About prep time for powdered formula?

[MissMalteser]

Ds is 6 weeks and I am just starting to introduce the odd bottle of formula so we can combination feed, at the minute I am using the pre made bottles but i have been looking into powder and because of the gap between dc's I'm not sure if ive just forgot it was always this complicated?
So each bottle has to be made fresh as required, this includes boiling kettle, making bottle and letting cool, but each bottle also has to be sterilised, once I open my steriliser to get a bottle out the rest are contaminated and need resterilised, so by the time ds starts grunting for a feed and I actually go through the faff of sterilising bottle, boiling water, making bottle and letting it cool enough to drink it could surely take at least 45 minutes each time? Am i missing something? and aibu to think surely there is a more time effective way to do it?

[Chickpeachick0]

There is no guarantee a perfect prep machine kills all the bacteria in the powder .
Jug of ice to cool .
cartons for the night perhaps ?

[Topseyt]

I did the same as ThereisIron. Bottles all sterilised in one go in the evening, kettle boiled, bottles made up, cooled and stored in the fridge.

I microwaved them whenever one was needed.

Never a problem.

What they seem to recommend today seems like so much more of a faff.

[Iamnotloobrushphobic]

There have been safety concerns raised over the perfect prep machine. Apparently the hot shot of water isn't of sufficient quantity to adequately sterilise the powder. Somebody linked to the research on a thread on here a couple of months ago. It is much safer to use a hot shot of at least 2 ounces from a freshly boiled kettle and top up with cooled boiled water. Old fashioned method which is better and cheaper than perfect prep. And of course breasts are not sterile but the breastmilk is sterile because it is about as fresh as you can get when fed straight from the breast and hadn't had chance to become contaminated. There is no need to sterilise nipples. I don't think cows have their nipples sterilised either.

[MissMalteser]

I think this is the first time I can legitimately say "it wasn't so complicated in my day" lol!
Dd1 is 13 and her bottles were made up the night before then stored in the fridge until needed! A lot to consider, I am hoping to combination feed for as long as possible so hopefully if ds is only having 2 bottles a day it's not too much of a faff!

[FeckOfffCup]

DS went fully onto formula at about 3 months and I did it the new faffy way because that's what the HV told me to do but it honestly wasn't that bad.
On the night I would sterilise all the bottles and assemble them for the next day.
Then when it was time for a feed, fill the bottle with hot water from the kettle, add the powder (remember water first not powder!) give a good shake then cool in the sink for 5 minutes. Shake again and ready. You get used to when they're going to want a feed and you can tell when they're getting hungry so you can get a bottle ready before they start crying.

We used to keep a couple of ready made cartons in the cupboard so if it was a night feed and I couldn't be arsed or if I was going out I would just use one of those.

[olympicsrock]

Firstly it is not necessary to sterilise at all as long as you wash bottles well with a bottle brush at 70 degrees or in the dishwasher I have not done with ds 9 months with no problem. There is lots of guidance to show no need to sterilise. Secondly as others have said you need to add boiling water to kill bacteria in the powder. Poor enough boiling water in to cover powder and then top up with cold. Then shake. Essentially does the same as perfect prep but without a machine. Shake temp on wrist in the normal way.

[GiveMyHeadPeaceffs]

MAM self sterilising bottles and make up your bottles in batches...that advice when my ds was a few weeks old was a godsend! And yes to pp who advised boiling water on the powder to sterilise.

[Voteforpedr0]

Also the who advised against making up 6 bottles at a time (usually 24 hours worth) as fridge temperatures vary depending how much other food you have in them. I used to be really analysis about making up my dc's bottles. I did, hot soapy water to clean with bottle brush (ensure the tears are turned inside out and cleaned thoroughly ) into the Cold water steriliser then with freshly ran freshly boiled tap water make up, rapid cool ( sink full of ice water ) shake bottles after 5 mins then back into the cold water. Straight in to coldest part of fridge.

[Notso]

My eldest is 15 and I don't recall it being recommended to make up bottles any differently. I remember the Mum in the next bed to me being told she was not to make up bottles in advance.
I've only ever made up a fresh bottle or bought ready made.

[Voteforpedr0]

*Particular not analysis

[Voteforpedr0]

*Teats not tears ! deary me

[FrazzleRock]

My goodness. I've just read all this. I've not had a baby for 7 years but we are trying for DC3 (just suffered two MCs)

I always had one of those dispensing containers with the correct amount of formula in each compartment, then added to the bottle containing cooled boiled water. Then gave to to them like that. I didn't even heat it, or maybe I did for 30 seconds in microwave IIRC .... I did the same when I was a nanny years ago.
I'm glad I read this. I totally plan to BF, (that is if I dont starve the next one like I did my 2 DC) but will be useful to know when I go back to work and DP takes over.

[Pixienott0005]

I think the whole using bottles within 2 hours of being cooked is rubbish. I think using them within 6 hours is fine but I wouldn't leave it any longer than that while he's tiny.

I bought the Tommee Tippee prep machine that makes the bottle up instantly at the right temp. It's good but I could've saved myself £80 if people hadn't scared me so much about bottles gathering bacteria after 2 hours!!

[Pixienott0005]

Meant to say cooled

[Hamiltoes]

I think its so confusing because of all the misconceptions people throw around.

If you only decide to follow one thing, its that the powder must be made sterile with the hot water. That is what grows the nasties.

I rarely steriliesed bottles and I certainly didn't sterilise tap water. We live in the UK. Just make sure the bottles are thoroughly clean and the tap is cleaned every day so grime can't build up.

All you do is boil a kettle, put a dash of hot water into the clean bottle (add more hot water as the baby grows and you add more powder). Add the scoops of powder and swish until its dissolved. Now you have sterile powder. Fill up to the level with cold water, although remember to account for the powder which will have displaced the water level a bit.

Literally a safe bottle in less than a minute, at a nice warm temperature and as safe as you're ever going to get it imo.

You're just manually doing what the tommee tippee machine does.

[Oysterbabe]

I'm just about to start combi feeding DD 17 weeks. I exclusively express currently but I'm starting to struggle to keep up, little chubster.
Once you've made a bottle, how long can you leave it sitting around for? Just wondering about making up bottles for when we go out and how long they're good for.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

In my day we didn't wear bike helmets and seat-belts either. And most people were OK. But some weren't.

In order of safety, I would think it goes...

Breast milk from breasts
Breast milk in just sterilized bottles
Ready made formula in cartons put in just sterilized bottles
Formula made with hot water, cooled and served immediately in just sterilized bottles
Formula made any old how (made with cold water, bottles hanging around, stored for over the recommended time)

I suppose it depends on your risk-tolerance but I wouldn't be happy with option 5.

[Oysterbabe]

I also remember reading that the water shouldn't be boiling as it can damage the nutrients in the powder. Is that true?

[Tiredmumno1]

Agree with others about the perfect prep machine, it's great, bottles are made in minutes. Fab invention

[fatandold]

I sterilised bottles and boiled the kettle. Used the boiled water to make up one bottle at a time with powder as needed. If going out I took a powder dispenser and a sterilised bottle filled with boiled water. Water would have been rapidly cooled to cold or just got cold in kettle later in the day. I never ever ever fed warm bottles, that is a rod for your own back! Babies learn to take it cold. Warm milk sitting around breeds germs. Combination feeding so breast at body temp obv and then cold formula at other times. DS had no problem with this, neither did other 3 DC. No point trying to make bottle as similar to breast as it cannot be, so figured would make it as different as poss, including other people feeding it. Always used the bottle within an hour, or up to two hours once DS was over 6months old. I didn't hold truc with the "powder needs sterilising" brigade, since the manufacturer sterilises the powder! It might breed germs once made up and sitting around warm, but not straight out of the tin! Just MHO.

I had a friend who never sterilised, just swished bottles with boiling water. I sterilised til about 1 year old just for my peace of mind!

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I didn't hold truc with the "powder needs sterilising" brigade, since the manufacturer sterilises the powder!

You're wrong. It's not a sterile product. www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-12-28/bacteria-tied-to-baby-s-death-has-been-linked-to-formula-since-1980s

[Ivegotyourgoat]

Wash and sterilise bottles the night before. They'll be fine in the steriliser for 24 hours.

Boil kettle, make up with powder however many bottles you need for the day.

Flash cool in a bowl of water hen refrigerate quickly.

Reheat as needed.

You can take them out and about in a thermo bag with an ice pack.

See the who advice.

http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/PIFBottlee_en.pdf

Please will people stop advising mums to store cooled boiled water in the fridge? The formula powder IS NOT sterile hence why bottles need to be made with water above 70 degrees.

Tommee tippee prep machines are a waste of money and again not safe as there isn't enough hot water to kill bacteria in the formula.

[TheCatsMeow]

Just make them in advance, that's what I do

[Ivegotyourgoat]

The reason that they advise against storing ready made bottles in the fridge is because bacteria can still grow in the fridge.

However, if you make sure they're flash cooled, store them in the coldest part of the fridge, and don't store them for two long you'll be fine.

I make ds in the morning so they're only stored for 12 hours.

[Ivegotyourgoat]

Too long