Formula..

[superdupershopper]

I've just looked at baby formula instructions. You're supposed to boil the water, let it cool a bit, make up just one bottle, cool it in cold water and give to baby- it says each bottle just be made up as needed and to do this each time.

Does anyone actually do this? How can this be practical at 3am?!? I remember with my older child making up the day's bottles of formula in advance as they could be made up and kept in fridge for 24 hrs.

AIBU to consider not following the guidelines- is there a safety reason for the change?

Perhaps thinking I could make up two at a time, so they would only be in the fridge 3-4 hours max before being used...

It's a covering-their-arse reason. When I had DD 15 months ago I rang the Aptamil helpline who told me that making up bottles in advance is fine. I can't remember how long in advance she said was fine, but I always did bottles morning and evening = no more than 12 hours in the fridge.

I got a perfect prep machine. Took two mins to make a bottle at the right temperature. So much easier than boiling the kettle.

I had one of those case things so I would boil the kettle and fill the bottle that I knew I would need in the night and then put it in the case....then kept it in the bedroom with the powder in one of those pots and then mix up when DS used to wake.

I used ready made formula. More expensive but totally worth it.

do you have any of those little milk formula pots that you can store inside the bottle? you can fill the bottle up with the required amount of water. add the required amount of formula into the little pot and then mix the two together when necessary. i would warm the water up slightly before adding the formula though.

www.tommeetippee.co.uk/product/milk-powder-dispensers/

I spoke to the GP about this as I will be formula feeding, he said when his twins were really little they just used the cartons of milk for night feeds and made fresh bottles in the day time if you are really worried about keeping made up bottles.

I made it as per the instructions but used ready made formula at night time.

The milk powder is not sterile.

In order to make it sterile and kill bugs bottles need to be made up with just off the boil water.

Of course if you can't be bothered you can do it the other way but you risk making your baby ill. Your choice.

I was totally paranoid with my pfb and did exactly this, but after a few weeks we started buying pre made cartons. Was expensive about 60 pence each but by then we were on two feeds a night and it saved stress etc

I've been making bottles up in advance since dd was born 6 months ago. I just keep them at the back of the fridge. I think they tell you not to because once the milk has been made it can breed bacteria but chilling it should help prevent this just like chilling most things.

Your also not supposed to add the formula to water that is cool as this doesn't kill the bacteria that could be in the powder.

WHO guidance here

You can pre prepare feeds, you must flash cool and refrigerate (not in fridge door) and discard after 24 hours

Please don't use cool/cold water, even if has been previously boiled. The risks come from the powder not the water.

I followed the instructions but flitted between: a) putting boiled water in the formula and then calling immediately (not waiting the 20/30 mins), or b) putting 2oz of boiled water in with all 7 scoops of powder to kill off the bacteria, and then adding 5oz of previously boiled/cooled water that I'd stored in the fridge. That way it only takes less than a minute to complete and I felt was as safe as using the machine which I believe does exactly what I've described (but without the cost).

Agree with everything everyone else says but if you can afford it do get a perfect pep machine. They make life so much easier and you know it's all being done correctly and safely. We had three weeks until we got ours - three weeks of hell I might add. It was the best thing we bought and I think I would have paid double the price as it has made getting bottles ready quickly and safely an absolute doddle.

We've always made in advance & used the same day. My two have always taken it cold straight from the fridge.

The reason for the change was after babies in France and Belgium died in 2005 from bacteria in formula powder. The formula had been made up in advance with cold water so lots of opportunity for the bacteria to multiply.

The important thing is to make the bottle up with very hot (70c) water to start with. If you do that you can cool it quickly and store in the fridge, using as soon as possible but definitely within 24 hours.

Milk powder isn't sterile and needs to come into contact with boiled water.

Measure out the powder
Add a small amount of newly boiled water, enough to dissolve all the powder
then top up with normal tap water

you'll have a safely made bottle at a reasonable temperature

I'm so getting one of those perfect prep machines!!! I'm going to nag DP for one lol

Odd that the SMA staydown (anti reflux) formula powder needs to be made up with fridge cold water (clear instructions on the tin), then warmed to room temp if desired. Wonder how that's ok re: bacteria risk?

I BF for the first 3 months, and only then went to formula ... for a new born, up to a month say, i would probably make one bottle at a time.

Now, at 4 months, I sterilise everything, and I make them in advance, and refigerate, but nothing is kept longer than apx 9 hours (overnight), and that's usually only the one bottle for the morning. Most bottles are used up within 4/5 hours of being made up.

The water does have to be pipping hot to kill any nasties in the milk powder. Then rapidly chilled if it's going to be kept. I rasied my older 3 DDs this way and no harm came to them.

I believe that not long ago there was a case where a baby became ill, and the blame was placed on the formula. So now the formula companies say one bottle at a time.

My good friend who works with allot of young families says that 90% of parents are making and storing the formula. She knows at least one mum who actually collects the dregs from all the bottles and makes a feed out of them too!

x posted with fledermaus :)

The World Health organisation Guidelines give all the resons behind the various prepration methods.

They also say "3.2.4 Storage of prepared feeds
Because PIF may contain harmful bacteria, it is best to prepare it fresh for each feed. However, in practical terms
this is not always possible. Feeds may need to be prepared in advance, e.g. for the crche, babysitter, or if you
are going out for the day. In these circumstances, feeds should be prepared using water no less than 70 C,
cooled quickly immediately after preparation, and stored in the refrigerator (at 5 C or colder) for no more than
24 hours.
Feed stored in the refrigerator should be used within 24 hours of preparation. Even if water no less than 70 C
was used to reconstitute PIF, spoilage bacteria may have survived that can grow at refrigeration temperatures
and can cause feeds to spoil. The quality of reconstituted PIF may also deteriorate on prolonged storage.
Feeds should be cooled quickly before placing into the refrigerator, as hot feeds will increase the refrigerator's
temperature. Feeds can be rapidly cooled by placing under cold running water or in a bowl of cold water."

www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/pif_guidelines.pdf

I made formula as follows.
1 put powder in
2 1/2 fill with boiling water from the kettle.
3 swirl round to dissolve formula
4 top up with previously boiled water stored in the fridge.

Perfect temp every time and no bacteria worries

I got a good tip from MN: boil kettle and fill a flask with the boiling water. Keep bottles in the fridge with chilled boiled water.

Pour 50% of the required water (from flask) into the bottle. Add powder and mix. Top up with chilled water. You then have a perfect bottle in about 2 minutes. Easy. :-)

Just remember to keep the flask hot enough.

I used to boil the kettle and once it was cooled to 70 degrees pour into a flask then I wasn't having to boil the kettle everytime. For nighttime feeds I used a bottle insulated bag made the bottles up before we went to bed then took them upstairs in the bag.