New guidelines for making up formula feeds? Please help, it seems to have changed

[Spotsanddots]

I am planning to bottle feed at some point when baby arrives. It seems as though the guide lines for making up feeds has changed in the last 2 years. Can anyone advise me?

When dd1 was born we would boil the kettle, let it cool down for an hour or so, then add the water to our sterilised bottles. We would make up 6 like this, then when we needed one we would add the formula powder. We would use these within 24 hours.

It seems that now, they recommend that you make up the feeds as you go. Is this true? on the baby centre website it says that you must not leave the water completely cool and use it within 30 mins or so. How do you manage when you go out or at night?

My pregnancy brain is not too good at the moment, has the guide lines changes, Please help I am really confused now !

there have been multiple threads on this topic, have a search of the archives and ask your MW for the bottle feeding leaflet

you might wnat to consider ready made formula for the first few weeks, to make things easier, especially when going out

Here you go.

Spotsanddots - with our daughter, we do what you did your dd1, although we put water in bottles as soon as kettle has boiled and let it cool on the side, and have done since we switched to bottles at 2 and a half weeks. My HV said it is our decision and that she did it with her kids.

A friend of mine puts the powder in and leaves it (for no longer than 12 hours) and says the nurses in the hospital said they'd do it that way...

it is the milk powder you need to sterilise, not the water.

"says the nurses in the hospital said they'd do it that way"

Probably because they don't understand why the recommendations were changed in the first place! A handful of babies in Europe have died over the past few years from meningitis and septicaemia linked to enterobacter sakazakii found in formula. That's why the recommendations are now to use hot enough water to kill any bugs that might be lurking in the milk powder.

Sorry, should add, "and use it straight away (or as soon as it has cooled enough)

My daughter was born early and went straight into NICU for 1o days. Once she was able to have formula (BF with top-ups) they gave her formula that was in the fridge. Told us it was fine to meke it up with boiled water and use within 12 hours. This was in December 2008.

you can dissolve the formula powder into an oz or two of water over 70degrees then top it up with cool boiled water that has been stored in the fridge to bring it to drinkable temperature. store the v. hot water in a flask so you have very hot but not boiling water on hand at all times?

sounds like the hospital staff you have spoken to haven't thought out the new guidelines yet.

Dysgu, do you know if they had used powdered formula or ready made in cartons?

i think they now recommend that newborns and premature babies be given ready made formula.

Spots, we make up bottles as we go. If we're going out or we need bottles during the night then I boil the kettle and fill as many bottles as we need, put them in a thermos bag, then take the formula in a little tub. The water stays the right temp and you can just add the formula when needed.

Tbh, I've found it much easier this time around. With ds1 we made them up & stored them in the fridge but it was more faff heating them up! This way, ds2 can drink them immediately

Hth, & good luck!