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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Making Up Formula Feeds

18 replies

theminxy1 · 20/01/2009 11:40

To cut a long story short, I have just started formula feeding my 3mo. Do I really have to make up each feed (per the tin) as I go or can I make up 3 or 4 in the morning and keep them in the fridge for the rest of the day? My mum reckons she did this for me, but obviously that was a long time ago, and I'm not sure what current 'guidance' says...

Sorry if this is a stupid question but I'm paranoid about making my dd ill!!

OP posts:
NormaJeanBaker · 20/01/2009 11:43

You can make them up and keep them in the fridge for 24 hours I think. I did this at first but warming up was a faff so now I just make up 6 bottles of cooled boiled water and add the powder each time. Makes going out super easy - just take the bottles of water and a little canister of measured powder. Not sure if this is the current thinking but have done this for all three of my children - and currently for 10 month old from about 3 weeks - and none have ever been ill. So long as it's all hygenic it should be fine. I don;t warm them though - just at room temp.

MarlaSinger · 20/01/2009 11:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HensMum · 20/01/2009 11:48

The best way is to do what it says on the tin. You have to use hot water to kill any bugs in the powder - even if the cold water, bottle etc is sterile the powder is not.
I used to use a little hot water to mix the powder then top up with sterile cold water but have since found out this is not right either as you have to use the correct amount of hot water to scoops of powder so now I feel a bit guilty that I put DS at risk (though he did survive!)

I know lots of people do make up bottles in advance, or use cold water, or do what I did and their babies are fine but the safest thing to do is make them up as it says on the box...or use the ready made cartons - sorry! Will try and find you a linky to current guidance too.

cmotdibbler · 20/01/2009 11:48

You can download the current DoH advice booklet from here

You need to make them up individually with boiling water (as in the DoH leaflet, not as on the tin)- this is the safest way, and was introduced after babies died from infection caused by bacteria which is in the milk powder. For going out, the safest is to take a rtf carton.

JoandMax · 20/01/2009 11:53

The advice is to make them with water that has been cooled for 30 minutes from boiled to kill off any nasties but I don't know anyone who does that 100% of the time in RL - to wait 30 minutes for the water to cool, then cool down the bottle so they can drink it is a long time to wait with a hungry baby! I do try and do it during the day now as my LO pretty much feeds same time everyday so I can do it in advance but overnight I use preprepared bottles of cooled boiled water and add powder as needed, also did this for first 4 months as he wasn't feeding in a pattern. My LO is 6 months and no problems so far.

cmotdibbler · 20/01/2009 11:56

Jo - it's no more than 30 minutes - so you can boil the kettle, make up the bottle straight away, and then cold it under the cold tap. Takes less time than warming a bottle up from fridge temp in hot water I think

NormaJeanBaker · 20/01/2009 11:59

Also remember you sterilise bottles because the residue of old milk is particularly prone to nasty bacteria so getting rid of the off milk is the aim. In a couple of months your baby will be chewing old carpets and anything else in sight so don't panic about things being sterile so long as you've got the hang of cleaning the bottles.

sitdownpleasegeorge · 20/01/2009 12:00

You can store the boiled cooled water in bottles and add the formula powder but you must then make sure that you heat the mixture to 70 degrees to kill off any bugs in the non-sterile formula powder.

Having said that I personally was prepared to take the risk of actually making up the feeds in advance and storing them in the fridge for up to 24 hours, otherwise it would have cost me a fortune in readymade cartons

Wheelybug · 20/01/2009 12:00

What do people do when they are out ? 4 years ago when I had dd it was the norm to do the cooled water thing so easy going out but can't see how you can go out now. Am expecting DC2 and hope to bf but as it didn't work out with dd I am trying to prepare for all eventualities.

sitdownpleasegeorge · 20/01/2009 12:01

Providing you shake the mixture really well to disperse hotspots it is also possible to use a microwave to heat up the formula when you are making it up with the boiled cooled water.

JoandMax · 20/01/2009 12:02

I was of the understanding it had to be slightly cooled, ie the 30 minutes, as if the water is over 85 it can cause something to leach out of the plastic the bottles are made from??

However I haven't had more than 2 hours unbroken sleep in months so could be completely confusing this with soemthing else and talking out my behind

The ready made cartons are great too if you're out and about - am I right in thinking they're sterile anyway so no worries about heatring/cooling??

Wheelybug · 20/01/2009 12:05

Joandmax - the leaflet which was linked to here does say NOT MORE than 30 mins as cmot says.

The cartons are all very well with an older baby as they guzzle the lot but not in the early days - it is a bit of a waste. The leaflet suggests carrying a flask of boiled water. Although I also note it does say you can prepare it in advance if needs be.

PoloPlayingMummy · 20/01/2009 12:16

If I've forgotten to buy any ready-made cartons, I take a flask of hot water and a little pot with the powder in when I'm out and about.

(I also take a flask, pot of powder and a sterilised bottle up at night so when DS wakes up at 7 and I'm still half asleep I can make a feed in minutes to limit the screaming and that means we can both go back to sleep in the shortest possible time..)

NormaJeanBaker · 20/01/2009 12:37

JoandMax - there are concerns about Bisphenol-A leaching from certain types of plastic bottles. You can buy bottles which are not manufactured with the chemical (used to make the plastic clear I think) on line or use glass ones.

I get mine from here...

www.babybornfree.co.uk

lizziemun · 20/01/2009 13:48

I have always made bottles like this.

3 bottles in the morning and 3 bottles in the evening filled with boiled water cooled and kept in the fridge unitl needed.

When needed i have just heated the water in the microwave then added formula and shake to mix (and get rid of hot spots).

cupcake76 · 20/01/2009 15:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

JoandMax · 20/01/2009 17:09

Thanks NormaJeanBaker, I hoped someone would know what I was on about so I could reassure myself I hadn't gone completely crazy with sleep deprivation!!

Will take a look at that website

NormaJeanBaker · 22/01/2009 00:49

No problem. You might still be crazy though. Takes about 20 years to wear off I imagine. By then I'll be senile.

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