Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

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

Original poster

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:
Twinmum345 · 30/09/2025 13:44

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

I did this too. It’s fool proof. No need for app the rapid cool nonsense this works everytime

Original poster
SRH · 01/10/2025 06:42

Btowngirl · 30/09/2025 13:37

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.

Show quote history

I’m such an anxious mum! I use boiling water to make the formula… it’s only on forums that I’ve seen people saying it kills the nutrients, the formula tub and NHS website say “leave to cool for no longer than 30 minutes” so presumably leaving it for 5 minutes is OK. If that’s OK then using it straight away must also be OK. I hate the grey areas!

OP posts:
Original poster
SRH · 01/10/2025 06:43

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.

Show quote history

I’ve gone with brand new Thermos flasks so presuming their quality!

OP posts:
lollylo · 01/10/2025 06:44

Iloveeverycat · 26/09/2025 12:37

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

Show quote history

I bought a flask that took the temperature of the water and made sure it was over 70 on use. Cost about 20 quid

lollylo · 01/10/2025 06:47

AnotherVice · 30/09/2025 13:24

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

Show quote history

You can buy a flask with an inbuilt thermometer- they are about £20

lizziebuck · 01/10/2025 07:13

AnotherVice · 26/09/2025 10:49

If you want to risk gastroenteritis then sure.

Did this with both of my kids for all their feeds in the 90s and never had gastroenteritis. It was totally acceptable.

some people talk absolute bollocks.

ProfessionalWhimsicalSkidaddler · 01/10/2025 07:30

DD is 14. When she was a baby it was advised to boil the water, make the bottles and add the powder when you needed the bottle. They even made little powder containers. I believe this is now bad advice. I never had a problem and likely neither did millions of others BUT it’s bad advice for a reason so I wouldn’t do it now. Same as we learned that babies should sleep on their backs and not their fronts as advised when I was a baby.

Babyboomtastic · 01/10/2025 09:03

The 'leave it for 30 minutes' advice is not because boiling water destroys nutrients, that's been totally debunked. It's because it reduces the risk of you burning yourself when making formula. It obviously ignores that you've probably been making tea and coffee for most of your life, and that you may well make yourself a cuppa at the same time. 🙄

I was in a cafe once I asked for a cup of boiling water so I could heat a bottle. I was told no in case I spilt it and burnt myself. I then asked for A cup of boiling water and a tea bag so I could make tea. That was fine. Bonkers.

Btowngirl · 01/10/2025 12:35

SRH · 01/10/2025 06:42

I’m such an anxious mum! I use boiling water to make the formula… it’s only on forums that I’ve seen people saying it kills the nutrients, the formula tub and NHS website say “leave to cool for no longer than 30 minutes” so presumably leaving it for 5 minutes is OK. If that’s OK then using it straight away must also be OK. I hate the grey areas!

Show quote history

There’s nothing wrong with having some parent anxiety, but you’ve asked for advice and got loads from other, possibly less anxious/possibly more experienced mums. It’s astounds me when so many fellow mums on here come onto these threads to throw in 2 pence of how things won’t or can’t work, but fail to give any constructive advice on how to manage said question. I think your logic is completely sound!

Original poster
SRH · 01/10/2025 13:32

Babyboomtastic · 01/10/2025 09:03

The 'leave it for 30 minutes' advice is not because boiling water destroys nutrients, that's been totally debunked. It's because it reduces the risk of you burning yourself when making formula. It obviously ignores that you've probably been making tea and coffee for most of your life, and that you may well make yourself a cuppa at the same time. 🙄

I was in a cafe once I asked for a cup of boiling water so I could heat a bottle. I was told no in case I spilt it and burnt myself. I then asked for A cup of boiling water and a tea bag so I could make tea. That was fine. Bonkers.

This exact thing happened to me in Costa in August. They would agree to give me a tea pot of hot water for tea but would not give me a tea pot without the tea bag. In the end, the worker took hold of the milk bottle and held it in a cup of boiling water, spilled the water everywhere and passed it to me to do myself

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page