A Q for all the formula feeders

[MrsJangles]

Hi
I currently make up bottles in advance according to the WHO guidelines - sterilise bottles, boil water, let cool to 70 degrees and then make up with the powder to ensure any bacteria in the powder is destroyed.

However, a number of people I know just make bottles of boiled water, cool it to room temperature, then mix with the powder at the time it is needed. They all seem to think I am being over the top with the way I make up my bottles and don't seem to believe me when I say I am doing it to kill any bacteria in the powder (they say "why would the formula company sell powder that has bacteria in it"?).

I'm really just looking for some views on what MN's do, and if my way really is necessary, or if it is safe to do it the other way.

Thanks!

Ok I'm not a formula feeder but I can tell you they change the guid lines because a no of baby's died from the bactreia in formula(this was only a few years ago in Germany I think). I know it's a low chance of it happening but would you every forgive yourself if your baby was one of the unlucky one's.

I'd work on educating your freinds, although I did try this with one friend who took the attiuted that it did her older one no harm.

Your friends are mad! I wouldn't ever make up bottles with out at least 70 c water....it's just not worth it!

Why would they? Cos they can't not and how would a tin of powder remain sterile once it's opened anyway.

You are right. Babies have died (rarely) and become seriously ill from contaminated formula, some of which may not have been contaminated during manufacture but at home in the kitchen. Every time someone makes formula incorrectly they're taking a risk with a baby's life. A one in a million, maybe even billion, chance but it could happen to anyone.

I had a very awkward conversation with a friend about this. I tried to casually mention that I had read boiled water was needed to sterilise the formula. She was adamant that it was fine as the water had been boiled and cooled. Couldn't get it across to her that it was the formula I was worried about. Either that she just didn't want to hear it

I posted something very similar on here about 2 weeks ago.
One of my friends makes their babies formula up with cooled boiled water and adds formula from a dispenser when needed and i went to a baby group last week and every single mom who fed their baby there did it too. I sat there shocked as the HVs didnt say anything.

I make bottles up in advance the same way as you do and from fresh when we are out as does my good friend and the looks i get!!!!! This is the way i was shown to do it and what it says to do on the aptamil box, are other people shown differently by HPs i wonder????

Thanks everyone - I've had some very awkward conversations with these friends but I'm pleased to see I'm not mistaken and that I'm not just being over the top with how I prepare my bottles. I'll just be happy in the knowledge that my baby is kept safe!

I've also heard the theory put forward that the guidlines were chenged to make FF harder/more incinvenuent so people are more likely to BF Nothing to do with this. You are right. Formula powder is not sterile. Even if it were, once that tin was open it wouldn't be.

Sorry for being a but thick here but I don't understand. I sterilise bottles, boil the kettle, let it cool the fill 4 bottles with water for the next 24hrs worth of feeds. That's what I was taught. How do u do it and know the temp of the water is 70c????x

www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_124525

Also the guidance in 'Birth to 5' explains it.

Basically, when the powder hits the water the water has to be hot - no less than 70 degrees.

Do midwives and health visitors not tell mothers this? So many mothers are really surprised and baffled by it.

:(

The water does not have to be exactly 70 degrees - just not less than 70 degrees.

Boiling a kettle and letting it cool a little is fine.

Obv the feed has to be then cooled sufficiently to be safe/comfortable for the baby.

Hi babylove - I have a thermometer to take the temperature of the water (also sterilise the thermometer) - probably not necessary I'm just a little obsessive about the water not being less than 70 degrees.

I dont' know why so many people think they can mix powder with cooled water - I think probably one person does it, then others follow because it is easier than doing it the approved way.

Right om confused. Just started giving DS a bottle whilei I'm at work. The aptamil says let the water in the kettle cool for half an hour...is that too long?

OK - I called the Aptamil careline re this same issue when I started mixed feeding and was advised the following (please note I am paraphrasing here)

Once a carton of formula is open, it is no longer sterile. Making up a feed with water at 70deg or higher will kill most bacteria in the powder, and wherever possible formula feeds should be made up this way. As soon as the feed is made up bacteria begins to form again which is why the feed must be discarded after 2 hours.

If you must pre-prepare bottles at home, make up with 70deg or hotter water, cool quickly and refrigerate. Any feeds pre-prepared in this manner MUST be discarded if not used within 24 hours. Once they are warnmed from fridge to feeding temp it should be discarded after an hour.

Going out and about - I have an insulated section of my change bag (you can also buy bottle bags with insulation), the Aptamil lady suggested boiling the kettle, filling my bottles immediately and keeping them insulated, meaning the water should still be at a hot enough temp when used. Where this is not possible, boiled and cooled water may be used but any leftover feed MUST be discarded after 1 hour max.

She did stress that it was in no way advisable to regularly use boiled and cooled water to make up feeds as any bacteria in the powder could multiply quite quickly.

HtH. If you are in any doubt at all please call your own formula company's helpline - they will be able to answer any queries.

think it depends on the formula. the one dd was on had to be made with cold water

Blackout I'm guessing it was sma staydown or something similar? Standard formulae all have these instructions.

MrsJangles - you are doing it right. As Catonkey says, you should make up bottles with water not less than 70c before cooling to the right temperature for your baby, and discarding unused feeds within 2 hours.

There are WHO guidelines / department of health guidelines that state that you can make bottles up in advance provided that you make them up with hot water, before cooling them rapidly (for example, in a pan of cold water) then placing in the back of the fridge and discarding after 24 hours. But making up bottles fresh (with hot water) is always preferable. There used to be a 'Support for FF' thread on here, and there were lots of useful downloads on page 13 of that thread.

I've had these awkward conversations with people too - and even with my daughter's nursery! They asked me to provide cool water and said they would then tip the water in. I disputed this and said no, and that I would provide them made up (I'd made them in the way described above).

Don't worry about what other people think - you keep doing it right, and hopefully by gentle education and setting a good example others will realise, but there's so much misinformation out there that it's a difficult one.

blackoutthesun I think there are one or two formulas that ay that (like buttonmoon said, it may be staydown), but if in doubt, read the box!