Giving formula when out and about

[IWillOnlyEatBeans]

I am debating about whether to switch from BF to FF.

One of my issues/questions is how I am meant to prepare formula when I am out and about. I know you are meant to make each feed up fresh - so how does this work when I am (for example) at toddler dance class with my 3 yr old (no kitchen facilities) or at toddler gym (same again).

I am a SAHM and money is tight so I can't use cartons of formula regularly.

Would a flask keep freshly boiled water hot enough? And then how would I cool it down to drinking temp?

Sorry for all the Qs. When DS1 was a baby I prepared his feeds all wrong (adding powder to cool boiled water then topping up with freshly boiled water to make it drinking temp) so want to make sure I do it right this time around...

Most of the formula companies have handy, ready-to-feed milk. It comes in a bottle (about 9fl oz for SMA) an you either just pop a teat on that then feed, or pour the quantity you want into a pre-sterilised bottle.

If I know my DD is going to need a feed within 2 hours, I make a bottle with freshly boiled water and leave it to cool whilst we're out. After 1 hour, it's usually cool enough to drink without placing it in cold water to cool.

I've FF 2 babies - one is almost 4yo and DD2 is 9mo and still having formula (obviously!!) Here is how I prepare her bottles:

1. Wash in soap and water
2. Rinse soap off
3. But bottles and teats in steriliser
4. Hey presto, bottles are ready.

To make the milk:

1. Put cold water into the kettle to boil a fresh load.
2. Boil the kettle, then pour Howard many fl oz into the bottle you want. Do not let the water go off the boil for more than 30 mins: the water MUST be AT LEAST 70 degrees to kill any harmful bacteria in the powder.
3. Add however many scoops you nee to the water (refer to the feeding guide on the back). I know Aptamil and SMA use a 1:1 ratio. So, one scoop of formula to 1fl oz of water.
4. Shake together to mix
5. Place the bottle in a bowl of cold water to cool it. Takes about 5-7 minutes when using water cooled in the fridge and a fresh kettle.
6. Test the heat on the inside of your arm or back of your hand.
7. Feed baby within 2 hours. Throw away any unused milk after this time.

I love making my babies bottles. Some people think it's a less loving way to feed, but I disagree. You hold your baby just as close, and they're closer to eye level. You know exactly how much milk they've had.

Don't rush to give up BF, but if you know it's not for you, don't battle on. I stopped EBF DD2 after 4 weeks due to a recurrent blocked duct - we were all so much happier when she started to have formula.

Some awful autocorrects there, sorry!

'put' bottles and teats

And

'however' many fl oz

I know this isn't exactly the answer you were looking for and I am sure someone will come along with advice on flasks- I have seen friends do this but dont know really the method and am keen to know tge answer myself. Anyway I mix feed but because ds can be a tinker on the breast if out and about I usually take a bottle of expressed bm as it lasts 5 hours out of the fridge. I then keep a back up cartoon in my change bag in case he is hungrier. But in 6 months have only used 3 cartons!

I put the water in the bottle and the powder in a tommee tipee individual feed pot then shake the powder into the bottle just before feeding.

DD's precription formula is not available in cartons so I always have to use powder. I prepare the bottles with freshly boiled water, cool rapidly and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

If I am going out for up to 2 hours, I take a bottle with me at room temperature. DD is happy to drink room temp milk. If I am going to be out for longer, I take bottles in a cool bag with ice pack. I have a cool bag that will fit 2 bottles and goes in my change bag. I have always managed to find somewhere to warm a bottle.

Okay this is the best way I find to make a bottle up when out.

Bring a flask (keeps water hot at right temp)
What I do is put 3 oz of hot water into a bottle
Add in all the formula you need so 7/8 oz and shake. Then from another bottle add the rest in cool boiled water.

Means the formula is mixed with the correct water but then is cooled down instantly by adding in the cold water.

It's quick and very easy to do and can be drunk straight away.

I might get flamed but I do want to point out that the 70 degree thing is advice only given in the UK. My health nurse and GP in Ireland, and my one in New Zealand say it's fine to add powder to room temperature cooled boiled water. This is what I have been doing with DS since he was 2 weeks old.

I know the advice is based on the case of some babies who died in mainland Europe from salmonella poisoning a few years back. But given that most continental babies have their bottles made up with room temperature bottled water every single day, and you don't read about babies dying in their thousands.... I think you can draw your own conclusions!

Anyway use common sense. My health nurse and GP said it's worth remembering that many public health guidelines are at the most conservative end of the spectrum. For example they say don't make feeds up in advance but all my FF friends and I make up a day's worth of bottles and refrigerate!

I use cartons when out. Much less faff.

Dementedpenguin how are you certain that you are adding the correct amount of water? Do you pre measure the amount of water you exactly need for that feed (ie the hot and cold water separately)? Powder displacement issues etc.

Just put a bit of cooled boiled water in your bottle - I do about 3oz. Take a flask of freshly boiled water. Top the bottle of cooled water up with the flask to the quantity you require then add your ready weighed out milk. It sometimes comes out a tad hot but I just make it before the feed is due giving it time to cool.

Yes you will have 3oz of cooled boiled water in one bottle, then in another bottle if you add 3oz of hot water add in your 6 scoops of formula. Shake very well then pour in your 3oz of cooled boiled water, then I mix again just to be sure.

Although being perfectly honest I only do this occasionally. I usually just have a bottle with cooled boiled water, bring a flask of boiling water top it up to right amount then add formula and shake.

Ah got it demented! Just wondered how this worked as I'm in a warm climate right now and when I'm back in winter in a couple of weeks I wondered how to get the measurements right for a warm bottle on the go!

Thanks all.

demented do I need to keep the cooled boiled water cold (ie in a cool bag) or is it ok at room temp in my bag for a couple of hours?

I keep it at room temp but always keep the powder seperate and only mix when you are ready to feed.

It's not just the UK that say the water needs to be over 70 degrees, WHO says this too - the problem is a lack of awareness of this issue. Once aware I cannot understand people willing to take the risk when there SE other alternatives.

galwaygirl i've been doing quite a bit of research on this recently as i didn't do it with my first 6 years ago (we used cooled, boiled water) and i couldn't remember where i had got the information from. Every parent i knew did it the same way then.
I had a look in boots the other day and read the instructions on the boxes of first milk and all of the instructions say to use cooled, boiled water and to leave it for 30 mins after boiling and then add the formula.
I know what the WHO says, but i can't help but think that if there was a significant risk, the formula companies would change their guidelines.

Water from a kettle left for less than 30 min is above 70 degrees. It is 'cooled' down from boiling but not 'cool'. The formula companies have changed their labels. They now say to make up each bottle as needed with water more than 70 degrees - less than 30 minutes.

I checked Aptamil, cow and gate and i think SMA yesterday and all of them said to leave it for 30 mins. I don't think a single one said anything about 70 degrees.
I also measured the temp of of my kettle (new, good quality) and after 20 mins the temp had dropped to 60, at 30 mins it had dropped to 50.

Apparently i have nothing better to do with my time while i'm pregnant

What Runningout said.

You can get a tommee tipped flask thing that you fill with hot water, then stand the bottle in the upturned lid with hot water to warm (makes sense, honest!). We carried ours everywhere for months!

It depends, obviously, on the amount of water in the kettle. 1 litre of water will cool more quickly than 2 litres of water.

It depends on the shape of the kettle. A wider kettle will have more surface area of water, etc.

We use water from the kettle 10-20 minutes after boiling.

Yes, true. I used a full kettle.
I'm not saying don't do it, i will be doing it that way when i'm at home with DS2. It's just a bit of a faf trying to transport 70 degree water. Or trying to keep a cooled, made up bottle at fridge temp for two or so hours when your out. I will be using cooled, boiled water and an avent formula dispenser or cartons when i'm out.
It's worth noting too that cartons of formula (made up liquid kind) have NO risk of contracting cronobacter, selmonella etc as they are sterile. Breast milk has a higher chance of containing cronobacter than liquid formula.

I made bottles up in various different ways with DS1 and worried about whether or not I was doing it right. With DS2 I make up 2 bottles at a time at home. I make them up within half an hour of kettle boiling but not in the first 5 mins as they have a habit of exploding then! I cool then down quickly in a bowl of water with ice cubes in, then fridge 'em. When I go out I sometimes take one of the made up bottles out the fridge and put it in a cool bottle bag with a little freezer cool pack in. DS has it cold. He is fine with that and will often have them straight out the fridge at home. Alternatively I take a ready made carton and a sterilised bottle. It depends whether I have bottles in the fridge made up, where I am going and for how long. It may seem expensive to buy the ready made cartons but with two DC, never ending illnesses, not much money and icy roads there is not an awful lot of going out for us! DS1 goes to a nursery over the road every afternoon so i can get away with this. Don't get through many cartons and feel they are worth it. If you go out every day for,long periods then it probably would be too expensive. If you're only going to be out for a couple of hours then a made up bottle in a cool bag is fine.