Dr Browns and Aptamil- please help!!!

[janmk]

Please help as I am really stressing about this - at the moment I am combo feeding but will probably switch to formula. I am using Aptamil and Dr Browns bottles and want a safe practical way to make up and store feeds as making each one isnt practical. I have been using an Avent microwave steamer to sterilise the bottles and have chickened out and used the cartons. I am worries about how long the empty bottles stay sterile for and the air holes in the cap of Doctor Browns worry me to0.

I would ideally like to serve room temp so I don't have to heat the cartons out and about.....

Please help out here all I am getting off the midwives etc. is the official advice which it seems very few people follow.

empty bottles are ok for 24 hours once assembled. My 2 used to take the cartons at room temperature so there is no need to heat them. Are you planning on using cartons all the time?

Ok, here goes:
You can prepare a batch of bottles following the instructions, chill them quickly (I put then in cold water for a bit) and then store in the fridge. this way, they can be kept for up to 24 hrs. You can feed your LO using the bottle straight form the fridge, or take the chill out by putting them 20 secs in the microwave, then gentle shake (otherwise with the Doctor Browns it goes everywhere). Job done.
If like us you sleep on the top floor with LO in your room, take an icebox with you with icepacks/freezerpacks and invest in a cheap microwave to have in your room (ca £30 from Tesco).
Don't lose sleep about stuff being sterile. Technically, the bottles are no longer sterile the moment you open the box. The muslin you wipe your baby's mouth with in not sterile either. What matters is to be clean. Wash bottles thoroughly (it is pointless to sterilise badly washed bottles) and prepare bottles with clean hands in a clean environment.
HTH

Try a cold water steriliser, bottles stay in solution until ready to use. Also you can buy screw on caps for the Dr Browns bottles so you can prepare the formula before putting the blue thingy/teat on. Have a look on Amazon.

Both those answers really put my mind at rest !

Still think I may chicken out and use cartons at night tho ! Is that ridiculous ??

I have been using the travel / storage cap before fridging , the one that goes over the teat - is that right ?

It is not ridiculous, just expensive!
Try not to worry too much, you are unlikely to do your LO much harm. (easy to say, I realise that)

I used cartons and Dr Browns at night was so much easier and yes more expensive but my meals cost more than 60p each so....

Only bit of advice I disagree with is microwave, it can create hotspots, molecules continue "cooking" for a while after socsn get hotter after you test it and teats have been reported to explode.

Oh and forgot to say after all my paranoia I was so tired one might I fed dd a half finished old bottle rather than the fresh one, cue panicked call to the Aptamil hotline and a baby who was absolutely fine!

I use Dr Browns and Aptamil and I make fresh throughout the day then at night make the bottles just as DialM said - I then put them with icepacks in a coolbox and give them a minute in bottle warmer to take the chill off. This seems to work best for me and trust me I've tried several variations! Also agree about sterilising - I do of course sterilise but DS is 12 weeks and will put hand / bib. muslin / sleeve / my hair etc in his mouth at every opportunity and obviously none of this is sterile. I think its most important to make sure theres no old milk residue left in bottles.