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Infant feeding

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

Making formula in advance

35 replies

SRH · 26/09/2025 10:48

Hiya! Does anyone make powder formula in advance, rapidly cool and store in fridge, ready to take out in a cooler bag? When I take it out in a cooler bag, is it safe to heat it in some water before feeding baby? NHS says it is OK to make it in advance as a one off, but it would really help me if I could do this a bit more regularly.
I also pump milk which I feed him at home but find it’s easier to take formula out because if he doesn’t finish it/wastes it, I don’t mind so much. Using Kendamil Organic.
I don’t have any mum friends so really appreciate all the advice kind people on here give me. Thank you in advance xx

OP posts:
AnotherVice · 26/09/2025 10:49

If you want to risk gastroenteritis then sure.

Greenfood · 26/09/2025 11:20

This was done for generations. I did it on occasion for my youngest. If it's okay occasionally then it's okay more regularly I think.

Do what works for you. The method I used mainly was a hot flask abs cold flask. Powder pre measured pots. An ounce of hot water then top up with cool water. Instant drink in less than a minute.

MJMa · 26/09/2025 11:20

Yep always have.

MJMa · 26/09/2025 11:22

Honestly if it’s fine as a one off it’s fine to do most if not all of the time IMHO.

as long as the formula is being made with the correct temp to kill off any potential bacteria and it’s stored in the fridge (not the door as these are the warmest areas) the risk is negligible.

SRH · 26/09/2025 11:49

AnotherVice · 26/09/2025 10:49

If you want to risk gastroenteritis then sure.

This is obviously what I want to avoid and why I asked if anyone else is doing what I’ve suggested and if they’ve had any problems.

OP posts:
SRH · 26/09/2025 11:51

MJMa · 26/09/2025 11:22

Honestly if it’s fine as a one off it’s fine to do most if not all of the time IMHO.

as long as the formula is being made with the correct temp to kill off any potential bacteria and it’s stored in the fridge (not the door as these are the warmest areas) the risk is negligible.

Edited

Yes this is what I’m thinking. I cool it rapidly and put it at the back of the fridge for at least an hour but usually more so as per the NHS guidance. It is the act of reheating it which I am concerned about - when I say reheating, I’m just dipping it in hot water to take the chill off. I’m not standing it in hot water for minutes. I obviously don’t want to make baby sick 😪

OP posts:
SRH · 26/09/2025 12:22

Greenfood · 26/09/2025 11:20

This was done for generations. I did it on occasion for my youngest. If it's okay occasionally then it's okay more regularly I think.

Do what works for you. The method I used mainly was a hot flask abs cold flask. Powder pre measured pots. An ounce of hot water then top up with cool water. Instant drink in less than a minute.

Edited

Thank you for this x

OP posts:
Iloveeverycat · 26/09/2025 12:37

Greenfood · 26/09/2025 11:20

This was done for generations. I did it on occasion for my youngest. If it's okay occasionally then it's okay more regularly I think.

Do what works for you. The method I used mainly was a hot flask abs cold flask. Powder pre measured pots. An ounce of hot water then top up with cool water. Instant drink in less than a minute.

Edited

The water has to be at least 70% to kill bacteria in the power how did know the temperature in the flask.

Iloveeverycat · 26/09/2025 12:39

You could just use the ready made cartons if its only for going out.

fandjango · 26/09/2025 12:44

I used to have a flask of boiling water and a flask of cool boiled water

I would then add the formula to the bottle. A hot shot from the boiled flask and then top up with the cool like you’d do with the tommee tippee machine

Worked well. If i was desperate I had some pre-made bottles you can buy for emergencies

SRH · 26/09/2025 15:26

Iloveeverycat · 26/09/2025 12:39

You could just use the ready made cartons if its only for going out.

Baby didn’t really like the pre made stuff unfortunately

OP posts:
Btowngirl · 27/09/2025 21:04

We personally just made a hotter bottle for the bag and gave it once it was cooled down. Alternatively take a bottle of water and a flask of boiling and do 2oz boiling, add powder then add 3oz of the cold bottled and it’s perfect drinking temp (for a 5oz bottle anyway). I feel like the rapid cools are a gimmick of the above method!

BunnyRuddington · 28/09/2025 09:48

How long will the bottle be in the cool bag for? Unless the milk is at the back of a fridge (where the fridge is at its coldest) i dont think the bottle is ok past two hours although I’m willing to be corrected on that one.

And if LO didn’t like the ready made, have you tried a couple of different brands?

SRH · 29/09/2025 14:45

BunnyRuddington · 28/09/2025 09:48

How long will the bottle be in the cool bag for? Unless the milk is at the back of a fridge (where the fridge is at its coldest) i dont think the bottle is ok past two hours although I’m willing to be corrected on that one.

And if LO didn’t like the ready made, have you tried a couple of different brands?

I’ve invested in two flasks, one for boiling water and one for iced water to cool x

OP posts:
SRH · 29/09/2025 14:45

Btowngirl · 27/09/2025 21:04

We personally just made a hotter bottle for the bag and gave it once it was cooled down. Alternatively take a bottle of water and a flask of boiling and do 2oz boiling, add powder then add 3oz of the cold bottled and it’s perfect drinking temp (for a 5oz bottle anyway). I feel like the rapid cools are a gimmick of the above method!

I’ve invested in some flasks so that I can make it fresh when out and about 😀

OP posts:
Btowngirl · 29/09/2025 14:47

SRH · 29/09/2025 14:45

I’ve invested in some flasks so that I can make it fresh when out and about 😀

I’d do the same tbh it’s much more cost effective. We do the same method at home just with water right from the kettle and it’s quicker than using the prep machine! Hope it takes a bit of pressure off you/makes trips out easier x

fandjango · 29/09/2025 15:00

SRH · 29/09/2025 14:45

I’ve invested in two flasks, one for boiling water and one for iced water to cool x

You’ll find this much easier. I used to freshly boil the water the night before and put it in the sterilised flask (we used milton tablets) it cools in there and then can be put in the fridge for 24hrs. You then just need to do your hot flask in a morning if you are heading out early. I also got some little measuring pots that you could prefill with formula so you only have to tip it in premeasured

AnotherVice · 29/09/2025 18:37

The trouble with the flask method is that the water has to be hot enough to kill the bacteria but not too hot that it destroys the nutrients.

Iloveeverycat · 29/09/2025 20:00

AnotherVice · 29/09/2025 18:37

The trouble with the flask method is that the water has to be hot enough to kill the bacteria but not too hot that it destroys the nutrients.

This, the water has to be at least 70% to kill the bacteria. How do people know the temperature in the flask.

Btowngirl · 29/09/2025 20:39

Iloveeverycat · 29/09/2025 20:00

This, the water has to be at least 70% to kill the bacteria. How do people know the temperature in the flask.

So most flasks (good ones) keep over 70% of their heat for 7 hours, if you fill it with boiling water you have a pretty good idea how long you have to use it. That aside, when you take a lid off and can see boiling water steam it’s a pretty good indicator. Or people can just ask for boiling water in a cafe and forget the flask all together 🤷‍♀️ there’s so many work arounds, people need to just pick what they’re comfortable with I guess.

AnotherVice · 30/09/2025 13:24

Btowngirl · 29/09/2025 20:39

So most flasks (good ones) keep over 70% of their heat for 7 hours, if you fill it with boiling water you have a pretty good idea how long you have to use it. That aside, when you take a lid off and can see boiling water steam it’s a pretty good indicator. Or people can just ask for boiling water in a cafe and forget the flask all together 🤷‍♀️ there’s so many work arounds, people need to just pick what they’re comfortable with I guess.

Water cooler than 70 degrees will still steam and boiling water from a cafe will destroy the nutrients 🤦‍♀️

Babyboomtastic · 30/09/2025 13:31

I made it in advance, no issues whatsoever. There's no problem with it heating it up either, as baby will then be drinking it.

It's listed as a safe method, preparing bottles by the world health organisation. Would make 24 hours worth of bottles up, flash cool them in a running ice bath and store them at the back of the fridge.

I'd heat them slightly in the microwave, making sure I give him a very good swirl and testing on my wrist.

At night I'd have the bottles in an insulated container to keep them cold, and had a secondhand microwave by my bed. From waking to being fed was under 30 seconds, usually before my baby even started to cry (I'd heat it when she stirred).

Btowngirl · 30/09/2025 13:37

AnotherVice · 30/09/2025 13:24

Water cooler than 70 degrees will still steam and boiling water from a cafe will destroy the nutrients 🤦‍♀️

No wonder mums are under so much stress nowadays when making a bottle on the go causes this level of dissection! Not sure how the cafes boiling water is any different to the boiled water the nhs says to use, just wait for it to cool. And if someone is so worried about being able to tell the exact degree of their water they should definitely spend the extra money on a rapid cool or something.

SparkyBlue · 30/09/2025 13:42

That’s what I did for each of my three DC. I made batches up and kept them in the fridge. I used to give them at room temp so I never heated them up