Heating up formula in the microwave.....

[Lucy10]

I know this is considered a no no but I know a lot of people do it, so was just wondering how long you should put the bottle in for....?

All formula must be properly prepared, with clean hands & utensils on a clean workstation, and using the guidelines of their sterliser (don't forget the knife used to scrape the scoops which could also ave been used on raw meat or dog turds). Fridge must also be at 4C or lower in the same position as milk stored

Assuming the above (am I allowed to assume, given that I have made a statement of my assumptions ), in order of potential harm/illness to baby from least risk to highest risk. Remember this is my opinion. It belongs to me and is not actually based on any scientifically factual data I have about formula - but is driven by the fact that I do microbiology in a GLP environment every day:

Unopened carton of ready made (not sure how baby would drink it though )

Freshly opened carton served immediately in a freshly sterlisied bottle

Freshly made bottle of powdered formula, made according to guidlines (i.e.freshly boiled, >70C & freshly sterlisied bottle)

Bottle of water stored, heated to 70C to add formula immediately before serving

Open carton stored in fridge for up to 24hrs

Powdered formula stored in bottles, stored in fridge for up to 24hrs
prob equal with
water stored at RT and formula added at serving temperature.

When you look at it like that there are an awful lot of variables, so it is actually more or less a continuous scale of risk. I havn't even considered those who don't sterlise at all, there are threads on here promoting the fact that you don't actually need to sterilise.

You need to decide where on that risk scale you are comfortable sitting.

Inicidently I was at the bottom with all 3 of my DDs and 2 of tehm were prem. They are all 3 very healthy and we only had 1 serious bout of gasterenteritis whilst on formula and that was at the time that DTDs kindly brought the school bugs home so was probably unrelated to teh milk.

I expect you will regret asking my opinion next time after that epic post ....not a straightforward subject is it?

definitely not straightforward in the slightest LOL. Just glad we've only got another 3 1/2 months left of the FF and then it's cows milk only in the house.........forever

arrrrhhh but cows milk is even less 'sterile'

I don't care - he'll be 1yr old and I'm not paying £6.50 a tin for his milk when he's old enough to drink the stuff that comes out of cows

I always find these kind of debates funny. With dd1 I made up the bottles in advance and stored them in the fridge until I needed them. I then reheated them in a jug of hot water. It was such a faff but that was what I was told to do by the HV.

I have dd2 now and all I do is give her the bottles at room temperature...way easier.

oh god karen I really do envy you - despite my best efforts neither DS2 or DS3 will take their at room temp.

In fact just this evening DS3 started howling when I offered him his milk.......as it wasn't quite warm enough

BTW - is Friday morning ok for my DB to collect the Travel Cot??

I am now panicking that I should be using special scissors to open DS's cartons!

Minefield!

Friday should be fine. I will get DP to remember to take it in!

fantastic thanks.

here's my email

gwenick . taff @ ntlworld . com (without the spaces obviously LOL) so you can tell me where it is.

DB has just been got onto a training course to do his SVQ2 in Childcare (or whatever it's called) starting the week we're up there which means he'll be at college most of the day so I've told him to arrange with your DP the best time to drop it off again after I've gone.

Karen, just out of interest, how do you make sure they're at room temperature? Do you leave them sitting out, i.e. not in the fridge, until needed? If so, how long do you keep them for?

Hi Lucy. I make up bottles in the morning and use them that day. So in the morning I make up 4 bottles. For the bottle first thing in the morning, I make this up the night before and take it up to bed with me, so it is ready first thing in the morning. I have a little tub which holds the right amount of formula needed. I only keep the made up bottles for 12 hours, but thats all I need.

Oh, forgot to say that I leave them out on the worktop. I dont put them in the fridge as they would be too cold.

Do you leave them out made up as milk? Or bottles of water left out ready to add powder?

This is all so very confusing! I have twins and was finding it very difficult to make bottles up on demand....spoke to health visitor and she said definately make them up beforehand! Almost impossible to do otherwise! As long as hot water and sterile bottles are used all is fine (or so I thought!?)

I dont make them up as milk. I make up the bottles just with the correct amount of water in. So for example, I make up 4 bottles in the morning. Usually they are made up with 8oz of boiled water, left to cool down. Once cooled, I out the teat/lids on and leave them on the worktop. When I need them, I add the formula, shake and serve!! Dont think it is the way the guidelines tell you to do it but tbh the guidelines were different when I had dd1 and they have changed again!!