27/02/2022 17:11

I use ready made when we're out and about but it would get very expensive to use these all the time and a bit pointless since I'm happy to use the powder just wanted info on how best to do it

OP posts:

solbunny · 27/02/2022 17:20

@cherrycoke7

The nhs website just says to leave water to cool for no longer than 30 mins. So I'm not clear on whether you can pour out straight away or how long/why you need to leave it for a little.

The NHS website is frustratingly vague. I almost feel like it's deliberately vague.

After speaking to customer services at various formula companies, looking at discussions from various infant feeding organisations and thoroughly reading WHO recommendations cover to cover, I've come to the conclusion that there is a feeling that temps over 70 degrees may damage some of the vitamins/nutrients in the formula but any cooler than 70 degrees risks exposing your baby to things like cronobacter. This is why they recommend waiting 30 mins.

If you want to be very precise I'd do a little trial run with your kettle - fill it, boil it, and then wait 20 mins or so, pour it out and see the temperature with a food thermometer or similar. The reason I say this is that I use a kettle that has an in-built thermometer and it only takes 20 mins to get down to 70 degrees, if I left it the full 30 it would be too cold. If you do a test with a food thermometer you will know how long your kettle takes to cool (just pay attention to the amount of water in the kettle as this will obvs affect the cooling times)

It's a mare isn't it!

SquigglyOne · 27/02/2022 17:21

Isn’t the “hot shot” from a prep machine boiling though? So essentially the same as using straight from the kettle??

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