Hi all,
In case anyone needs help with this tricky formula, I have an approach that worked for me. You just have to be organised.
BOTTLES
First, you need at least 10 bottles, 5 for day, 5 for night. Start and finish the day by making sure your 5 are ready for the next shift. I use Avent, with no. 2 nipples. My baby is less than 3 months and feeding slowly is important for reflux so this was the only nipple I could use. It's an issue because if the formula thickens, it won't come out of these teats -- they end up being the test to see if you're doing it right.
I also measure and save the formula at this point in those formula containers.
WATER
Boil water at start and finish of day as well. Water lasts 12 hours so the later in the evening you do this the longer your bottles last you in the morning (important if you need extra sleep -- which you will).
Wait 1/2 hour for water to cool, then fill bottles with required water. Place bottles in sink of cold water to get them started. 10 mins or so. Pop in fridge and get them very cold (just shy of getting to the freezing point). Takes a couple hours in my fridge.
MIXING
Needs to happen an hour before your baby is going to eat as the formula needs to sit for an hour after mixing. This is because it disolves in the hour. You might get away with feeding right after a mix but I had inconsistent results with this -- dd often got bad cramping.
I got so that I'd put the timer on when she started eating.
You do mixing by rolling the bottle between hands, not shaking. Somtimes it would mix well, others there'd be goop at the bottom. I sometimes just picked up the bottle occasionally and remixed. I also remixed before feeding her. You just can't worry when you get a bit of goop at the bottom.
SCHEDULING MIXING and FEEDS
My dd feeds about every 4 hours but sometimes 3 and sometimes 5. I wanted her to continue demand feeding (still trying to get the breastfeeding routine), but I suppose you don't need to. SO my schedule looked like this:
DD feeds, put on timer for 2 hours (could use mobile phone if out and about)
At 2 hours, do the mix. This is your moment of relief time as you are just waiting for baby to get hungry now.
At nighttime, I'd do the mix, then set the timer for another 2 hours. If she hadn't woken by then, I'd mix again to give her another hour or so of sleep if required. This is the deadly part -- it means you are up every two hours at night mixing and figuring it all out.
With this formula, lots goes wasted because of the mixing requirements. You just have to accept it.
We did this approach at home and also away for weekends at hotels so although cumbersome it is not life-stopping.
Hope this helps someone out there.