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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU about making up formula at night?

324 replies

Chocolateorangegoblin · 30/01/2017 20:58

A friend of mine told me she boils the kettle, waits 30 minutes for it to cool etc before making a bottle all while her Dd is screaming to be fed during the night.
AIBU to think that's madness?! Surely most people don't do that?!
Obviously a lot of people have perfect prep machines now but that still involves getting out of bed etc.
I make up bottles in advance, cool them and keep them in the fridge and then at bedtime I take one to bed in a cool bag and DS drinks it whenever he wakes up. I am obviously a lazy sod but there's no way I would be standing about waiting for water to cool down at 2am!

OP posts:
llangennith · 31/01/2017 19:24

We used to make up bottles for the next 24 hours and cool quickly then store in the fridge. No baby had any problems!

ghostspirit · 31/01/2017 19:34

Yes it was 24 hours with my 2 eldest as well. I can't remember when it changed. But I ignore it anyway. Feed my kids how I choose to.

QuackDuckQuack · 31/01/2017 19:34

minifingerz - have you actually formula fed your own child? Why are you interested in this? How do you know that it 'doesn't cost more, isn't really much harder and doesn't need to take much longer'?

Parenting is full of these decisions. Fixating on one of them doesn't make better parenting. We all do our best in making the myriad of decisions that are thrown at us as parents.

HelenaGWells · 31/01/2017 19:50

11 years ago I used to make up six bottles with boiling water then leave them to cool on the side. When needed to use I simply put the powder into the cooled boiled water, gave it a shake and then used at room temperature (didn't heat up the bottle). The 6 bottles lasted 24 hours.

I did this times 3 kids without issues. I believe you are supposed to make up fresh because the hot water kills any nasties in the powder but when I had my eldest the advice was as above and because it was so easy and I never had any issues I just did it again with the others.

I did always sterilise the spoon thing you use to scoop the powder. At night I had a sterile tub that you could put milk powder in. Tommee Tippee did some tubs that went inside the bottle so you sterilised the little tub then it went in the bottle with the powder in it once you opened the bottle you took it out, tipped it up, lids back on, shake it up and job done.

HelenaGWells · 31/01/2017 19:52

YABU to criticise her for following guidelines though. She's doing what she feels is best for her baby and in accordance with current guidelines. It's up to her entirely. She's not asking you to do it.

AllyJ83 · 31/01/2017 21:10

I do this apart from once I've cooled the boiled water in a plastic jug with a top on in the fridge I then use another thermos flask to put it in. One boiling, one cold, no need to get up. It's really easy and I use this method all day at home and when out.

lionsleepstonight · 31/01/2017 21:15

Op, I started out like your friend and ended up doing exactly what you do now. Wish I'd done it sooner!

BWatchWatcher · 31/01/2017 21:16

Have a flask with boiling water and use that.
Or breastfeed.

AllyJ83 · 31/01/2017 21:17

This is what I do. Boiled then cooled tap water of course. Two thermos flasks. Great when out and about too.

icepop9000 · 31/01/2017 21:19

Advice changed in 3 years between my 2 kids. With my son was ok to make up 6 bottles with formula and use within 24 hours. Made with cooled boiled water.
Not recommended with daughter but was allowed to add the formula powder to prevent boiled water kept in fridge.

DimplePeach · 31/01/2017 21:35

Tommee tippee perfect prep machine worth every penny

Mindtrope · 31/01/2017 21:41

I had no idea using formula was such a faff.

Purple52 · 31/01/2017 21:42

I always found whipping my boob out the easiest way to feed my baby in the night! Didn't need to get out of bed & no preplanning required!!!

When they were bigger. I boiled water. Put it in sterilised bottles and then cooled to room temperature. When they wanted milk I added the powder, shook and served at room temperature.
We could do this in the bedroom at night. So didn't need to go downstairs.

No heating or flash cooling or messing about with machines or other things that cost a fortune!!
Save your money for other things. Kids are expensive!!

Mindtrope · 31/01/2017 21:45

I've never used formula and reading this thread I'm glad.

Cantusethatname · 31/01/2017 21:48

I had no idea using formula was such a faff.

Neither did I, this has been an eye opener. I know not everyone wants to/can breast feed and I would never presume to say how another's baby should be fed. All I can say from my own experience is that breast feeding, if it works, is nowhere near as complicated as this. And it's free and no risk of gastroenteritis.

KayElleBee · 31/01/2017 21:48

I always made the bottles up just before I went to bed, with boiled water that had slightly cooled, then quickly cooled the bottles in a sink full of cold water. Put them in a mini cool bag with two ice packs and took them up to bed. When baby woke, pop bottle into bottle warmer, change nappy, then feed baby warm bottle. No-one had to leave the room or wait for the kettle to boil or try to tip milk powder into a bottle while half asleep. It worked for us.

londonrach · 31/01/2017 21:49

Formula feeding is vvvvv easy in my experience and not a faff. You can make something as easy or as hard as you like.

ragdoll700 · 31/01/2017 21:54

That is the advise given now, but its not so long since what you do was the advise given I have had two children and I put the water into the bottles and add the powder later and heat much quicker than waiting 30 mins for the kettle to cool but I found the advise changed between babies and later nephews and nieces so I would never say anyone is wrong all our babies are fine

Rainydayspending · 31/01/2017 21:55

Wow. Formula is a pita isn't it?!
Re. The "follow on" milk. Entirely a made up product in order to make cash. It's now really beloved by formula companies as they're not allowed to advertise their start formulas. So the advert entirely exsists to push THE BRAND rather than the specific product.
Follow on milk is an entirely pointless and of course heavily processed product. A child with a reasonable diet won't need "magic milk" to supplement them, will they?!

Astoria7974 · 31/01/2017 21:56

Neice got blood poisoning breast feeding off my cousin's infected nipples (mastitis) - cousin deliberately didn't follow HV advice to stop. cantusethatname It's the same situation here - don't follow the instructions on the tin to use boiled water and risk disease. All it'll take is one infected batch of formula and the mums will be mourning their babies just like those mums in 3rd world countries who did the same. It's why we have an advice change

BertieBotts · 31/01/2017 21:59

Well I do hope OP has given up on the thread now the hysterics have arrived Confused

Princesstwilightsparkle · 31/01/2017 22:01

Chocolateorangegoblin, that is exactly what I did with both my DC and they are fine. DC1 was born during a heat wave, so I gave her cold formula and after that she refused to drink warmed.

GreenGinger2 · 31/01/2017 22:05

Woopy do to those who have never used formula.Hmm

I have never found it a faff,way less faff than breastfeeding and many other parenting activities.

WaitrosePigeon · 31/01/2017 22:07

What an absolute faff.

GreenGinger2 · 31/01/2017 22:07

But it's everywhere Mini,not just in formula.