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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Babysitter giving baby two feeds from one bottle

62 replies

Bells3032 · 30/05/2022 08:07

We went to a wedding last night. We hired a babysitter through the (well respected) Hotel. She came highly qualified and with 40 years experience and we were allowed to use a friend's room for her to be in during the festivities.

She sent us messages about 725 and 915 to say she'd had her formula and when I packed up I saw two empty formula bottles in the bin.

When I got home I noticed there was only one dirty bottle. I'd given her five sterile ones just in case though she should have had two feeds max in that time

Should I be worried.

When we got home I gave her another feed which she vomited everywhere (which she rarely does).,

Do I need to be worried about ecoli or aibu?

OP posts:
Original poster
Bells3032 · 30/05/2022 08:40

@mum11970 she was in a hotel room. No access to boiling water. And there were four other bottles that were sterilised

OP posts:
HalloHello · 30/05/2022 08:40

As others have said, it's the milk powder that has the potential to have bacteria in so as long as the milk was made up as per instruction, there's no reason that using the same bottle will have caused any problems. The baby sitter probably washed the bottle between feeds. Also it does sound like the formula was ready made if there were 2 bottles in the bin so that's even less chance of baby being ill.

LateAF · 30/05/2022 08:42

Just seen your update, OP- if baby vomits again I would call 111 just to be on the safe side. It might be a coincidence but worth getting her seen if it continues.

Turnthatoff · 30/05/2022 08:44

Bells3032 · 30/05/2022 08:40

@mum11970 she was in a hotel room. No access to boiling water. And there were four other bottles that were sterilised

Not even a kettle?

Id have assumed she’d washed it.

Marvellousmadness · 30/05/2022 08:46

Well.. obviously not "the best" of nannies
But your kid will be ok op. Relax.

C152 · 30/05/2022 08:48

No, your baby will be absolutely fine.

jlm122 · 30/05/2022 08:49

4 years ago when my DD was about 4 months old my car broke down, we were sat stranded for 4 hours. I had to pour a pre made formula bottle into a empty bottle that DD had drank about 3 hours previously.. she was fine

Mrsjayy · 30/05/2022 08:50

Premade formula is sterile isn't it ? So I think your baby will fine.

PrawnToast5 · 30/05/2022 08:53

The concern isn't necessarily that the formula has been left out (I had a baby in NICU for 4 months and know they are happy to stretch the ready made formula to the limit of the 4 hour max lol). The issue is once you have fed from a bottle the bacteria from your babies mouth is on the teat and multiplies.

You should finish feeds within 1 hour and the bottle should not be reused after that. This is the advice until they're 1. OP I would be concerned and would call 111 if she keeps vomiting.

PrawnToast5 · 30/05/2022 08:54

It doesn't matter that the formula is sterile. It's not sterile once a baby has started drinking it 🙄

PissedOffNeighbour22 · 30/05/2022 08:57

She'll be fine. I realised my SIL was doing this, but on a worse scale and my DD was fine.
I was sending several sterilised bottles along with bottles of formula. I would also send a powdered formula bottle made up fresh to take with them in the car. Only one used bottle would come back so she'd obviously been reusing the same bottle all day. She doesn't have kids so won't have a steriliser etc and I doubt she would be cold water sterilising.

meltypuff · 30/05/2022 08:59

PrawnToast5 · 30/05/2022 08:54

It doesn't matter that the formula is sterile. It's not sterile once a baby has started drinking it 🙄

This!

Mally100 · 30/05/2022 09:03

It may be fine but this is just grim and I would be upset. It's not like it was an emergency, you had 4 other sterilized bottles. Your baby has been throwing up and it seems like it's just after these feeds, might be coincidence too. In either case I would actually ask her what the reason was.

Seraphinesupport · 30/05/2022 09:11

okay so normally it wouldnt bother me. chikd will be fine BUT having read how formal and experienced this nanny should have been i would raise a complaint. as a one off its fine but i mean find for a regular person or teenager babysitting not a proffessional with supposedly high standards.

Seraphinesupport · 30/05/2022 09:12

its abit like hiring a michelin starred chef and them cooking you nachos or a sandwich...

You expect better, even if it tasted good.

HappyHappyHermit · 30/05/2022 09:18

You've been to a hotel and around lots of other people, it is far more likely she has picked up a small bug from there.

Same1977 · 30/05/2022 09:26

Mrsjayy · 30/05/2022 08:50

Premade formula is sterile isn't it ? So I think your baby will fine.

It is sterile but not when finished .The residue in the bottle would be exposed to air and backwash from baby's mouth.That is the reason any milk started but not finished should be discarded within 1 hour.This is of course the best practise,majority of time extra hour is nothing to worry about.

toastedbagiel · 30/05/2022 09:26

Mrsjayy · 30/05/2022 08:50

Premade formula is sterile isn't it ? So I think your baby will fine.

Putting it in a dirty bottle though?

caringcarer · 30/05/2022 09:36

Could she have been overfed?

Lifewithusthree · 30/05/2022 09:52

I'm a professional childcare worker who babysits in the side - I would have used another bottle. It is possible though if she's had 40 years experience I presume she's around 50/60 - maybe she just doesn't understand the importance of sterilising. I know my mum doesn't at nearly 60. It's no excuse as she claims to be professional, but it's something to bare in mind.

Ariela · 30/05/2022 09:56

No access to boiling water? Even the tiniest of hotels have a kettle as a basic nowadays.

Belephant · 30/05/2022 10:03

Keep an eye on your baby but I would have thought she'd be fine.

But if you're paying a professional to look after your baby, especially one that's supposed to be extremely well qualified and experienced, I'd certainly be upset if they didn't follow the basic hygiene recommendations/the instructions on the formula bottle.

Perplexed0522 · 30/05/2022 10:16

Even the shittiest little B&B’s have kettles in the rooms OP, so I’m pretty sure the room in your ultra fancy hotel did too.

Before making any kind of formal complaint I would just try and find out what actually happened first.

zingally · 30/05/2022 10:34

I've got to ask, what does PFB mean?

OP, I wouldn't worry about it.

Perplexed0522 · 30/05/2022 10:40

PFB - Precious First Born

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