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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Making up bottles.......

29 replies

Nath · 01/10/2007 08:58

Sorry to sound dumb but I am weaning from breast to bottle and so far have been using cartons but now want to use powder as I am doing more feeds......

As I have never made up bottles before I am wondering about the boiled water - from what I read it says you must not reboil the water in the kettle and must not let the water cool for longer than half an hour. So does that mean if I left the boiled water in the kettle for an hour I cannot use it and have to pour it away and start again - if so what a waste??!!

I want to make up the bottles for the day in advance (just the water that is) so do I just pour the boiled water in the bottles and store them in the fridge until I need them, add the powder and then heat the milk?? Also do I have to store them in the fridge or can I leave them out??

Sorry to ask such stupid questions - just want to get it right !!

Thanks!

OP posts:
LilRedWG · 01/10/2007 09:05

I made up the whole day's bottles (yes, I know I'll get shouted at) and bunged them all in the fridge, then heated as required. Probably not the answer you wanted.

Sorry - useless post!

LilRedWG · 01/10/2007 09:05

Mine is useless - not yours

Charlie999 · 01/10/2007 09:08

I do the same as LilRed. Make up 5 bottles with once-boiled-water (sometimes upto an hour or so old) and cool them in a bowl of cold water before storing in the fridge for 24 hours max.

HTH

CrookshanksinJimmyChoos · 01/10/2007 09:08

Hiya

What I used to do is boil a kettle full of water, fill up all the bottles, let them cool for about 15mins then stick in fridge.

When DS needed a feed, would take bottle out, heat in microwave until just warm, then add the powder and stir with a spoon - that way I made sure that any hot spots from the microwave were well and truly mixed in...that said, I never heated it for more than 40 secs so it was never more than nicely warm anyway, but always did that to be on safe side!

You could also buy those formula holder things from Boots or mothercare - measure out the formula in advance and then just shake it in when you need it - saves time if in the middle of the night etc

Hope this helps

LilBloodRedWG · 01/10/2007 09:08

Glad it's not just me

Lorayn · 01/10/2007 09:13

Hmm, when I made bottles I used to fill and boil a new kettle, poor the required amount of ounces into it, leave it to cool then add the scoops of milk after about 15 minutes (much more and it won't mix properly). Once they were perfectly cooled down, put the made up bottles in the fridge, and heat in a bowl of warm water before feeds.

I don't know why you want to just make up the water in advance when I'm sure it is fine to make up the whole feed. Just throw away any that are still there when you make them up the next day.

If you use the microwave to heat them up, do it as little as possible, better to need more heating than cooling down, make sure you take the lid off, and shake LOTS, before you feed.

Lorayn · 01/10/2007 09:16

LilRedWG, why are you going to be shouted at?? Why is it not okay to make up all the bottles??

My HV even did it for me once

CrookshanksinJimmyChoos · 01/10/2007 09:19

Apparently making up the bottles in advance is a MRSA risk....that's what HV told me...can't leave them out for more than an hour either - must be chucked away.

HV looked positively ill when I told her I was making up the feeds for the day and she panicked me so much I've never done it again, went down the boiled water stored in fridge routine!

Original poster
Nath · 01/10/2007 09:22

Thanks everyone - thats why I was going to just do the water then add the forumla as needed. I just don't understand why you can't leave the water to cool for more than half an hour and why I need to store the water in the fridge to then heat it up again after?!?!?!?

OP posts:
CrookshanksinJimmyChoos · 01/10/2007 09:24

'tis all to do with bugs.....water cooling on the side more susceptible to bugs compared to water in the fridge etc....I think...

Canadiandream · 01/10/2007 09:26

Advice when I had ds (16 months ago) was not to make bottles up in advance in case of some obscure bacteria growing.

What we do is:

  • sterilise bottles

  • put boiled water (not re-boiled) in bottles (usu just boiled but sometimes has been in there a while, poss over an hour) in the evening for the next day's bottles

  • when bottle is needed add pre-measured powder (from one of those blue Avent tubs), shake and sometimes warm up (ds will drink his milk at room temp)

I have never found that adding powder to room-temp bottles doesn't let it dissolve.

I believe best practice is to add milk to just boiled water, allow to cool and use immediately but that just would not work for us and we have never had a problem with this way (ie ds has never had an upset tummy!).

Hope that helps.

CrookshanksinJimmyChoos · 01/10/2007 09:27

Oh we found that when we added the powder to just boiled water, it upset DS's tummy - think it denatures the proteins or whatever in the milk so its not as good, so its best to let the water cool down a bit first

CrookshanksinJimmyChoos · 01/10/2007 09:28

(we obv cooled it down before giving it to him btw!)

Baffy · 01/10/2007 09:28

I think you can leave it to cool for more than half an hour - I certainly did. I think they are just the best practice guidelines (obviously with good reason! but in reality it didn't work like that for me)

only thing I would add is that while I think it's absolutely fine to fill all the bottles up in advance, leave in fridge, then heat and add powder when needed - you will have to make sure you heat the water a lot because iirc if it is only 'luke warm' then the powder doesn't dissolve properly.

which may mean you have to heat water so it's quite hot, add powder, shake etc, then put in a bowl of cold water to cool it back down....

if that makes sense

I used to make the whole day's bottles in the morning with freshly boiled water, cool, put in fridge, and then heat for 30 seconds when needed...
but I know that HV's are now advising against that

Lorayn · 01/10/2007 09:30

Crieky, thank god a SAHM and I'm planning on breastfeeding, my poor baby would be in high risk of getting ill!!

Charlie999 · 01/10/2007 16:29

The whole thing about 30 mins cooling is because the formula powder isn't sterile and it should be added to water with a temperature of not less than 70 o C - ie been cooled for a mx of 30 minutes. This ensures the feed is sterile.

Current WHO guidelines are to make up each feed as required.

But common sense (I'm a scientist) tells me that if I add powder to hot water (boiled within the hour), the feed will be sterile. Quickly cool in bowl of water to stop any possible growth and then store in the fridge - not in the door. Hence that's what I do.

I also admit to microwaving feeds but never give them to DD after an hour and any missed feeds over 24 hours go down the sink.

lazyemma · 01/10/2007 17:07

"Apparently making up the bottles in advance is a MRSA risk....that's what HV told me"

your HV was talking bollocks - MRSA is transmitted by skin contact between people, it doesn't grow in milk powder! She is right that bacteria flourishes in warm milk, there are two particular types which are a worry for gastro-problems in babies, I can't remember their exact names.

I used to make up three feeds with water boiled once ten or so minutes ago, cool as quickly as possible in a large bowl of ice, and then store in the back of the fridge, and am pleased to note that Charlie999 the scientist does the same! Now my daughter is 5 1/2 months old and, I judge, a bit sturdier than when she was a newborn, I add powder to cooled boiled water and feed immediately, which is less hassle. She has never had any sort of infection, btw. (touch wood touch wood)

Original poster
Nath · 01/10/2007 17:35

Again to be thick (I did used to have a brain, honest!!!!) why can't you put it straight in the fridge to cool in there, why the bowl then the fridge??!!

OP posts:
MrsHarry · 01/10/2007 17:46

Nath, you should cool the made-up milk down as soon as poss to reduce the risk of any bugs forming, as they like a warm environment.
Also, you shouldn't really put warm things in the fridge as it reduces its efficiency.

MrsHarry · 01/10/2007 17:52

Also, I'm with Charlie999.... WHO guidelines state you shoud use water of not less than 70 degrees (which is where the 30 minute guide comes in), and they say you should make bottles up as you need them.
However, they also say that if you really need to make them up for later, the safest way is to use freshly boiled water, add powder, cool it quickly and store the made-up milk in the fridge. I think this is meant to be safer than storing only the boiled water and adding powder later.

lazyemma · 01/10/2007 17:53

that's it Nath - a bowl of icewater is way more efficient at cooling down bottles than the fridge, or even the freezer. Plus it's just bad to put warm things in teh fridge - heats up the whole fridge slightly, which means it has to work harder, etc.

TheQueenOfQuotes · 01/10/2007 17:54

I do the same as LilRed.

lizziemun · 01/10/2007 18:51

I am and did last time just made up bottles of cooled boiled water in the fridge, i only add milk powder when doing the bottle.

Although i might make up 3 bottles to see us through the night.

mimi03 · 01/10/2007 19:04

i boil fresh water, fill up all the bottles and allow to cool, add the milk as and when. i made up the bottles of water at night too and got one of those handy milk containers, that way you pre measure out the scoops into the little tub and can take them up to bed with you.....that way you dont have to trek down to the kitchen for the night feeds.

Tinkjon · 04/10/2007 19:35

I make up bottles of boiled water and add the powder as needed, as many opf you have described - but I don't store the bottles of water in the fridge, I just leave the, on the side. My HV said this was fine - does anybody else do this? I wouldn't leave a bottle of made-up formula out of the fridge, but I didn't see a problem with leaving just the water out...?