who makes up a days bottles??

[taytotayto]

following a conversation i had with a woman at play group i am really interested to know if anyone makes up 24 hours worth of bottles even though your not supposed to do it.

Well I did and I now have a very healthy 2.7 year old! Well sterilised bottles, freshly boiled water, made up and into the fridge. This was after the first 6 weeks. Each to their own I say and it was fine for me and my DS. I still believe that you have to read all advice but then make up your own mind.

I did for dt's. It was like a milk bottle factory. They're coming up for 10yrs old now, I can't remember if it was allowed or not back then but they were never ill and it was the only way I could manage it. I was always very careful - everything was sterlised, cooled etc and kept properly.

I did with DS1 5 years ago - by the time DS2 arrived 2 1/2 years ago, the guidelines had changed so I used to sterilise all the days bottles, leave them empty and have a large jug of cooled boiled water ready in the morning. Everytime he needed a bottle I would boil the kettle, pour half the amount of water out of the kettle into a sterilised bottle, pour the other half of water into another bottle - put in the full powder into the bottle with boiling water in, shake and dissolve all the powder and then top up with the other water to get it to the right temperature.....I know which method was the easiest

The key thing is to make up the bottles with hot water (over 70 degrees to kill bacteria) and then to cool quickly and put in the fridge - you want to limit the time the milk is nicely warm or at room temp as this is when bacteria breeds. Might be better to make up just 12 hours worth in advance, or even just do 2 or 3 at a time so you're always a couple of feeds ahead of yourself.

Obviously though the safest way to make up bottles is to do each one fresh with very hot water and then cool to drinking temp and feed immediately.

For DD (4 years ago) I never made up a whole day's worth of bottles but I did do say three at a time as RitaMorgan suggests. Like Lozza - well sterilised bottles, freshly boiled water, made up, cooled down quickly and then into the fridge (main body not the door).

I always felt more relaxed knowing there was a bottle ready and waiting in the fridge (just a quick warm up required). DD used to scream the house down for her bottles. As soon as she was hungry she wanted it now! Nothing used to stress me out more than making up a bottle from scratch with her screaming next to me.

Oh, and much easier for night feeds too.

As RitaMorgan said - if you make them up properly (with hot water) and cool quickly, they can be stored in the fridge and used within 24 hours, although making fresh is always better. There are downloads on page 13 of the Support for FF thread about the safe prep of milk in advance if required.

We're doing this now, as DD has started nursery and we need to provide bottles for the day. They suggested providing cool boiled water and they would add the water. I said that was wrong, and so provide them with the milks made up instead - this is safer than making with cold water.

I breastfed for the first six months and so when I switched to formula it was really daunting to make a bottle up rather than having milk to hand as I was used to. Initially I used cartons as I was so paranoid, then I checked the food standards guidelines. Like borrower says, I read how best to prepare feeds in advance and I used to make 3 bottles in advance putting them straight into the fridge. When out I used cartons.

I saw every single one of my friends use powder dispensers to add formula to cooled boiled water and serve it cold rather than make it at70 degrees and not one believed it was wrong. All of them thought that's why you could buy dispensers to add the formula to cold but boiled water.

I bf so I don't know anything about bottles but all of my friends who ff do as TheDoctorsWife describes and add the powder to cool boiled water.

i have been making up fresh feeds for dd who is 5 weeks nearly 6 and she screams the house down when she wants feeding. i never know when she will want a feed so cant have one made when she wakes up. some days she sleeps loads and wants one bottle then another almost straight away. im thinking of making some up in advance but dont want to look like a lazy or bad mother for not following th rules.

I don't think there is too much risk in making up bottles correctly in advance, i.e. with hot water, and then putting them straight in the fridge, for a maximum of 12 hours.

There is a lot of confusion about the rules, especially if you compare the instructions on the packet with the NHS guidelines. You should not make feeds in advance if you are choosing to make them up with cold boiled water as you have not killed off any of the bugs that might be in the powder.

However, if you've used hot water (70 deg C) and thoroughly cleaned or sterilised bottles, and you limit both the storage time and the time the fluid is warm enough for bugs to grow again, you've lowered the risks substantially.

Out and about, I would personally use either cartons, or make up feeds with hot water from a flask, or hot water from a cafe.

I did, and will do again. Theres no way I'm faffing around at 3am making bottles while baby is screaming the house down. Heck, I always left one bottle out and fed at room temperature too.

Don't think of yourself as lazy or a bad mother...think time efficient!

Almighty, it's not about laziness or badness, it's to do with risk: your acceptance of risk may be lower than other people's. All I'd want to do is make sure that people know the relative risks, and then it's up to them.

Formula powder is not sterile, it is not clean, and should be made with hot water to minimise the risks of either a dicky tummy or something worse. Yes, the risk is small, but it is not insignificant.

If you are happy to accept that risk for the sake of efficiency, that is fine, but what is right for you may not be so for someone else.

I make up 24hrs worth of bottles. I know this goes against the directions on the tin but making up a fresh one each time would be a nightmare, particularly in the night. We sterilise 6 bottles, pour in cooled boiled water and keep them in the fridge. When it's feed time we add the formula and warm up in an electric bottle warmer.

Not sure if you are aware but the bacteria is in the powder, so it's not safe to add it to cold water.

The powder isn't sterile - it's no good sterilising the bottles and water but then not sterilising the powder.

I absolutely understand the faff and stress that making up a fresh feed can be with a newborn - I didn't know when baby would be hungry, and on top of BFing and expressing (long story) it was just impossible for me. That's why we found out about the safe way to prep in advance (as I described above, and as noted in the Dept of Health and WHO guidelines that you can download on page 13 of Support for FF thread) and made up a few at a time so there was always one for the next feed, whenever that was going to be. We also use /used cartons when out and about.

Sarahloula - the only thing is, you're not making up 24 hours of bottles, you're just pouring water into a bottle and storing in the fridge. You'd be much better making up the bottles (with hot water, and adding the powder), cooling quickly in a pan/bowl of cold water before putting them in the fridge. THen you can take them out as you need them and warm it in the warmer. It's almost the same as what you're doing anyway, but is much safer - and in the guidelines! Making bottles with cold water is not recommended anywhere.