Quick bottle feeeding question...

[LucyLu1981]

I recently changed from breast to bottle feeding my 12wk DD have used SMA for 2wks but she is a bit constipated so am swapping to Aptamil to seee if that helps. I have been making up 6 feeds in the morning and storing in the fridge as the SMA tin says they can be stored for 24hrs, the Aptamil tin says use within 1hr - is this just a recommendation or does anyone know of a particular reason why I can't make up and store Aptamil the same as SMA?? TIA

i think it means you need to use the feed within the hour once you have taken it out of the fridge

you should make up each feed as and when you need it, which is not always practical ,but those are the new guidelines....with freshly boiled and cooled water for each feed

however, i found measuring powder into a dispenser and sterilising bottles,adding cooled boiled water and then making up the feed that way was ok

or you can use ready made formula

once formula is made, it should be used within the hour

Thank you Ruby and Lulu - anyone else had any experience with making up Aptamil in advance?

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Thanks Doodle - was just a bit concerned i'd have to wait 30-40mins each time for water to cool - DD would not be a happy bunny!

But Doodledoo, the point of making the feed with hot water is to kill any nasties in the formula.

Lucylu - what I do is to fill the bottles a third full with boiled water, cool and keep in the fridge. When it's time for a feed I top it up with boiling water. This way the water in the bottle is still pretty hot (and I hope around the 70 degrees that's recommended). Then I add the powder and cool again (should only take 3 or 4 minutes). I mixed fed my DS for 4.5 months so he's used to his milk warm, like breastmilk.

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there certainly are nasties in the formula which is why the guidelines for making up formula was changed. Saying that, I dont work to them either as I add boiled water to the bottles and keep them at room temperature and add powder when required.

This is what Babycentre says:

It is no longer recommended that you make up bottles using infant formula milk powder in advance to store in the fridge. Advice from the UK Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency in November 2005 says that feeds should always be made up fresh, using boiled water that is hotter than 70 degrees C; in practice this means using water that has been left to cool for no more than half an hour.

The new advice is based on the fact that the milk powder itself is not sterile, and once made up, there is a small risk of harmful bacteria developing in any formula which is kept for use later in the day. Storing made up formula milk may increase the chance of a baby becoming ill and therefore it should be avoided. Any milk left over after a feed should be thrown away.

Mothers who need to prepare a feed for later use should keep just boiled water in a sealed flask and make up fresh formula when it is needed. The temperature of the feed should be tested and, if necessary, cooled by holding the bottle, with the cap covering the teat, under cold running water.

Formula milk is not suitable for freezing.

The powdered formula is not sterile, that's why it is now recommended to make up the bottles as you need them with hot water to kill any bacteria that might be in the powdered milk. I found that if you make the bottle up with hot water and then put it in a bowl of cold water it cools down pretty quickly. Having said that, I have to send ds to nursery with ready-made bottles and the guidelines for that is to make the bottles up with hot water, cool as quickly as possible, store in the fridge and then transport in coolbag to nursery (which is what I do). That's what I'd do at home as well if I had a lot of bottles and wanted to make them up in advance.

Seona is right there are bacteria in the formula that can only be guaranteed to be killed off by adding to water at 70 degrees. Formula milk is not sterile.

so if I make up the bottle with fresh boiled water so the powder goes into the water at 70 then immediately refrigerate that is ok?

I think the ideal is that you make each one up fresh but making them up with hot water then storing in the fridge is the second best option (according to the guidelines I read, think they were DoH). If you put them in a bowl of cold water in the fridge they will cool down faster. Using water at 70 degrees does not absolutely guarantee to kill off all the bacteria, that's why it's important to cool quickly and store in the fridge so the bacteria don't have a chance to grow. I'm a microbiologist btw

Doodledoo - you're deluding yourself, sorry. Formula may be many things, but it's not sterile, it's not even airtight when open, and it's not safe made up with room temperature water.

from what I have read the issue is more about formula that has been left at room temperature for a period of time and that low levels of bacteria will not make your lo ill - leaving at room temperature makes the bacteria multiply and it is these higher levels that can make your lo ill. I have had no problems giving freshly made up milk with room temperature water.

Hi everyone here is the exact doh guidance

Guidance for Preparing Feeds in the Home
Preparing a feed using powdered infant formula
Important Normally each bottle should be made up fresh for each feed. Storing made-up formula milk may increase the chance of a baby becoming ill and should be avoided.

1. Clean the surface thoroughly on which to prepare the feed
2. Wash hands with soap and water and then dry.
3. Boil fresh tap water in a kettle. Alternatively bottled water that is suitable for infants can be used for making up feeds and should be boiled in the same way as tap water.
4. Important: Allow the boiled water to cool to no less than 70º C. This means in practice using water that has been left covered, for less than 30 minutes after boiling.
5. Pour the amount of boiled water required into the sterilised bottle.
6. Add the exact amount of formula as instructed on the label always using the scoop provided with the powdered formula by the manufacturer. Adding more or less powder than instructed could make the baby ill.
7. Re-assemble the bottle following manufacturer?s instructions.
8. Shake the bottle well to mix the contents.
9. Cool quickly to feeding temperature by holding under a running tap, or placing in a container of cold water.
10. Check the temperature by shaking a few drops onto the inside of your wrist ? it should feel lukewarm, not hot.
11. Discard any feed that has not been used within two hours

The new guidelines were issued following the deaths of several young babies on the continent due to contaminated formula. Very rare, but not worth the risk IMHO.