Bottles of formula - how strict are you with the 2hr expiry?

[SlinkyB]

Have recently started formula feeding my 3-month old and wondered exactly how strict you all are with the '2hr expiry' of a made-up bottle of formula? Would he be ok if it was 2.25 or 2.5 hrs old? Keep hearing from 'old hats' that they used to make the formula up the night before in their day and their kids were alright !

We always are strict. I gather in years past it wasn't uncommon to pre prepare formula and store it in a fridge, but we never have.

HTH

I used to go up to 24hr in teh fridge.

4hr untouched at room temp.

1 hr once warmed and/or it had been in her mouth.

And I was pretty strict with that, but had premies which were susceptible to potentially nasty gut infections.

HauntedLittleLunatic - did you store made-up bottles of formula in the fridge for 24hrs? Or just the cooled boiled water? Have been told by a friend you can store the water in a fridge for 12hrs? Confused!

2 hours old of the fridge, up to 24 hours in the fridge if made properly and cooled quickly (though actually I have never left it that long).

The most important thing is that you make the bottle up with really hot water, 70 degrees or more, to kill any bacteria in it. After that the longer the milk is warm or at room temperature, the more chance there is for any bacteria in it to multiply. So basically, make it hot, and use it quickly OR cool it immediately and put it in the back of the fridge.

The bacteria that can be in formula (salmonella and enterobacter) are rare, but very serious - potentially fatal. So best to limit their opportunity to grow.

For DTDs (who are 10 now I stored made up bottles of formula)

"rules" changed beftweentehn and DD3, at which point I think stored cooled boiled water at RT for 24hr, warmed to drinking temp and added powder at feed time.

Slinky - you can store the made up bottles, but NOT the water. It is the powder that isn't sterile which is dangerous, not the water.

HauntedLittleLunatic - did you store made-up bottles of formula in the fridge for 24hrs? Or just the cooled boiled water? Have been told by a friend you can store the water in a fridge for 12hrs? Confused!

slinky as Rita Morgan said, you can make up the bottles in advance as long as you prepare them properly (with freshly boiled water from the kettle) and cool them quickly (for example, by putting the bottle in a bowl of cold water for maybe 5-10 minutes) then transfer them to the back of the fridge (the back of the fridge at the bottom is coldest, so don't use the door). Bottles that have been in the fridge must be used within 24 hours. Bottles made fresh must be used within 2 hours. The 'old hats' will be meaning that they make up the bottles as described above before storing in the fridge.

See page 13 of the 'Support for Those Who FF' thread for guidelines on the safe prep of formula in advance.

Hope that helps :)

HauntedLittleLunatic - did you store made-up bottles of formula in the fridge for 24hrs? Or just the cooled boiled water? Have been told by a friend you can store the water in a fridge for 12hrs? Confused!

Just to clarify, incase of confusion- bottles that have been made and then stored in the fridge must be used within 24 hours of being made (not 24 hours of being removed from the fridge)! Once removed from the fridge, they also need used within 2 hours.

Slinky I stored the made up bottles of formula for 24hrs when I had dd1 (almost 6 years ago), the advice then changed before dd2 was born (3.5 years ago). At the minute, have just have dd3 (10 weeks ago), I make up 2-3 bottles at a time, she is fed on demand so can sometimes wolf two down very quickly.

Thanks for all your advice! I'm not too fussed about storing it, as usually make a fresh feed each time, just checking that once it's made/started to be used, it HAS to be used WITHIN 2hrs. I guess it's not worth risking, just sometimes ds doesn't finish all his bottle then is hungry again just after it has 'expired'. Oh, and apologies for my reply to HauntedLittleLunatic appearing three times....seems refreshing on my mobile re-posts - ooops!

Oooh, 'theborrower'; thanks for sign-posting me to page 13 of 'Support for those who FF' - very helpful! Have sussed it now; definitely add the powder at 70 degrees or more (within 30 mins of kettle boiling) then either cool and use immediately (within 2hrs) or store at back of fridge for max 24hrs then re-warm and still use within 2hrs....cheers! :-) Think I'll be using the ready-made cartons for days out, just to be on the safe side.