questions about bottle feeding

[Linnet]

I am in the process of switching dd2 from breast to bottle feeding. dropping a feed every three days.

At the moment we're using the ready made milk but will switch to the powdered milk to make up. On the ready made milk it says that once the milk is in the bottle it must be used within 1 hour. I was looking at the box of powdered milk in the supermarket the other day and I noticed that it said the same thing.

Now does this mean that once dd2 is on bottles and we want to go out for the day and she needs fed while out I won't be able to make up the bottle in advance and take it with me for later?
Or does it mean once the milk has been heated it must be used within 1 hour?

Also does anybody know if it's possible and safe to steralise the bottles, fill them all with fresh water and then just add the powder to them as and when you need to use them throughout the day?

I feel really stupid asking these questions considering that dd1 was also eventually bottle fed but that was so long ago I can't remember what we did.

thanks in advance for any help.

its once the milk has been heated. either that or ive been doing it wrong for the past 18 months and you dont have to feel silly for asking questions. thats what we're here fore

bump

You can make up the bottles in advance as long as you keep them refridgerated. In the fridge they last 12hrs. I have done this with both kids and never had any probs. You could sterilise the bottles and add cooled boiled water and these would keep longer, then just add the powder when needed - I have a friend who does this. You can also buy an Advent bottle carrier that keeps the bottles insulated from the fridge so that if you go out for the day they keep fresh. HTH

Oddly enough Linnett I had the opposite questions as I was so used to the rules of formula with dd I found it amazing I could keep room temp breastmilk for the whole day for ds.

A made up bottle of formula keeps for 24 hours in the fridge (the main part not the fridge door). If you carry a chilled bottle around in a cool bag it keeps for around 4-6 hours (depending on the bag, the avent one I think is 4 hours but a coolbag with ice pack would be longer).

Milk which is either room temperature (e.g an opened ready made carton) or warm (e.g. a freshly made feed or warmed up feed) can only be kept for 1 hour before it must be thrown.

For whole days out, especially in the warm weather the idea of taking bottles of just boiled water, then adding the milk powder when needed is a good one. The bottles of boiled water keep 24 hours either warm or at room temp and you can buy little plastic things to carry pre measured milk powder in.

HTH

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We did the same as twiglett (but making up the bottles was part of our tidying-up-the-kitchen-after-supper routine). You may want to consider not heating the bottles at all - it is very very convenient if the baby will accept room-temperature bottles.

At the moment when dd2 gets a bottle of ready made milk we give it to her at room temperature. Obviously the opened carton then goes in the fridge so the chilled milk, when used, is heated up but only enough to take the edge off it so it's warmed to more or less room temperature and she's never refused it.

I think with dd1 we used to make the feeds up then keep them in the fridge but to be honest it was so long ago I can't remember properly.

I like the idea of sterilising the bottles then filling with water and adding powder as and when needed, that really appeals to me as during the summer holidays we're planning days out and it would be so much easier to do the bottles that way.

thanks very much for your help everyone

I found a hassle to go out with mixed up bottles, I used to worry that they were getting warm (therefore ready to be wasted in an hour) or if taken them cold, they were too cold to give them to DS straight away, so we needed to find a place to warm them... lots of trouble. I found it easier to add the powder to the bottle of warm sterilised water (during winter I put the bottles mildly hot in the insulted container of my backpack and they remained warm for some hours, ready for the baby to drink in the time it takes you to add the powder).

PS: The avent compartment with tree compartments for formula powder is great.

Hi Linnet! TO make up bottles, I pour the hot boiled water in the bottles and leave to cool. Then I measure out the required milk powder in the Avent containers and leave it there, so I have everything ready for feeds. The water is still sterile as it hasn't been opened and the powder is ready to use. When heating up I just put bottle in cup with hot water, when warm, I add the milk powder and shake.

If you make up feeds and put them in the fridge, yes there is concern for when you go out and even if you don't go out, they take longer to heat up.

Hi Linnet,
I've always made my bottles up in advance and never had any problems when going out. My bottle bag seems to keep things cool for about 8 hours or so.

IMHO if you going out for a long day, and don't want to take pre-prepared bottles, the best thing is to take cartons with empty sterilised bottles. Then the milk is at room temperature and you don't have to muck about with powder and water. Also, if you don't, use it you can put it straight back in the cupboard.

BR

i have been told that you can keep a bottle at room temerature for up to 3 hours as long as the baby hasn't had anything out if it, or within an hour of them having some out of it, whichever is sooner. When I go out, I put hot water into sterile bottles and then put in the avent bottle carrier and it keeps it warm. I then add the powder when ds needs a feed. I was told that water is ok to keep for 24 hours like this, and its easier and quicker to heat up from room temperature once the powder has been added. I normally make up a batch for 24 hours and keep them in the fridege though, except when i know I am going out and will do the separate water/powder way.

I've found that when I use cooled boiled water and then add the formula later it doesn't seem to mix in and dissolve as well - it is a bit grainy. Has anyone else found this and is this a problem for it to be like this? We're using Hipp Organic. The instructions say that the formula should be added when at 50-60 degrees C on most boxes of formula - is this only saying this for people who are making up pre-mixed feeds? Thanks

We never had any problems mixing the powder, whatever brand we used. It's often vaguely grainy, but never seems to separate. We did discover two things though: 1 - if the water is too hot when you shake the bottle, then the bottle always leaks, and 2 - if you're making up a very full bottle (eg 8oz water + 8 scoops powder in a 9oz bottle) then it's better to gently turn the bottle over and shake it upside down, otherwise the powder can clog up the teat.

I always added powder the bottle of water. I never had any problems with it mixing up at all. It's perfectly fine to sterilise the bottles, fill with boiled water and then add the powder when needed. I never heated up a bottle, ever.

ellaroo....do you heat the water up before you add the powder? i find it much easier doing it like that than trying to mix it at room temperature