Numpty questions about making up formula.

[LookAtHerGo]

I have started introducing some formula to my DD who is 10 months. For a couple of reasons, a) I'm back at work in a couple of weeks and don't want to express, b) I'm pregnant and needing a small break from the constant boob monster I have (wonderfully) created and c) I'll be working some nights, I want her to be used to having formula so she can be put to bed by her dad without formula being a weird thing.

Anyway that aside, up until now I've been using the ready made stuff for ease, but we've just purchased some powder and I need to know

1. I have to make it with slightly cooled (30mins) boiled water?
2. does anyone actually use cooled boiled water?
3. how soon after making it do I have to use it, can I make it for use a few hours later, or does it have to be drunk within 2 hours?

Thanks in advance.

I bottlefed both mine and from what i can remember(youngest is 7 now) I did use use boiled water and let it cool for about half an hour.Then put in the fridge and use within 24 hours.
HTH

AFAIK you must make up with water that is hotter than 70degs C. If you cool rapidly you can store in fridge for 24hours.

The boiling is not to sterilise the water, it is to sterilise the milk powder which can harbour some real nasties.

Yes - use boiled water.

It's supposed to still be quite hot when you mix in the powder to help the powder sterilise & dissolve - but often people just keep a bottle of cooled boiled water & a container of powder to mix when
Needed.

I wouldn't bother with formula at 10 months, esp if she still has some bf.

Just give her whole fresh milk, warmed if she wants it.

You may not want to bother with bottles either - she may be happy with a cup and it's one less thing to 'wean' her off later

My health viditor said it is fine to make up in advance and warm as needed in microwave.

Cooling boiled water for 30 mins just means you get distracted and an hour later have to boil a fresh kettle... As others have said, you need to use hot water to kill of anything horrible in the non-sterile powder, the reason they say to let it cool is so you don't scald yourself. Shaking a bottle made up from boiling water means steam builds up, lid flies off and boiling water sprays everywhere! Swirl gently rather than shaking vigourously tho and it still dissolves powder more safely. Or wrap bottle in a towel to shake.

Then cool quickly in pan of cold water and chill.

Greenfield, your HV is wrong and shouldn't be giving out advice contrary to guidelines.

If a baby becomes ill and there was evidence she had given wrong advice, she could be in serious trouble. Did she write it down?

That's great, I'll make some up and cool rapidly for use either in the day or at night when I'm on nights.

I'm not using a bottle, she's having it in a cup because of her age and don't want to like finally said have to wean her off that.

It's mainly so I know she'll get some milk before bed when I'm on nights.

Thanks

Which bit is wrong? Because 3 people have said cool and chill, I'm even more confused.

Making up a formula feed

HTH

p.s if your DD is 10 months and she'll only be having a few formula feeds per day it may be worth your while, if you can afford it, using the ready mixed cartons? They only require you to sterilise the bottles and teats etc and you don't have to wait for the kettle to boil and the feed to cool before she has it. Presumably you'll be moving her on to full fat cow's milk by a year so she'll only need formula for a matter of weeks really. Just a thought.

Thanks for the link. Dammit, that says make as needed. Oh well, I'll have to give strict instructions to DP then. I was using the pre-made stuff but on the thought of cost I bought some powder, wish I'd not bothered now, but we've got it and I'll damn well use it now!

Yes will be giving cows milk at 12 months, but not before then.

You are meant to make up as needed. That is the safest way.

However, in the real world people often don't feel able to do that, so the next safest is to make with super hot and chill quickly.

Well it's cool while I'm around, hopefully by the time I'm back she'll not be taking the ones in the day and the evening ones can be made as I leave and given at bedtime :)

Thanks

Ooh, right well I've just read through the whole of the leaflet in that link, and I quote the following

^Storing a feed
A feed should be freshly made up when it is needed to reduce the risk of infection that can make your baby ill. If a feed is stored in the fridge, this should never be for longer than 24 hours.
Any infant formula left in the bottle after a feed should be thrown away.
Infant formula that has not been used and has been kept at room temperature must be thrown away within two hours.^

So I can chill out, make a bottle in the morning, cool it quickly and let whoever is looking after dd offer some as needed/wanted

I must admit I only read part way through before, multi tasking!

Ideally each feed is made fresh and given to the baby once it's cooled. However, it's permissable for the feed to be made fresh, cooled quickly under cold running water, and stored for no more than 24 hours in the fridge. As long as you're aware that by storing it you are increasing the risk of bacteria multiplying.

This much more relevant for a very young baby though, your baby at 10 months will have much better immunity than one at 10 days so storing it for a few hours will probably be just fine.

Yes, and to be fair she sticks anything she can get her hands on in her mouth, and I know that's not the same as the bacteria in formula milk, but I think she's doing ok

If its only for the odd feed and not for full time FF I'd recommend using the cartons. That's what I do if I need a break and haven't expressed enough. Especially since it is only 2 months until the recommended age when they can start on normal milk.

She didn't have to write it down, I'm not an imbecile who can't remember basic instructions... I expressed the opinion that it didn't seem realistic to make up a fresh feed at 4am when my baby was hungry - making him wait 45 mins to make then cool it would be rather tortuous for both of us. She agreed and said it was fine to make up feeds in the evening for use during the night. Like the OP though, my son was significantly older when I started formula feeding. Perhaps if I had given him bottles from birth I would have given him ready-made at night for impeccable sterility.

I would just use cows milk at 10 months.