How long to keep water for bottles.

[custard1]

How long can I keep bottles of cool, boiled water in the fridge? Could I prepare them the night before for the following day when my DD starts nursey.

I'm astonished the nursery won't do it according to the guidelines. As MrsB says, it's a health and safety issue. I'd be raising it with the nursery.

Late back to this thread but really illuminating discussion. Every one of my parent friends thought the problem was with the water, which always seemed over anxious given how safe our drinking water is. Had no idea it was to do with the interaction between the hot water and the milk powder. Badger's points are generally not known or misunderstood, I think. Why is none of this made clear to parents by HV's?

By Bedbug on Sat 07-Jun-08 20:27:40
I use water straight from tap for all feeds. Why does anyone boil and cool the water? Fresh British tap water is just fine.

REALLY?
You just run the water straight from the tap into the bottle?

Threestars - I do the same as you. So much easier!

Why cant they just make the milk powder sterile???

Because once the tub of powder had been opened, and come into contact with the air, it wouldnt be sterile anyway, so there'd be no point. Just like how once you open your sterilser - the things inside it arnt 100% sterile.

Agggghhhhhhh am just starting mixed feeding with my 23 week old ...please can I clarify then...
water must be hot (>70degrees) when you add the powder??
THEN it can be cooled before stored in fridge - does it need to be cooled to room temp first or can you just put it straight in fridge??
these MADE up bottles can be kept in fridge for 24 hrs?? and then warmed up when taken out??

I was under the impression that you could no longer pre mix the bottles but seems I was wrong???

macdoodle, you can't put ANYTHING in a fridge whilst it still hot. I'd put bottles in a bowl/sink of cold water to cool as quickly as poss then put them in the fridge.

This bit I'm not 100% about after seeing this thread, I always understood that you kept the WATER for 24 hours in fridge and added the powder when needed.
I know lots of people that keep milked up bottles in fridge but what about when you wanna go out? I wouldn't let the milk get to room temp in my bag and then warm when needed, too much messing around with temp.

I've always kept water in the fridge, added powder at feed time and just put in jug of hot water to take the chill off.

This may not be the correct way to make a bottle, but it's what I'm happy doing.

get a coolbag with an ice mat thing in it?

No the issue is not the water, nor opening the powder and picking things up from the air. The issue is the POWDER IS NEVER STERILE IN THE FIRST PLACE...

It is made by multinational companies with factories all over the world which have different standards of food production hygiene. The risk is because of some deadly bacteria found in a European batch of milk powder which actually killed a baby in Belgium.

Here's one news link from a while back; here's advice from the Food Standards Agency

Finally the Dept of Health have issued updated guidelines, only dated in April this year. Here's another link to the leaflet
This is NEW advice despite having been known about since 2002 or so, which is why it hasn't properly filtered through to HVs and people you know, although Baby Milk Action have been campaigning on it for a while

There is now a campaign headed by BMA to get formula companies to change their instructions to comply with this information.

great idea threestar, thanks 4 sharing.

oh that's a better leaflet, WilfSell - have bookmarked