To make formula up in advance and store it in the fridge?

[novaissuper]

Stores in the fridge for no more than 24 hours and heated up with a bottle warmer. What do you think?

4 babies here. I make up bottles as per the guidelines with boiled water straight from the kettle or it might have sat for a bit. Cool a bit then put in fridge. I even use a microwave to heat them up 😱 And all 4 children are fine.

I always did this, if ready made is fine in the fridge for 24 hours why would powdered not be?!

Why not to use boiling water?

1. Evaporation - hence concentration of formula
2. Affects some nutritional content

not the powder.

There is a very small chance of bacteria being present in the powder, which is why you’re instructed to use water heated to 70 degrees making up bottles.

@novaissuper

Boiling can scald the milk powder - it should be a kettle left to cool 20-30 mins so it’s about 70 degrees which is hot enough to deal with bacteria.

Reducing the risk of infection

Even when tins and packets of powdered infant formula are sealed, they can sometimes contain bacteria.

Bacteria multiply very fast at room temperature. Even when a feed is kept in a fridge, bacteria can still survive and multiply, although more slowly.

To reduce the risk of infection, it's best to make up feeds 1 at a time, as your baby needs them.

Use freshly boiled drinking water from the tap to make up a feed. Do not use artificially softened water or water that has been boiled before.

Leave the water to cool in the kettle for no more than 30 minutes. Then it will stay at a temperature of at least 70C. Water at this temperature will kill any harmful bacteria.

Remember to let the feed cool before you give it to your baby. Or you can hold the bottle (with the lid on) under cold water from the tap.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/bottle-feeding/making-up-baby-formula/

I never did this. I always made it fresh each time with a perfect prep machine

When we went on holiday, I'd boil water in batches and let it cool in the fridge. When we needed the feed, I'd pour a small amount of boiling water over the powder, give it a shake up then top up with the cold. That's essentially what a perfect prep does.

[quote PotteringAlong]@ismiseeire but formula isn’t sterile, so I thought the point was that you need to use water over 70 degrees to kill the bacteria in the formula, so you are sterilising the milk?[/quote]
Formula isn't sterile, but it doesn't contain nasties (or they can't profligate) until water is added.

With first baby I made up a few feeds in advance.

With second I got a perfect prep which was great.

I know things have changed a lot since mine weee babies 21 and 18 now but I used to make up so many bottles in morning let them cool then popped them in fridge and heat up when I needed one friends would make the bottles with just fresh bottles of water then add formula and heat up when needed . It’s all different now but it must take ages for the water to cool down x

I did a project on this very topic in work and of the many people we observed making up formula, not one was doing it 100% according to guidelines. So it can’t be that crucial.

The reason instructions - not advice - changed is because formula companies are no longer allowed to use a certain preservative.

@ismiseeire

YouCantBeSadHoldingACupcake Utterly incorrect. You don't make a bottle up with boiling water lol. You cool it a bit, then make the bottle up. The sterilisation comes from cleaning and sterilising the bottles!

The water must be cooled for less than 30 minutes so is still very hot, hot enough to kill any bacteria in the formula

@ismiseeire

NHS website says very clearly the reason to use water at 70 degrees is to kill bacteria. You may well be correct but it’s a hard sell to expect strangers on the Internet to believe you over the NHS.

I'm surprised half of ye aren't boiling the formula in a saucepan to 'sterilise' it lol. I can't believe the info being given.
Formula manufacturers err on the side of caution with their advice.

I used to boil the water and chill it in the bottles and add the powder just before heating it.

What is most important is to properly clean all milk products from the bottles and teethes, and rinse them. Boil your kettle and allow to cool for a bit. Sterilise the bottles and make up the feeds for 24 hours. Allow bottles to cool a bit, then transfer to fridge.

*Hush. It's a secret.

I've got visions of ismiseeire chucking scoops of formula in cold water from the tap here.

Seems you're struggling with the word sterilise. It's not the same process as when you sterilise a bottle.

[quote Merryoldgoat]@ismiseeire

NHS website says very clearly the reason to use water at 70 degrees is to kill bacteria. You may well be correct but it’s a hard sell to expect strangers on the Internet to believe you over the NHS.[/quote]
NHS website has a lot of questionable advice.

I've always done this!

@ismiseeire

I'm surprised half of ye aren't boiling the formula in a saucepan to 'sterilise' it lol. I can't believe the info being given. Formula manufacturers err on the side of caution with their advice.

Seriously you think you know better than the people who ACTUALLY MAKE THE FORMULA. Keep acting like we are all stupid to be following the advise to use hot water to kill any bacteria in the unsterilised formula, and we will keep doing it anyway to be on the safe side.

@gamerchick

I've got visions of ismiseeire chucking scoops of formula in cold water from the tap here.

Seems you're struggling with the word sterilise. It's not the same process as when you sterilise a bottle.

My DC only got a bottle on a Sunday. Other than that, they would only drink cans of coke. They have beautiful teeth now.

At least 70 degrees. It doesn't have to be exactly that temp and it can be hotter

Everyone has different methods and nobody seems to be 100% sure.

This is why I breastfed for so long. I was petrified of getting it wrong . I have friends who only ever used pre made bottles. Must have cost a fortune

Glad the milk stage is over

I don't heat mine up either as baby likes it fridge cold 🙂

We used to make the bottles the night before and store them in the fridge - youngest is 18 so maybe guidance has changed. Friend with twins who are now about 21, made up the bottles and then left them on the side for 24 hours!!!