Does anyone make up bottles in advance?

[JenumGeranium]

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!

might as well repeat the links in my earlier post, to provide some sort of counter-point to "Hidden Hazards":

Just in cause you doubt me still:

from American Family Physician Journal 1993:

findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3225/is_n4_v47/ai_13664771

"Nutritional analysis revealed no significant loss of heat-labile nutrients such as riboflavin or vitamin C after microwave heating."

from "Nutritional effects of Microwave Cooking" - Lassen, A, Overson, Lars

www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do;jsessionid=7D45814D205513011373800D7B31F73 C?conten tType=Article&hdAction=lnkhtml&contentId=1453972

"Several studies have shown that microwave cooking, if properly used, does not change the nutrient content of foods to a larger extent than conventional heating. In fact, suggests that there is a tendency towards greater retention of many micronutrients with microwaving, probably due to the shorter preparation time. Does not describe non-thermal effects. The main problem with microwaving is the uneven heating of the food, which has raised concern regarding microbiological safety. Microwaving infant formula and breast milk has become increasingly popular. The content of nutrients and antibacterial factors in milk are maintained unchanged provided the final temperature does not exceed 60°C."

Made then up in advance. I was told however that they should be kept in the main part of the fridge and not in the door. This keeps them colder apparantly.

Thanks Pobletsmum - sorry I didn't read the link MrsBadger!

lazyemma - I posted that link as a bit of thought provokation TBH - yes it is a bit OTT.

I categorically don't agree with you regarding microwaving of milk changing nutritional content.

Frankly there is no need to ever microwave formula in the first place IMO.

Well, of course you're entitled not to agree, but it's not really me you're disagreeing with. You're disagreeing with the findings of a bunch of boffins who got together, analysed the nutritional content of formula, microwaved it, analysed it again, and found it unchanged. And so far you haven't given any reasons for why you disagree, apart from "Hidden Hazards of Microwave Cooking", which is only thought provoking in the sense that it makes me think "gosh. there really are some utter asshats on the internet"

@ gillhowe:

I put the bottles in the microwave for 25s because having been in the fridge the water is 4 degrees when I make the feed up. The microwave is to bring it to just above room temp.

Seeing what you do (just leave the bottles at room temp, no cooling and no subsequent heating) makes me think "D'oh--why didn't I think of that"

So when people make up bottles with just boiled water, ready to add the powder to later - why do they then put the bottles in the fridge? If the water has been boiled then isn't that sterile already and so wouldn't need to go in the fridge? This is all so confusing it's hurting my head

not sure if this has been said before but - a really easy way to make up sterile FRESH bottles but without waiting for them to cool is:

(Keep a large sterile container of cooled boiled water in the fridge at all times)

boil water - fill bottle to maybe 3 oz for a say, 6oz feed. add the 6 scoops, then shake, then top up to 6oz with the cooled water from the fridge.

adjust to suit your required temperature to suit your baby.

is there any health disadvantage to this? don't think so - maybe the cooled water in the fridge? hmmm

Egypt - surely the measurements would be wrong if you top up to 6oz as in your example? You're supposed to put the water in 1st so the amount of water is exactly right (e.g. 6oz) then when you add the powder, the total rises (e.g. 6 goes to nearly 7oz). It wouldn't be very accurate to guess how much cold water to add would it?

I would have thought it was still easier to have the right amount of water measured in sterile bottles, kept in or out of fridge (I never bothered to put them in the fridge tinkjon ) ready to mix with powder when ready. It saves having extra containers to sterilise too. If baby needs warm milk, you could always warm the water in the microwave before adding powder, or make up 3oz bottles in advance and add 3oz boiling water then add powder. I hope that all made sense.

Sorry, Egypt....that's not safe, as the proportion of water to powder is wrong.

The safest way to ke them up as much in advance as possible is to put cooled bottled water in sterilised bottles, leave them at room temperature, when a bottle is needed warm the water in a micro or jug of hot water,add the powder and feed straight away. Its the feeding straight away that is important.

make

I used to make up 8 bottles every morning, and use them over a 24 hr period, kept in the fridge and warmed in the microwave.

My ds is now a strapping 8 year old.

I can't see why making up in advance should be a problem.

Me too clumsymum (wth dd1) it's not something that really worried me as there is plenty of air born bacteria for babies to breath in if you really want to get over anxious!

I always do all in advance every evening.

I sterilise the bottles and avent powder dispensers then fill the bottles with freshly boiled water and measure the milk powder into the dispensers. I keep all of it at room temperature in the kitchen and add the powder to the milk when a feed is needed. At bedtime I just take the bottle of water and the measured powder up with me. Easy peasy

Luckily dd will drink at room temp, but if I do heat it I do it in the microwave for 20 secs and shake well.

ooo didnt realise the level of milk rises that much. ok, defeated

I make bottles in advance, but with boiling water.. cool them then puit them in the fridge.. I re heat the water in the microwave before the milk goes in.

(its what I have done with all three children..)

I dont put my bottles of water in the fridge, I put them in the cupboard so they are at room temperature. DS takes them at room temperature so there is no need to heat them. I just add the powder when the feed is due and shake thoroughly to mix.

Just thought I'd add my tuppence worth. I make up to 4 bottles in advance with boiling water cooled for 30 mins (so that all the bugs in the powder are killed off). Cool em down in a pan of cold water then stick em in the fridge. Then when ds starts looking hungry I heat one of the feeds in a pan of hot water for 5 mins. If I know I'll need a feed when we are out, I'll keep a sterile bottle back and use hot water from a flask and powder from the wee Avent dispenser. Bit of a palaver but such is life being the mum of a ff bairn.