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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Does anyone make up bottles in advance?

94 replies

JenumGeranium · 15/08/2007 17:37

I did this for my other 2 kids, but its all changed now hasn't it? Are you meant to make them up as needed? How does that work when the baby is crying for a bottle and you have to boil the water, let it cool down, make the feed and then cool it down more so baby can drink it? How on earth do you manage with night feeds?

Please help!

OP posts:
LadyTophamHatt · 16/08/2007 19:37

"We can do this all day if you like."

!!!???

Oh yes, lets.

Because that would be really grown up and just great fun.

lazyemma · 16/08/2007 20:23

LTH - come on, I was having a laugh! I just thought it was funny that you weren't buying what I was saying at all, because as far as you were concerned, Thus Spake Mears: end of story.

Honestly. people are awfae tetchy on this forum.

divastrop · 16/08/2007 20:23

fedup-but doesnt it say in one of the links that heating to above 60degrees causes loss of nutrients?

its 6 of one,half a dozen of the other,and i think that doing it whatever way you personally find easiest is the best option.

seriously,is there really a need to be worrying about all these micro organisms and such with babies who are going to be eating week old crumbs they find under the sofa in a few months time?

divastrop · 16/08/2007 20:25

lazyemma-is it not PMT week?im sure there was something last month about most regular MNers getting af at the same time

LadyTophamHatt · 16/08/2007 20:36

funnily enough Diva I have got my period ATM.

Ok Lazyemma, but it didn't "sound" very jokey and mears does know her stuff.

anyway, my sofa is requesting my presence.

fedupwasherwoman · 17/08/2007 11:11

divastrop

I'm confused now.

Mears' link guidelines say that formula milk should be made with water of at least 70 degrees. Well this is greater than 60 degrees so how can that be right ?

If it's just re-heating that the 60 degrees thing applies to then I'm not worried as when you warm a previously chilled bottle back up in the microwave however you are doing just that, warming it up/ taking the chill off, I don't think you would reach 60 degrees. I know I don't, we just take the chill off and I know from holding the bottle that it's much less than the temperature of a bottle of milk made with boiled water that's cooled for 30 mins which is supposed to approximate to 70 degrees.

MellowMa · 17/08/2007 13:52

Message withdrawn

LadyTophamHatt · 17/08/2007 15:00

Fedup, I did a little experiment with Ds4's milk.
I left the boiled water for 30 mins and also made his milk up by the "add 2oz of boiling water" method and was surprised to feel that they were almost the same temp. The milk was maybe a fraction cooler but not by much.

If anyone other than me feed him they always comment that it's too hot but he simply won't drink it if its any cooler.

Mellowma, Yes I think it did...briefly

LadyTophamHatt · 17/08/2007 15:03

I'd say ot was probably between 60-70 degrees so I'm keeping everyone happy...

harpsichordcarrier · 17/08/2007 15:06

divastrop, yes it does make a difference tbh.
there is a difference between the kind of g/e infection you get from food poisoning.
and also g/e problems are more serious with very young babies in terms of their immune systems etc.
like old people, food poisoning can be very dangerous for babies too. can't really be compared with the kind of germs you get footling around on the floor.

TheQueenOfQuotes · 17/08/2007 15:08

but could they not get food poisioning (sp) from eating some old food they find on the floor???

(sorry just sh*t stirring )

Meeely2 · 17/08/2007 15:11

make in advance, the day before for the day ahead - no way i was gonna let my twins cry while i waited 40 mins for my kettle to cool down!

harpsichordcarrier · 17/08/2007 15:15

how unlike you QoQ
yes they could but a bottle of warm milk os a more fertile breeding ground for harmful bacteria than, say, a crusty old cheerio under the sofa. also by the time they are crawling around, the baby's immune system iis much hardier than a newborn's.

divastrop · 18/08/2007 11:42

HC-i was thinking in terms of my 5 month old who,thanks to her nursery-going brother,already has a pretty strong immune system.of course when she was newborn i did everything by the book with making up bottles,the comment i made was just me thinking 'why am i worrying about this now when she may be crawling in a couple of months and has already been fed some dodgey things by her 20 month old sister'

i didnt mean it to sound like i was saying that nobody should worry about such things,i know its very important to be careful when making up small babies' feeds.

harpsichordcarrier · 18/08/2007 12:02

sorry divastrop I wasn't meaning to have a go
I think it is one of those matters of perspective. In my work I frequently read (and teach) about the increased incidence of g/e in formula fed babies and I suppose that skews my thinking. whereas for someone who feeds their baby every day the risks are more in perspective I guess.

inkstigmata · 25/08/2007 15:40

I simply make up the sterile bottles of just boiled water in advance and cool them down and eventually put them in the fridge. Then add the formula and microwave them just before use.

gillhowe · 25/08/2007 17:57

OK I am really confused. I put water in the bottles and then add formula when I need it. I don't heat again. Most people I know use this method - should I heat it up to 70 degrees?

Certainly boosts the sales of ready made formula this!

inkstigmata · 26/08/2007 08:19

@ gillhoew: Sorry for confusion

  1. Put washed bottles in steriliser, boil kettle
  2. Fill sterilised bottles with water from kettle and close them up
  3. Put cooled bottles of water in fridge until needed (put them in when still hot if you like but you get consensation and ice forming in the fridge from doing that)
  4. At feed time, take out bottle, open it, add formula powder, close, shake, give 25s in the microwave, shake again quite a bit
  5. Serve

That's what I do.

gillhowe · 26/08/2007 17:49

Thanks inkstigmata, I do exactly the same except that I don't keep the bottles of water in the fridge and I don't do the 25secs in the microwave. Do you just heat for 25secs as your LO likes it a bit warm?

gillhowe · 26/08/2007 17:51

Oh and I don't know why I'm worrying too much, DS is ten months and eats all manner of horrible things

milkmummy1 · 26/08/2007 20:58

couple of questions..
i make up feeds in advance but only a maximum of 3 as have just started on aptimil after 6 months of BF and am a little paranoid.... anyway when the feeds have been made up do you 'need' to wait for them to cool down completley before putting into the fridge for storage? because they take ages dont they? my HV says you shoudlnt try to keep them warm but surely by leaving them on the sides with the lids on you are keeping them warm? confused!

mears · 26/08/2007 21:20

hi folks - just come across this thread. Thans for your kind words LTH

I definitely stand by my assertions that formula milk should not be heated in microwaves (no need if milk is made up according to current guidance anyway]

[http://www.mineral-health.biz/downloads/TheHiddenHazardsofMicrowaveCooking2.doc it's not just a problem for milk!]]

mears · 26/08/2007 21:20

link

pobletsmum · 26/08/2007 21:55

Hello,

I've just seen this thread, and have read with interest. I've also read the WHO article (linked by MrsBadger - thanks), and found the following in it:

"Alternatively, you can prepare feeds using fresh, safe water at room
temperature and consume immediately.
? Feeds prepared with water cooler than 70ºC should not be stored
for use later.
? Throw away any left-over feed after two hours."

So... it seems that it IS safe to make up feeds with cool (or warm) water as you go, as long as you don't store it if made this way i.e. use it straight after mixing powder with water. I had been feeling very guilty about always having made DS' feeds this way, but am not so worried now. In fact the WHO article would suggest that you don't even need to boil the water ('fresh, safe water' vs 'freshly boiled water' referred to elsewhere in article), although I always would.

lazyemma · 27/08/2007 11:27

mears, I'm not disputing the hotspot thing. I'm saying that I don't believe microwave cooking destroys nutrients in formula. And that article you've kindly provided a link to - "The Hidden Hazards Of Microwave Cooking" - appears to be a right load of dangerous old bollocks that has been doing the rounds on the internet for donkey's years.

This bit is my favourite:

"It's bad enough that many babies are not nursed, but now they are given fake milk made even more toxic via microwaving."

Nice! Thanks for that.

Anyway, here's some interesting analysis of the article on good old snopes.com - those fine upholders of sanity on the internet:

message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=5443