Baby drank formula over 3 hours

[User24689]

After struggling with night feeds for weeks and running on 1-2 hours sleep, DH and I tried giving DD a bottle of formula at 10pm. She refused it at first but DH got there in the end, although he says it took her 3 hours to finish about 80mls of formula. I panicked because I know formula is supposed to be used within an hour of being made up. In my sleep deprived haze I completely forgot to tell him this and he is used to giving expressed bm which can be at room temp for 6 hours. He assumed it was the same.

I have slept for the first time since going into labour 5 weeks ago! DD seems fine but I'm still worried- is it a huge concern that the last of the formula she took was 3 hours old?

Op glad you got some sleep. I presume the risk is that bacteria might develop, I would guess it is a low risk in this case, but if dd becomes unwell with d and v get medical advice.

Sorry if I sound hazy, I ebf but as a early years worker am defifinte that I have witnessed babies being fed from bottles that have been sat in prams/bags for longer than 3hrs.

Hth and that the sleep helped.

This happened to us a couple of times. DD was always fine, and so will yours be in all probability. There is a risk of bacteria develooing but a risk does not mean a certainty. If she seems fine she is.

It will be fine I promise. Happened to us

If it's made up correctly I can't quite see where the bacteria would be coming from to be breeding anyway. I'm sure it's fine.
3 hours to take 80ml sounds like there's something going on though, or is it just not liking a bottle?

I've done worse with bottles in change bags all morning or on windowsills overnight and accidentally given a started bottle rather than a new one and its always been fine. I think it is a bacteria risk and minimal but as with all things baby if they seem ill or different don't hesitate to get to a doctor.

Thank you all! That's a huge relief. She still seems fine although is windy and hasn't done a proper poo today. I know formula goes through slower but not sure where all the breastmilk is??

Roganjosh, yes she isnt used to the bottle. She would take expressed bm up until a couple of weeks ago then started refusing it so we're trying to ease her back into the bottles but I think by now she is just more used to the breast. DH said she was sucking the teat most of the time but not swallowing so maybe not sucking hard enough. We now have an array of teats to try...

He didn't even notice how long she had been feeding as he was watching the football at the same time (prob didnt help!)
And just kept persevering because at least while she was occupied I was getting sleep!

Annoying about the formula - of which I have no experience of but I wanted to say congrats on getting some sleep and well-done dh for keeping her occupied for a bit for you.

I am sure she is fine but the bacteria comes from the baby's saliva so there is a reason for discarding the bottle after an hour next time. That goes for breastmilk as well, though the studies on that are not as conclusive -
I would not leave a bottle at room temp for 6 hours after a baby had started drinking it though.

When you say 'persevering' for 3 hours though - I am just wondering whether you could offer a smaller amount next time and see how it goes. Does she cluster feed/ sleep on the breast at this time normally?

Formula is ok for 2 hours after being made up so it wasn't that much longer that it was used for. I am sure she will be fine btw

I also thought that 2h was the rule. But occasionally longer than that will almost certainly not harm them. I'm currently on my 2nd and struggle to remember when baby had his last bottle most of the time, like with yours it often takes perseverance to get him to have it.