Flask method | Mumsnet

Bow2 · 2022-08-14T21:45:27+00:00

I need a flask that will keep water at the minimum temperature recommended of 70° to make up bottles. Struggling to find one online any recommendations? I have older children and expecting new baby and in the night want to make bottles in my bedroom to reduce risk of waking older ones by going downstairs and waiting for kettle etc!

bunnypenny · 14/08/2022 22:47

Use ready to drink formula?

Teaandcakeordeath83 · 14/08/2022 22:50

It's not specially designed for formula but my kleen kanteen flask keeps my drinks red hot for hours- I haven't measured the temp though- often too hot to drink for 3-4 hours unless I put cold in with the hot drink. I've used them to take out hot veggie sausages for hot dogs at picnics and they're great at keeping ice pops/lollies frozen in stupidly hot weather too.

Wallawallakoala · 14/08/2022 22:52

We use a flask when out and about, just a regular thermos but actual 1l flask...thermocafe I think it's called. I put boiling water in though and leave it to cool but at night why not have some measured cooled boiled water you could add to the boiling?

I'm very tired so that might not make much sense and I'm aware I've said flask a lot!

Wallawallakoala · 14/08/2022 22:54

You can get insulated flasks that show the temperature of the water but it's not super necessary

Original poster

Bow2 · 14/08/2022 22:55

Thank you but this is for newborn onwards and I think it would work out very costly based on how much my others fed!

OP posts:

Wallawallakoala · 14/08/2022 22:55

Say your lo needs 5oz, measure 2oz boiling in bottle, add formula, then add 3oz measured cooled boiled?

Wallawallakoala · 14/08/2022 22:56

Yeah we can't afford that many feeds ready made!

Hugasauras · 14/08/2022 23:08

Get a Perfect Prep machine for bedroom? Will make a bottle in under 2 mins with no hassle.

ChickinMarango · 14/08/2022 23:10

I found this when researching. Make sure you get a 1 litre flask so it stays hotter for longer. Alternatively, we just bought a cheap second kettle for our room.

NancyDrooo · 14/08/2022 23:18

Since when did we start checking the exact temperature of baby milk to the degree? Madness. Make it, taste it, decide if it’s going to burn them or not. This was not a thing ten years ago, what’s changed?

Pizzaandsushi · 15/08/2022 01:08

What about a rapid cool flask by Nuby? We use them for out and about and night feeds. You add boiling water (kept in a separate flask) and the formula and it rapidly cools it down to drinkable temp in a couple of minutes. Approved by the NHS I think.
The other option is to mimic the perfect prep machine (which we also do) one flask boiling water and one flask cooled boiled water. So say you were making 5 oz, you’d add 2 oz of boiling to the formula, mix, and then top up using the cooled boiled water to make it drinking temp.
We have a PP machine and I even measured the amounts it gave out so I could mimic it exactly.

DaphneBasset · 15/08/2022 04:23

In this situation I think I'd be tempted to get a kettle for my room (plus some bottles to store the pre-boiled water). Kettles can be cheaper than flasks & that way you know it's hot enough!

caz198917 · 15/08/2022 04:30

NancyDrooo · 14/08/2022 23:18

Since when did we start checking the exact temperature of baby milk to the degree? Madness. Make it, taste it, decide if it’s going to burn them or not. This was not a thing ten years ago, what’s changed?

You need it to be at least 70 degrees to kill the bacteria in the formula when making the bottle

DaphneBasset · 15/08/2022 04:41

NancyDrooo · 14/08/2022 23:18

Since when did we start checking the exact temperature of baby milk to the degree? Madness. Make it, taste it, decide if it’s going to burn them or not. This was not a thing ten years ago, what’s changed?

Powdered baby formula is not sterile - it can be contaminated with bacteria during manufacture or in your home. That's why the recommendation is to mix it with water that's at least 70*C, to kill any bacteria.

The USA formula shortage this year was partly because a formula factory was shut down after 2 babies died from a cronobacter infection which may have been from the facility.

Many parents misunderstand this advice and believe it's simply about the milk temperature at the end and so they don't follow it. Every parent makes their own decisions about which risks they will expose their children to but it is frustrating to me that the reason for the boiling water advice is not explained on the side of every formula tin (I think it is on some, but not on the one I use) because then parents are making these risk decisions without full information.

NancyDrooo · 15/08/2022 17:42

caz198917 · 15/08/2022 04:30

You need it to be at least 70 degrees to kill the bacteria in the formula when making the bottle

Show quote history

I wonder why this was this not an issue a decade ago? You made a bottle up with recently boiled water and either let it cool or added some cold. Then applied a bit of common sense by testing it before giving it to a baby.

It is not surprising parents are getting increasingly militant and paranoid about their kids.

Caspianberg · 15/08/2022 17:51

I do wonder about the whole ‘ 70 degrees as formula isn’t sterile’

Is it the uk deciding that? As it definitely isn’t the formula companies. If you buy main brands like Aptimal, Hipp in say Germany that says make at 40 degrees as then it’s drinkable temperature. There is nothing about 70 degrees, the hospital thought I was barmy asking, and the website and packaging definitely doesn’t say it.

Aptimal milk powder in uk, France, Germany is all the same stuff, yet only the uk has 70 degree. No babies are getting ill in mainland Europe from it.

www.aptaclub.at/aptamil-produkte/milchnahrung/aptamil-1-pronutra-anfangsmilch.html - see here for example