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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

HELP! just given baby old formula by mistake

36 replies

steviewonderful · 10/05/2016 16:53

it was about 3 hours old, I mixed up the bottles when we were out.

she's 6 months old

health visitor is being vague, anyone know anything about this, what are the chances she'll get ill and what are the symptoms?

I know it's no excuse but i'm under loads of stress and never wanted to have to mixed feed in the first place!!!!!
thanks xxx

OP posts:
LoudBatPerson · 10/05/2016 16:57

She will most likely be fine, think about how many times people eat food that has been put too long but do not get sick. Yes there is a risk but doesn't mean she will get ill.

If she does it will be typical stomach upset such as vomiting and/or diarrhoea. If she does get ill call the doctor for advice of you are not sure how bad it will be. Even if she does get ill chances are it will not be serious.

Lastly, don't blame yourself! It's a simple mistake, easy to make.

Strokethefurrywall · 10/05/2016 16:58

Take a very deep long breath OP - Your Baby Will Be Absolutely Fine Thanks

Seriously, you have done nothing wrong. It is the tiniest of mistakes to make. You're not a bad mum, you're doing a wonderful job. I gave my DSs (yes both of them) plenty of old milk, even worse, plenty of old expressed breast milk, left out far longer than 3 hours (and I live in the tropics too!) Neither of them even blinked. It didn't make them ill, they were none the wiser.

Sit down, give your baby a cuddle, have a hot cup of tea and a biscuit.

You're doing fine, your baby is fine and I'm 99.9% sure she will stay that way.

FirstWeTakeManhattan · 10/05/2016 17:00

Your baby will be fine OP.

purplefizz26 · 10/05/2016 17:02

I did this plenty of times, your baby will be fine.

JuxtapositionRecords · 10/05/2016 17:03

She will be absolutely fine - I promise. Please forget it and don't think you need to make excuses, things like this happen to everyone Smile

MrsJayy · 10/05/2016 17:04

We used to make bottles up in advance I know guidelines have changed but your baby will be OK

strawberrypenguin · 10/05/2016 17:04

She'll be fine. I think everyone's done it at some point!

Original poster
steviewonderful · 10/05/2016 17:17

thank you so much mumsnet xxxxx
i'll keep an eye on her as I know there's still a small chance that she might get ill.
Thanks for the practical advice and also the nice words to try and stop me beating myself up!
I don't need another reason to be ragingly angry about not being given the tiny amount of support I needed to fully breastfeed, but this definitely is one.
I need to slow down and not get so affected by her crying/whimpering sometimes, cos sometimes it's more important to think about what you're doing than to rush to do whatever it is to soothe the baby, when that thing might be the wrong thing!
I love her, she's amazing, I'm so lucky

OP posts:
glueandstick · 10/05/2016 17:28

Fuck sake. Your health visitor should have been a bit more supportive. As if it isn't hard enough being a new mum. She can't say 'oh yes don't refrigerate it' (which would be silly anyhow) but she could have reassured you.

Your baby will be fine. Absolutely fine. Now quit worrying and have a nap if your baby is have a post feed snooze. Or have a cuppa and put your feet up.

The obsession with milk is worrying. It really is for people who really don't do cleaning very well. All the info is a bit obsessive. Really don't worry. You're doing fine.

Emptynestx2 · 10/05/2016 17:29

Ah don't worry or beat yourself up about this, as another poster said we used to make up bottles in advance and my children have both grown up fine. Don't try to do too much, a baby that is a bit grumpy won't come to any had being left for a few minutes. Enjoy your baby and try not to worry too much X

glueandstick · 10/05/2016 17:30

(I make bottles up in advance and don't sterilise everything to within an inch of its life. My baby is currently asleep on her play mat with a blanket draped on her as that's where she fell asleep. She also sometimes sleeps on her front. I don't weigh her every week. Oh she's bottle fed thanks to no breastfeeding support. She's healthy, growing and I'm not stressed. Do what you need to keep the stress down)

crazywriter · 10/05/2016 17:35

Take a deep breath. As others have said, baby will be fine. I make bottles up in advance and just make sure they're used with 24 hours. Dilone it with both mine and both are perfectly fine x

TormundGiantsbabe · 10/05/2016 17:40

Don't worry about it. Soon she will be putting everything and worse in her mouth. The remains of a week old fluffy sausage roll was our latest actual food one Blush. At the weekend, Dd ate mud from someone else's garden... part of me was concerned because it wasn't our mud, then I found myself a grip.

BalthazarImpresario · 10/05/2016 17:45

Line others with Dc1 I made up the days bottles in advance as was ok at the time. 6 years later when I had dc2 it changed. Now they are 14 and 8 and God knows what they find in their rooms to eat.

murphyslaws · 10/05/2016 17:49

She will be fine. My formula was to be made and given then 6 months ago they changed it to make up and fridge for no longer than 24 hrs.

She will be fine don't panic

JuxtapositionRecords · 10/05/2016 17:54

I was going to say the same about the HV glue but sadly it doesn't surprise me.

Op - formula or breast it really doesn't matter. You sound lovely so I'm sure you are doing a great job. Just try and relax and enjoy your baby.

BertieBotts · 10/05/2016 17:55

It's probably fine. Don't do it on purpose! :) But it's a small increased risk, not a death sentence. At 6 months her immune system is likely to be decent as well and if you're still mixed feeding she might even have some protection from the BF? Who knows! But in reality I'd say you have very little to worry about.

BertieBotts · 10/05/2016 17:56

And as an aside if you want support/advice to move towards more BF than FF (I realise you'll be starting solids soon) the ladies on the infant feeding board here are fantastic and vv knowledgeable.

Original poster
steviewonderful · 10/05/2016 18:53

thanks everyone, just to clarify, I do make up bottles in advance, what I meant was that she had already drunk from this bottle about 3 hours before, hope that makes sense!
it feels like a fine balance between exposing her to stuff to build her immune system, and protecting her from harmful illness
thanks again, wasn't expecting such lovely msgs from AIBU, was expecting a couple of flamings in amoungst! (but the night is young!)

OP posts:
MiddleClassProblem · 10/05/2016 18:56

Don't worry she'll be fine, my friend did it by accident for double that time! It's only an hour more than leave out time x

scottishegg · 10/05/2016 19:01

Done it no end of times, with my first I used to make the bottles up and keep them in a bag all day!!! Dont know what I was thinking I'm much more careful with my 4th. Don't beat yourself up xxx

likeaboss · 10/05/2016 20:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

blueturtle6 · 10/05/2016 20:16

Done this a week or so ago, exactly the same as I put used bottle back in cool bag. She was fine, I hardly slept from the guilt.....

blueturtle6 · 10/05/2016 20:16

Done this a week or so ago, exactly the same as I put used bottle back in cool bag. She was fine, I hardly slept from the guilt.....

DarlingCoffee · 10/05/2016 20:22

I fed my DD milk that had gone a few months past its sell by date Blush bought from the supermarket who were obviously not too smart on their stock rotation. Was in a major panic at the time but I spoke to the milk manufacturers and they said that it would have been ok just that the nutrients would be diminished - don't worry OP all will be fine I'm sure

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