Cow&gate ff

[Kafri]

Hi guys, my first post here so here goes.

I'm planning on ff bubs when s/he puts in an appearance. I've been getting sorted and reading the packets, checking how to terilse bottles etc.

I'm clear in the making up the bottle - boil fresh, leave for n longer than half hour etc (anyway you guys already know this bit)

1. What happens if you know you are gonna be out for a feed but not necessarily be around facilities for making up a bottle - is the only choice the ready made cartons? Do you need to warm the redy made stuff??

2. Oh and do you have to leave the boiled water for 30 mins or can you use it earlier than than and cool the bottle under a tap?

3. Anything else you can think of that would be handy to know??

Sorry for eing a little thick about it, just trying to get things straight in my head then I can e as prepared as possible.

1. ready to feed carton when out, clean sterilised bottle for each carton and nope can be given at room temp, i have mine inside my coat so it is closer to body temp.

1. The water should be 70'C so do some trial runs with varying quantities and times with your kettle and a sugar/jam/probe thermometer.

1. I prefer Hipp formula and standard neck bottles, boots do 3 x 250ml /8oz for £2.30!!

If you are anything like us cartons will be your new best friend. Essential for when you go out and about, and for emergency feeds when you haven't got time for the whole boil-and-wait-30-min routine.

Oh and all babies are different when it comes to milk temperature. Ours is happy to take it any temperature, warm, room temp or straight from the fridge, but some are fussy so you'll just have to try. But don't assume you need to warm the bottles and def don't get a bottle warmer.

Thanks guys, all good to know. Better call and get some cartons in to keep me going. Getting excited now - due a week tomorrow (not that I hold out much hope for a early or due date arrival).

Just to add, you can take a thermos flask of boiled water out with you to make up formula...you can get special compartmentalised tubs that you can decant the correct amount of powder into too....ready made isn't the only way!

ooohh, thanks for that. That may be a plan. Where do I look for these tubs?x

I think Boots do them, or anywhere that sells baby feeding stuff. They aren't expensive and they tend to be blue (!)

Will look for a link x

www.mothercare.com/Philips-Avent-Milk-Powder-Dispenser/723834,default,pd.html

If you can't make the bottles up fresh for any reason the second safest option is to make up with hot water and then rapidly cool, store in fridge for up to 24 hours near the back (never in the door). You can then take them out with you, you can get little sleeves which go over the bottle to keep it cool for as long as possible. Then you can warm it up if you want to or some babies are happy to drink it cold :)

If you're going to make up a bottle in advance (since it's not really practical to wait with a screaming baby for half an hour for the kettle to boil, and you can't always predict when they next want a feed) it's safest to cool it down ASAP after making it as if it's sitting around in a warm state that's the best environment for bacteria to grow. Over 70c is hot enough to kill them, under 5c is cool enough for them to be suppressed so you're safe :)

Good luck with the birth and your baby!

I personally wouldn't get into the habit of giving baby a warm bottle all the time. I don't really see the need for it.

1 - when we're out, I give a ready made carton. Much easier. Take a couple of sterilised bottles in your bag, along with a carton or two. No need to warm.

2 - Making bottles up in advance is useful. I would do it for the next 12 hours like so:

• Boil kettle with fresh water
• Fill 3 or 4 bottles with 2-3 oz (when she is little, as she get's bigger, you'll need to up the amount of water)
• Leave water to cool in bottle, shouldn't take very long, use a thermometer to see when it is 70 degrees.
• Add correct amount of formula
• Cool VERY quickly. I use a tub filled with icecubes and water.
• Once they are completely cool, stick in fridge, at the back, not in the door.
• Feed baby when needed!

You can take the bottle out of the fridge a bit earlier then you think it's needed to take the super-cold edge of it, but my baby quite likes cold milk straight from the fridge.

3 - Always have a bib on the baby when they're small, and have a muslin/cloth handy for burping. Let baby take about half the bottle, burp then give the rest of the bottle.