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Original poster

Fucked up preparing my 2 week olds formula WWYD

36 replies

Sectionprep · 31/10/2023 19:35

Used my perfect prep machine for the first time and realised after my child had had a few ml of the feed that it clearly hadn't dispensed the hot shot. I'm absolutely terrified and I don't know what to do, has this happened to anyone else before?

OP posts:
KateyCuckoo · 31/10/2023 19:35

Do nothing except prepare a new feed. Baby is and will be fine.

FloraClover · 31/10/2023 19:37

has it just been a few mls? I really would not worry. Just make a new feed.

I know it’s hard not to worry. I’m very sensible most of the time but when it’s my kids, I just can’t help but worry.

your baby will be fine. 😊

MsSquiz · 31/10/2023 19:39

How did you realise after making the bottle and starting the feed?

Are you sure it didn't do the hot shot, as that's the first thing it does.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Breast & bottle feeding Families
Original poster
Sectionprep · 31/10/2023 19:42

I had done the first few trials before baby came and I hadn't remembered that it makes a boiling noise until after I'd started feeding her and I realised it hadn't made the noise when I started feeding her. We are using mam bottles rather than tomee tippee so it's harder to feel if the formula is warm also. Ran it again and the hot shot bit ran cold so fairly certain hers wasn't hot. Feel absolutely sick with worry.

OP posts:
Theredfoxfliesatmidnight · 31/10/2023 19:44

It's alright baby will be fine, don't worry xx

TokyoSushi · 31/10/2023 19:45

Nothing will happen, just make up a new bottle

Thesearmsofmine · 31/10/2023 19:46

Don’t worry baby will be fine. Make a fresh feed up and church the old one.

fedupandstuck · 31/10/2023 19:52

No need to panic. The chances of anything happening from one feed prepared with cold water is exceedingly tiny. Really nothing to stress about. The guidance to use hot water to mix formula is to prevent the impact of any poor hygiene eg mishandling of powder tubs, scoops, poor hand washing etc etc. If everything was otherwise clean and the powder and scoop used correctly then there is almost no risk of any bacterial contamination.

junbean · 31/10/2023 19:58

fedupandstuck · 31/10/2023 19:52

No need to panic. The chances of anything happening from one feed prepared with cold water is exceedingly tiny. Really nothing to stress about. The guidance to use hot water to mix formula is to prevent the impact of any poor hygiene eg mishandling of powder tubs, scoops, poor hand washing etc etc. If everything was otherwise clean and the powder and scoop used correctly then there is almost no risk of any bacterial contamination.

The contamination is more likely to come from the processing factory. The reason it needs to get to a certain temp is to kill potential bacteria from the processing. I don't even know why they still sell those perfect prep machines because it doesn't get to a high enough temp so if there was any contamination it wouldn't kill it.

Original poster
Sectionprep · 31/10/2023 20:07

I'm honestly going to bin the machine, all my friends recommended it and I'd not used it as I've been too nervous to make up feeds as my baby had feeding issues and was on premade formula. She's now really established with her feeds and it was the first and last time I'll try it. Feel so fucking guilty.

OP posts:
EnjoythemoneyJane · 31/10/2023 20:08

I’m sorry you’re so worried but please try to relax and take a breath.

Babies are much, much more robust than we realise when we’re in the throes of being a new mum and thinking everything we do or don’t do will somehow catastrophically affect their health/development/life outcomes! The fact that something so small has made you this anxious shows how hard you’re trying to be a good mum - and you are, you just need to believe it.

Your baby is absolutely fine. Make a new bottle, it’s all good x

Original poster
Sectionprep · 31/10/2023 20:09

EnjoythemoneyJane · 31/10/2023 20:08

I’m sorry you’re so worried but please try to relax and take a breath.

Babies are much, much more robust than we realise when we’re in the throes of being a new mum and thinking everything we do or don’t do will somehow catastrophically affect their health/development/life outcomes! The fact that something so small has made you this anxious shows how hard you’re trying to be a good mum - and you are, you just need to believe it.

Your baby is absolutely fine. Make a new bottle, it’s all good x

Thank you, this is so kind it's made me cry. I feel so horribly guilty.

OP posts:
piglet81 · 31/10/2023 20:14

It’s so overwhelming being a mum to a tiny baby. Please don’t worry, baby will be absolutely fine. Be kind to yourself Flowers

CyberCritical · 31/10/2023 20:21

Logic it through, it always helps me to try to step back from the emotion and work through the issue.

The reason you use the near boiling water is to kill potential bacteria in the powder.

The likelihood of there being dangerous bacteria in the formula is really low.

The likelihood that even if there was dangerous bacteria present it would not be caught by your babies natural bacteria fighting mechanisms and would lead to illness is even lower.

So it's a teeny tiny chance that anything bad would happen with one feed.

Do another practice run with the machine, make sure you know how to use it and next time you do use it make sure that you squirt a bit of the milk on your wrist to check it's warm so you can confirm that the hot water has been added.

Original poster
Sectionprep · 31/10/2023 21:27

CyberCritical · 31/10/2023 20:21

Logic it through, it always helps me to try to step back from the emotion and work through the issue.

The reason you use the near boiling water is to kill potential bacteria in the powder.

The likelihood of there being dangerous bacteria in the formula is really low.

The likelihood that even if there was dangerous bacteria present it would not be caught by your babies natural bacteria fighting mechanisms and would lead to illness is even lower.

So it's a teeny tiny chance that anything bad would happen with one feed.

Do another practice run with the machine, make sure you know how to use it and next time you do use it make sure that you squirt a bit of the milk on your wrist to check it's warm so you can confirm that the hot water has been added.

Thank you so much. I did try to do this, however everything I read made me think that there is bacteria in the formula and that is why its so essential to use boiling water. I genuinely feel so bad and frightened, I've called 111 and am waiting for advice

OP posts:
MyBedIsMySpiritualHome · 31/10/2023 21:31

Op, you do NOT need medical advice.

This level of worry is unusual, be gentle with yourself. Your baby is fine.

But do mention how you are feeing to a health visitor. You may need a bit of extra support.

Have a cuppa, sleep if you can. Baby is fine x

Stressyfab · 31/10/2023 21:33

Please don’t panic. My midwives advised that cool boiled water was fine to make up bottles.
The machine still will have filtered the water!
Your baby is going to absolutely fine, if the machine does it again I’d be asking for a replacement is all

ProfessorGambol · 31/10/2023 21:35

Please give yourself a break, and believe the collective wisdom of other mums, who’ve also got terrified when their babies were tiny that they’d done something catastrophic, and in hindsight now know that baby was fine all along.

Your baby is so unlikely to get unwell from a few mls of formula. The risk is vanishingly small. You know what to look out for with the machine now, so you’re not going to do the same thing again. I think it is fairly normal to sometimes feel very anxious about things like this - it’s so easy to feel overwhelmed in the first few weeks and months. Have you got someone in real life you can talk to tonight to reassure you?

Legendairy · 31/10/2023 21:35

Stressyfab · 31/10/2023 21:33

Please don’t panic. My midwives advised that cool boiled water was fine to make up bottles.
The machine still will have filtered the water!
Your baby is going to absolutely fine, if the machine does it again I’d be asking for a replacement is all

Yep, we were always told to use cool boiled water when my DCs were young, used to make up bottles with just the boiled water and had a powder dispenser. Loads of my friends did it like that also. I know the advice has now changed but a one off will be fine.

Shouldbedoing · 31/10/2023 21:39

Baby still has your immunity at 2 weeks.

Stressyfab · 31/10/2023 21:44

Legendairy · 31/10/2023 21:35

Yep, we were always told to use cool boiled water when my DCs were young, used to make up bottles with just the boiled water and had a powder dispenser. Loads of my friends did it like that also. I know the advice has now changed but a one off will be fine.

Show quote history

Just to add, mine is 5 months old! So recent advice for me - he’s a chunky happy boy.

Legendairy · 31/10/2023 21:46

Stressyfab · 31/10/2023 21:44

Just to add, mine is 5 months old! So recent advice for me - he’s a chunky happy boy.

Show quote history

That's interesting, mine are 17 and 15. I was told that it was only just boiled to make it now so maybe that's changed again. I can't keep up lol.

InTheRainOnATrain · 31/10/2023 21:51

The guidelines is most other countries eg USA, Canada, Australia, France seems to be to use cool water (usually previously boiled, baby safe mineral, or purified water) to make your bottles. The UK guidance is very much belt and braces. Your baby will be fine. Sounds like something is wrong with your prep machine which is annoying though, I loved ours, so maybe don’t use it again and try to get a warranty replacement?

Calmdown14 · 31/10/2023 21:56

Remember that the guidance applies to all countries and so there will be places drinking water isn't safe unless boiled.

That doesn't apply to you and the machine has filtered it anyway.

The risk is miniscule to zero.

Honestly you need to be a bit kinder to yourself. It's such a minor thing and not worth this level of angst. That will do more harm to you and your baby than the formula.

MyPurpleHeart · 31/10/2023 22:02

When I first bought my baby home I read that she would only drink an ounce or two per feed. So for the night feed I made one bottle and left it on the bedside table and gave her a little bit each time she woke up in the night. I didn't know until she was a few days old that you shouldn't do this!

She's absolutely fine, these things happen op. You didn't do it on purpose :)

Also my prep machine did this, unplug it and plug it back in and run it a few times. It'll do a hot shot after a few go's!