preparing formula feeds for a premature baby

[lilyofvalley]

hi
My daughter was born 10 weeks prematurely and I have tried breastfeeding her but she was not gaining weight so I am switching to bottle feeds. I am using ready prepared cartons of formula and sterilise the bottles each time.
I was thinking of using powder but it requires boiled water cooled for 30mins. well if I tried this then my baby would be screaming by the time I'd waited for 30 mins. What do other people do in terms of preparing feeds. I'm really worried of giving my baby any infections because she is premature and so vulnerable
Any advise would be appreciated.
thanks

hi
My daughter was born 10 weeks prematurely and I have tried breastfeeding her but she was not gaining weight so I am switching to bottle feeds. I am using ready prepared cartons of formula and sterilise the bottles each time.
I was thinking of using powder but it requires boiled water cooled for 30mins. well if I tried this then my baby would be screaming by the time I'd waited for 30 mins. What do other people do in terms of preparing feeds. I'm really worried of giving my baby any infections because she is premature and so vulnerable
Any advise would be appreciated.
thanks

Have you not been given a prem formula for her? My ds was 12 weeks early, and when breastfeeding didn't work for us he was put onto Nutriprem 2.

It's been over four years now, and i'm sure things have changed, but i used to boil the kettle and pour into the bottles, let them cool a little then put them in the fridge. I'd then get them out as and when needed, make up the feed and then warm them a little.

Hope this helps.

Advice now is to make a fresh bottle each time - using fresh water cooled for not longer than 30 mins.

Didn't have a premie - but we made the bottle up, then put it in a container of iced water to cool it quickly. It doesn't take long.

I would check with the hospital where DS was born. They may have a policy as to which formula would be recommended depending on her age now. Our hospital uses cartons up to 6months. You might be able to get it on prescription too.

If you can use cartons, then that would be easiest and quickest, but a quick method of mixing up formula with powder is as follows

Fill 4 bottles with boiled water to half the measure of a feed (eg 2 oz for a 4 oz feed)

Cool and put in fridge

When a feed is needed sterilise bottle, add 2 oz boiling water, run under a cold tap for a few seconds to take a bit of heat off (otherwise the powder sticks to the top of the bottle)

Add required amount of formula (I kept mine premeasured in an avent container)

shake

add cooled, boiled water from fridge.

It is a bit faffy, but when very quick and the temp should be ok to drink straight away (depending on how your baby likes it!)

Have you tried expressing and feeding with a bottle?. It's really hard when you have a premature baby (mine was 5 weeks early) but it's a great start for them even if you don't do it for very long. I expressed which increased my milk supply and DD was tube fed for 2 weeks, then I was lucky that DD was gaining weight and started bfeeding. Hope you are both well and she gains weight soon whatever you decide to do

My DS1 was 9 weeks prem, given Cow and Gate 1 at hospital and we carries it on at home after BFing for 8 weeks. We sterilised the bottles, poured in the boiling water, sealed them and then added powder when needed. DS1 never had so much as a tummy upset.

I have no experience with a prem baby but I am now formula feeding my LO, 13 weeks as breastfeeding didn't work out.

I sterilise all the bottles (5 in total as my LO feeds 5 times in 24 hrs) then boil the kettle, after 5 mins or so pour the kettle water into your bottles to the required amount for each feed (they tell you not to pour boiling water into a bottle). Then I put them all in the fridge. When I need a feed I take it out of fridge warm it in the microwave (make sure you warm it to a minimum of 70 degrees, I worked out how long I needed to have it in the microwave, for me it's 50 secs on 800w) it must be a minimum of 70 degrees as that is the min temperature to prevent bacteria in the feed as powder is not sterile. I then tip the powder in and mix. I never warm the feed with the powder in the water as that can cause hot spots always warm the water before the powder goes in. And if your baby doesn't take the feed imediately never save it as that can cause bacteria to grow. I always throw it away if for some reason she hasn't taken it or has only taken part of it. When I was expressing that was absolutely devastating but now it's formula it's no probs to chuck away!!

I hope that helps. The Food standards agency tell you to prepare each feed individually as and when you want it, I was doing that until my baby was 10 weeks old but since then I have followed the above as I was finding it such a nightmare to get a feed ready for her without her getting stressed out with hunger while I was faffing with cooling boiled water. The above is not recommended offcially but I feel it's absolutely fine as long as your very careful about the temperature at which you mix the powder in.

My health visitor was also quite helpful, maybe you could speak to yours.