Making up formula feeds

[WeDontTalkAboutLove]

I have recently stopped EBF and moved to FF so don't have a midwife to advise anymore. My HV has explained the sterilising, making up a bottle etc but I wanted to ask 'real' mums as I don't find her very approachable.

HV advised against the Perfect Prep machine but I can't understand why they would be so popular and available if they were 'bad'. Can anyone explain this?
Making up bottles, in the night especially, is very difficult with dimmed lights and a screaming baby. The cooling seems to take a lifetime! Does anyone do this differently? DM said that she used to make up bottles in the evening and refrigerate overnight to heat as needed but obviously HV and instructions on the formula do not advocate this!

Thanks

Check out the WHO Formula feeding at home guidelines. They are downloadable in PDF format and explain everything clearly.

They state that although it is best practice to make feeds fresh it is safe to prepare feeds, flash cool and store in the back of the fridge (under 5°) for up to 24 hours.

I followed this with my son and never had an issue.

Not sure how true it is but there has been mention that although the perfect prep should provide a shot of hot water at correct temps the thermostat can be off at times which means it may not always be hot enough to kill off any stray bacteria in the powder.

I love our Perfect Prep. The fucking thing is breaking down now after a couple of years! We need to get it fixed.
Obviously we clean it regularly and feel the hot shot.

We’ve got a prep and it’s caused no issues here at all... used one with Ds as well.

I think it’s to do with bacteria in the machine, but clean it regularly as instructed and we’ve had zero problems.

The other way you can do it is mimic the prep machine. So have cold boiled water in bottles on the side, in one bottle put a shot of boiling water (keep in a flask) add formula shake then top up with cool boiled water.

Thank you both!

I make night feeds up before I go to bed and stick them in the fridge. I used to make each bottle up fresh but it just didn't work. DS has been absolutely fine

Ds is 5 , when he was a baby I made bottles 12 hours in advance and put them in the fridge to re heat in the microwave ( shake well ) . It's what i did, I was comfortable with it , and it worked for us.

Sorry you don't feel the HV has been helpful, as a HV myself, I aim to fully inform parents about formula feeding & that they haven't communicated that HV's are nurses and midwives with further qualifications so by no means "less" than a midwife she comes to advising on any aspect of child health/development.

Annoyingly though (despite the huge amount of advertising suggesting otherwise), formula feeding isn't as easy as it is presented.

This website:

www.firststepsnutrition.org/parents-carers

Has independent info on formula milk and this from UNICEF is useful as a quick guide:

www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/04/Infant-formula-and-responsive-bottle-feeding.pdf

One of the key things is to accept that the powder is not sterile even when first opened, let alone after it's been churned round during scooping.

Perfect Prep machines are not recommended as there is no reliable evidence that the water is ever as hot as 70c or that it is in contact with the powder long enough to sterilise their powder - is worth noting that in France where the cultural norm is to use cold bottled water there have been outbreaks of salmonella due to the powder.

All we can do is give information highlighting the risks/how to minimise them.

How families use the advice we give them is down to them - we are never going to jump out of a kitchen cupboard and ask what on Earth you're doing, but hope it's appreciated that we have the safety and ongoing health of your children at the heart of all we advise.

I also do the flask of hot water then add cold but do not advise trying to pour the hot water into the bottle in the dark whilst holding it over your legs! No don't do that!

I’ve just had my third child and all have been formula fed.

The perfect prep machine is brilliant. As long as you follow the instructions on when to change filters you’ll be fine and so will baby.

With my other two the prep machine wasn’t out yet so I used to make up 6 bottles, cool them in water in the sink then store at top back of fridge. Then microwave when needed and give a good shake to prevent hotspots.

I’m sure it would be frowned upon but it always worked for us

@DoAsSayNotAsDo

Sorry, I should have been more clear, I do realise that my HV was a nurse before her additional training as she has explained that but my midwife was far more approachable and warm. I had a different HV initially who has moved away sadly and she was brilliant and a great help so I do appreciate the work that you do. My current HV is just very abrupt!

Perfect prep machine. I've used it for 2/3 of my kids (my first we made them up, stored in fridge and reheated with a bottle warmer but that was years ago) and it's a game changer. Never had any problems and the hot shot always seems roasting, can see the steam coming off it.

Another mum who couldn't (or wouldn't want to!) live without the perfect prep.
When travelling/ on hols or anywhere without the machine, I boil water for any bottles I need that day, fill the empty sterilised bottles with the boiled water then put them all in the fridge to cool. Then when I need a bottle I boil the kettle and mix the formula with a small amount of boiled water then add that to the cooled water and it's the perfect temp.
As an example - for a 7oz bottle, you'd have 2oz of boiled water, add formula and mix - then top up with cooled boiled water.
For night feeds you can boil the kettle before bed and keep it in a flask to stay hot so you don't have to wait for the kettle to boil each time.

I work on a hospital ward with tinies and we essentially aren’t allowed to advocate for the prep because it has a margin or both user error (ie not changing the filter, being fiddly to clean etc.) and because it can have mechanical error. (ie the hot shot not working)
They aren’t as reliable as other methods but are a damn sight easier. You’re all adult women who can choose for yourselves how you feed your baby. But the prep isn’t quite up to scratch but is probs 95%.
We still do all the sterilise in 1 Milton tab and 5L water, change every 12hrs, no microwave sterilising, no using the kettle after 15m, throw out that water when you’re done.

If I’m honest as a person who gives the advice I would buy a prep.

Prefect prep makes ff so easy. They weren’t around when myDT’s were little - wish they had been. I now buy them as presents for friends when they have a new baby. They say it’s the best baby item they have had.