bottle feeding advice please

[mumtobe77]

Hi, I have a 5 and a half month old son-I have breastfed him, but as I am returning to work next month ( and will have no time to express!)I am going to be giving formula for daytime feeds...and see if I can still breastfeed a bit. Anyway, I want some advice on making up bottles, storing them etc...
As far as I can see I'm meant to make up bottles one at a time....boil kettle, let it cool a bit, put water in bottle and add formula, mix, cool down and feed baby. It all seems like a lot of work after just being able to pop baby on breast whenever I need to!
So I suppose I want to know if you can make a bottle as above, then store it in the fridge, if so for how long? And also if he takes half of the bottle how long can I use that milk for, or do I have to discard it immediately? What should I do when I'm out and about-take a bottle in my bag? How long is that usable for?
At night-what do bottle feeders do when their baby is crying for a feed? Have one already prepared in fridge, ready to heat up?
I have read that bottles should be sterilised up until 1 year old, is this correct?
And the last thing is I have been feeding on demand....once changing to formula is it best to have a routine feeding schedule or can I still feed on demand?
So many questions.....thanks.

You're not supposed to make bottles in advance as there is a teeny risk of salmonella but you can sterilise a 24 hour supply of bottles, fill them with the right amount of water, cap them tightly and then put powder in when you need them. As it's only water, you don't need to put it in the fridge and if you're lucky, the baby will take the milk at room temperature. You can buy a thing called a milk box which holds three measured quantities of powder. It's tiny and goes in your bag really easily. Another advantage of just taking the water when you're out is that it makes less mess if it leaks. When DS was a baby, they said to sterilise until 6 mths but this may have changed. I always treated formula like any other milk. Keep it for an hour or two outside of the fridge, longer in a fridge. With formula, you should be able to set up a schedule as it digests far more slowly. Most feed around every four hours.

There are loads of recent threads on this topic as the guidelines have been a bit confusing for some people. Have a quick look in the archive, just make sure it is a recent thread you are looking at.

There is also this leaflet from the NHS.

Everything you need to know is here.

Specifically to answer your qs though:-
Formula needs to be prepared with 70C water to kill any potential bacteria (most likely to be Chronobcter Sakazakii a bacteria that causes menegitis amongst other things and salmonella).

A bottle can be made up and used with in 2 hours before being discarded IF the water is 70C when the formula powder hits the water in the bottle. Room temperature water will not kill any bacteria with in the formula powder as the powder is not sterile.

If out and about either use cartoned milk or take a flask of just boiled water and mix up fresh. Most restaurants/cafes will be happier to give you a mug with ice in to cool the formula than a mug of boiling water to heat it.

Feeding on demand is still the best way to feed a baby where ever their milk comes from. Kellymom has some good information on how to bottle feed a baby here.

DrSeuss, I might be wrong but I think the advice is to add hot water (70 degrees) to the powder, this is because it is the powder that may contain bacteria and so adding it to cold water is NOT the current guidelines at all AFAIK.

Titty is right - it's not safe to make up bottles with cold water.

Here's the UNICEF guide for parents who are bottle feeding.

It's very user friendly and easy to understand.

Hi, thanks for the replies. I have had a look at some of the links...so just to check-
it's best to make up feeds as they are needed using freshly boiled water ( left to cool a bit) then running under cold water to make correct temp for baby. From what I read in the link from Truthsweet, you can keep a feed made with hot water in the fridge for 24 hrs-so....can you make up feeds in advance and then keep them in the fridge? Eg for night feeds?
How do you cope with a crying baby while waiting to boil kettle, make up feed, cool it down etc....? It must seem like an eternity!

Best is to make up fresh for immediate use.

Second best is to make them up with hot water, cool quickly and store in the fridge (for night feeds/nursery etc)

Once a feed it made up it keeps for up to two hours, so if you know your baby will want a bottle around 3-4pm, you could always start making it at 2.30pm in preparation.

Yes, you can make up feeds with hot water, cool and store in the fridge for night feeds etc. We use cartons and these are great for night feeds - DD cosleeps and I don't have to get out of bed to feed her as I have a carton, bottle and scissors with me. DD is fed on demand, but has settled into a routine. Have you considered continuing with BF for bedtime/night time or morning feeds? This might be convienient for you. You will also need to agree about feeding with your childcare provider - they may have specific policies on what format they will take milk in and may have a schedule they tend to stick to.

Hi thanks for advice. Yes I'm hoping to continue bf for mornings and evenings...just have to wait and see what happens to my supply. Good idea about cartons for night feeds though.