Bottle feeding out and about - probably a silly question

[Northernbeachbum]

DS is 11 weeks old and formula fed, usually we're not out more than 4 hours due to having the dog but if we are we take one formula made up in an insulated lunchbox with ice packs so it has 4 hours to be used in and one cow and gate ready made. We know that once we start using either we have 2 hours to use them in (unless already more than 2 hours into the one we made up going into the lunchbox but that never happens). If we start using a thermos and making powder formula out and about how does it work? Obviously he cant drink it immediately, or is it 2 hours from when its at drinking temp? Or longer? He actually prefers room temp milk so we have to let it cool down longer than most.

I was told that you use the hot water from the thermos to make the milk, which kills the bacteria in the powder, then add a little cold water afterwards to cool it down quicker. It would need to be previously boiled & cooled water though.

It just seemed like too much of a faff for me though, so when out and about I use the ready made bottles.

Oh I'm sorry, I just re-read your post and I appear to have missed the point entirely! I think it's 2 hours from when it's made, not from when it's cooled.

Is it the big ready made bottle you're using? You have 2 hours if it has been in the bottle baby has been drinking from but if you have an insulated bag and ice packs its (not quite) like being in the gridge so good for 24/48hours?

Sorry, I just reread my post and its not very clear! The 2hrs is 2 hrs from when baby starts drinking from the bottle as that is when the saliva can get mixed and bacteria is introduced.
If however, you have only poured half of the ready made formula into the baby bottle, the formula that hasn't been poured into the drinking bottle is still good to use. It probably says 24hrs in the fridge but with ice packs and thermal bag you can judge for yourself

We're using the smaller ready made bottles. He usually gets through it in the 2 hours anyway but we really woudl like to start using powder formula as its considerably cheaper. It just seems crazy its still 2 hours from pouring near on boiling water on it, i guess if youre taking pre boiled and cooled water it would make sense but surly not with just using boiled water as youd end up wasting an hour of that time waiting for it to cool?!

It's not 2 hours from being made though... It's two hours since you start feeding from the bottle.

And you can run the bottle under a cold tap/use the ice packs to cool it quickly. But you don't need to use a fresh bottle within 2 hours

I mix powder when out and find it pretty easy.
I preprepare the bottle with boiled water which is cooled in the fridge overnight. Then have boiling water in my thermos.
Depending on how much oz of milk they have I add one or two oz of hot water to mix with the formula. Then mix it with the pre boiled. This means it is fresh and ready to drink as soon as baby needs it, without having to wait for it to cool, or wasting unused milk.

Example:
My twins currently have 7oz milk. I mix 7 scoops with 2oz boiling water then mix in the 5oz of cooled water to make perfect temp bottle.

It is pretty much how a perfect prep machine makes the milk. Only issue is that you have to use two bottles per feed, one to store cooled water and one to mix the formula in.

Hope this helps..... and makes sense.

We could take two bottles out but just trying to make things easier, but yeah thats an idea thank you

@anotherdayanotherdollar if you makr a fresh bottle how long do you have to use it? He is used to us making up a few bottles and having it straight from the fridge so of its too warm he seems to throw it back up.