How do/did people who FF make up the bottles?

[DetectivePotato]

DS is 2.6 and was FF.

At first we were making them up as and when they were needed which was a nightmare. How is a hungry baby suppose to wait up to half an hour for a bottle?

My midwife then said we could make up the bottles with the right amount of water and leave them for up to 24 hours and add the powder when needed then heat it up. This made it very easy for us and we did it this way thinking nothing of it.

Now there are all these guildlines and they are saying you have to make the powder up in water that is 70 degrees to kill any bacteria so you need to make them on demand, which I'm sorry, unless you have a baby that is feeding every 4 hours etc its just not feasible IMHO.

Someone on here put a link that you can make up the bottles with the boiling water then put them in the back of the fridge and heat when necessary. Taking them out you need to put them in a cool bag with an ice brick and use within 4 hours. This doesn't seem to be too bad and this was from the official guidlines too.

I have just been reading the pregnancy book that you get in the bounty pack and they say not to make them up and put them in the fridge as bacteria can still multiply.

I am so bloody confused. DS never had any problems. In fact he has a bloody good immune system. Rarely even gets a cold whereas loads of toddlers seem to have snotty noses all the time.

How did/do you make your bottles up and do you worry about all these official guidlines?

From 4-10 weeks I used the ready made cartons just to be safe with a very little one. I still use them out and about and for any night feeds now that night feeds are not regular occurrances.
I have been fine with powder since then until last week. I boil, wait 15 mins or so, make bottles, chill under running water, fridge, use within 12 hours. However last week I switched to Tommee Tippee bottles which dd definitely prefers and feeding times are calmer. But making bottles is now a nightmare! The very wide neck means that so much steam from the water goes onto the scoop and makes things so gunky making a scoop a lot less than it should be.
Anyone else experiencing this? I have tried leaving for 25 mins (scared to do 30 because will cool so much quicker once in bottle and measuring out occurring) but it wasn't any better.

TikTok - I thought of you the other day as twice in one day (one in RL and one on facebook) saw people bottle feeding babies holding them away from them legs to stomach. I remembered you saying that however a baby was fed - bf or ff - they all deserved a cuddle when feeding. So true. Cannot imagine not feeding dd close to me.

Ending thread hijack now. Apologies.

I did feed DS like that pommedeterre at night as he kept drifting off to sleep and taking well over an hour to take his bottle as he was so cosy. The midwife recommended it.

Not in the day though. I liked my cuddles too much. That is how they recommend to feed on a strict routine structure I saw on that channel 4 programme, Bringing Home Baby.

most of my friends think i am mad - but i always make up a new feed.

When dd was small - up to about 1 month I think i used the premade cartons as my baby brain wasn't up to powder (but we were bf as well and topping up so this wasn't extortionate..)

Now dd is a bit more predictable as to feed, about half hour before she is due i will boil kettle (0.5 l normally) cool for about ten minutes (then the powder doesn't stick to spoon!) then mix water and powder together, and place in bowl of cold water for about ten minutes - hey presto at the right temperature!

At night I use the cartons if she wakes up.

Out and about, I take a flask of boiling water and container with pre-measured powder, and make up a pre-sterilised bottle as do at home. Normally i'm in a cafe where you can ask for a bowl of water. If she's mega hungry or throwing a tantrum, I use a carton!

DetectivePotato

Its just that as above a couple of people mentioned microbiologists saying that it would have to maintained at 70 degrees for over 15 minutes to kill this bacteria, its got me confused.

These are not the people who have done the experiments which contributed to the WHO and FSA advice.

Experiments have been done adding bacteria to powder and then adding water at different temps, keeping it for various lengths of time and then testing in etc. Will see if I can find my links later.

Re your comment:

"Too bloody confusing. I bet its done on purpose to stop women FF."

Seriously it has nothing to do with this. Formula companies did not want to label their product as unsterile and did not want to put the WHO guidelines on their packets. They don't print them in other countries. This has everything to do with them trying to protect their brand. I know lots on MN FF as BFing didn't work out but sadly due to the FF culture in this country lots of mums just FF as a given so it is formula companies interests to ensure that it seems as east as possible and that difficulties are kept quiet.

nicnacinoonoo - yes some formulas cannot be made with the water at 70 degrees - so the advice with these it not to make in advance.

pommedeterre
"Tommee Tippee bottles which dd definitely prefers and feeding times are calmer. But making bottles is now a nightmare! The very wide neck means that so much steam from the water goes onto the scoop and makes things so gunky making a scoop a lot less than it should be."

Are you leaving the water to cool in the kettle for 25 mins? If steam is clogging up the scoop then it is important not to put the scoop back into the powder. You can use little pots which you've steralised to measure the formula into and then use these to tip into the bottles.

galonthefarm - just be aware that there is some info that if the water is too hot it can destroy nutients. I litre of water left for 30 mins in a normal kettle = 70 degrees.

A litre is just over the 5 cups sign on my kettle. I measured it once and now just use the kettle signage.

Good idea Tabouleh. Thanks!

Thanks Tabouleh - I do try to leave for 30 mins when I can, but if I can't - in my view i'd rather a few nutrients be lost than run the risk of an infection from any bacteria not killed. It would be interesting to look at any links you have though