Bottles at nursery

[Kafri]

Just wondering what the rules are here...

DS is 6m and have started looking into nursery for him when I go back to work in September. I asked them about his bottles and making them up. Their response was to send them in in the morning and they either keep them in the fridge and warm up as necessary or in a cool box if child has them at room temp.

Now I know every parent makes a decision about making up bottles fresh or in advance but having had every health professional under the sun tell me in the last six months to make up bottles as and when they're needed, I find it odd that when he goes to nursery (at whatever age it happened to be) its suddenly ok to make in advance and store in the fridge???

I have no intention of sending him to this nursery There were other things that put me off while I was chatting with the lady I spoke to on the phone.

World Health Org says it is ok to make bottles up in advance and keep in fridge until needed - Linky

Obv making up fresh is ideal but there is no way nursery staff would have time to do this. If you have a real problem with bottles made up in advance you could provide cartons?

I work in a day nursery, in a baby room. We aren't allowed to accept any bottles that have been already made up.

Our parents generally supply us with a tin of milk, or a dispenser with enough for the day in, and then empty bottles, and we make the bottles up when the baby needs them.

They don't make his milk in cartons. He's on prescription milk so it only comes in powder.

I've looked round 7 nurseries now and 5 of those make up fresh. The one I've chosen is one of those.

Interesting! Every nursery I looked at asked for bottles to be made up in advance and brought in a chiller bag, they then put in fridge. Guess it depends where you are?

TheOriginal just out of interest what happens if the bottle is expressed milk? I presume that is accepted?

The first nursery my daughter went to we sent in a tin of formula and they made up fresh. The second we send them in pre made. I think it does seem to vary a bit. I wouldn't worry though about sending pre made at 6 month's.

Yes patch it is

We have one breastfeeding mum, and she brings the milk in, frozen, in sachets, and we defrost them in water and then give to the child in the cup mum provides.

Any milk, formula or breast milk, has to be thrown away within two hours, if it has been made up/defrosted and not drunk.

Ive found a lovely nursery round the corner from my work.

They're happy to take him term time only and happy to make up feeds as required and continue BLW.

It just baffles me that I spend 6m having it drilled into me that I have to make up feeds as needed and then get told by a nursery the complete opposite.

A pp (sorry I'm on my phone so can't remember name) said it should be fine made in advance now he's 6m - what if I'd had to return to work when he was tiny? (Not an argumentative comment, just a question)

Making up fresh with hot water and drinking within the hour is of course the ideal. In situations where this is not possible (like childcare if they won't make bottles) it is acceptable to make the bottle up hot in advance, chill quickly and use as soon as possible.

If nurseries are offering to make bottles fresh, I would check that they are actually making them to guidelines with 70 degree water, rather than just mixing powder with cold water.

I asked the manager who showed me round. She showed me the room where they store the milk powder, bottles, cartons of ready made - whatever parents send. Each baby has a small cupboard for their own kit. The room has a kettle and a steriliser. Short of camping out and watching them I can't be any more sure.

I didn't suggest you watch them, just ask if they make them with hot water rather than boiled and cooled. Lots of people still believe it is important to sterilise the water, but don't realise it is important to mix the powder with very hot water so will let it cool before making.