How do you make up bottles for the night?

[qazxc]

I didn't plan on bottle feeding, but sadly have no choice. this also has the unfortunate effect that I have no knowledge on the subject.

We came home from hospital today and I feel pretty sore after an EMCS.
How can I make up bottles to take upstairs with me at night that will work through the night? DD's eating pattern is still pretty erratic and I can't handle going up and down stairs numerous times during the night.

Could you use the pre-made bottles of formula?

I know they can be expensive but if they are only being used for the night it might be easier to do that than have to worry about making up bottles and things whilst you are still in so much discomfort. You could keep a jug and a thermos of hot water in your bedroom and just heat up the pre-made formula as you need it. I think some pre-made formula bottles can have teats attached to them so you don't even need to decant them into a sterilised bottle of your own.

Congratulations on your new baby and I hope you recover quickly

Congrats on your new baby!

I'm formula feeding after having to give up breast feeding at 8 weeks due to numerous issues.

Like writer suggests, I take a flask of hot water up to bed with me every night and powder in premeasured pots, as well as a couple of bottles. When I make the bottles up I stand them in cold water in the bathroom sink and they are ready to give to DD in 5-10 minutes.

The pre-made formula is another option but it is an expensive solution. I try to only use them if I'm going to be out all day.

Can you put formula powder in sterilised and preboiled water bottles? I thought that was dangerous because the powder isn't sterile?
I'm currently using the premade small bottles with teats but they are really pricey option.
Is assembling sterilised bottles and filling them when needed with the premade formula in small bottles a safe option? It would be cheaper.

You have to add the formula to hot water, thats what the ladies above are saying, so you take a flask of boiling water upstairs and make the bottle like that water had come from the kettle, flash cool it (in the bathroom sink say) then give it to baby.

One thing you could do (I havent done it but know lots of people who do) is have a flask of boiling water and a sterile bottle of cool boiled water. Mix the formula with some boiling water so you have killed the germs then add enough cool (which you will need to measure separately as adding the powder affects the measurement and you need the right amount of fluid) so the water is the right temp to drink straight away. Will speed things up in the nights.

Use pre made formula but check if a carton how long it lasts once open out of the fridge, alternatively beg someone to go and get you a perfect prep machine and take upstairs with you at night with a bunch of pre sterilised bottles

You dont refrigerate pre made formula until its open but once its open you have to put it in the fridge so unless you want to go downstairs and do that meaning you will have to warm it up for the next feed anyway you will have to open a new bottle for each feed.

Honestly? 2nd time round we cheated and bought a Tommy Tippee perfect prep.

Yes it wasn't cheap (although I got it with some money off) &yes it's not an essential but heck I don't regret buying it at all.

We use sterilised water and just add powder in the middle of the night.

littlegreengloworm that method isn't recommended by the NHS (and other health bodies). The powder is not sterile and may contain bacteria. Mixing powder with water at 70 degrees or higher will kill these and reduce the risk of your baby getting gastroenteritis or other unpleasant illnesses.

The suggestions of ready made cartons or the perfect prep machine are the safest method if you don't want to make up the formula fresh in the middle of the night.

I didn't know that
I breastfed fr six weeks so no one advised us and friends of ours did it that way.

I think next time we will buy a little fridge for upstairs.