Should I tell my friend she's making up formula wrong?

[thenameiwantedwastaken]

Hi there. I'm exclusively bf my DD. Noticed one of my friends who formula feeds making up a bottle for her lo when we were out the other day. She added the powder to a bottle of cold water (boiled and cooled, I guess). From what I've read on here I think that's not what current guidelines say and that the safest thing to do is make up the feed with freshly boiled water, so as to kill any germs in the powder?

I didn't say anything at the time as I don't like to tell other mums what to do, have never made a ff myself and guess she is an intelligent woman who has read the instructions on the packet.

But now I keep thinking of her dc getting ill.

How can I broach it?

[tiktok]

Oh well, if this is a bunfight you are easily bunned, mrsvee

twirly - cartons are sterile. The milk is UHT treated in the carton. Studies show they are free of these bacteria.

[mrsvee]

[cream eclair]

(enjoy!)

[AitchTwoToTangOh]

they're guaranteed, twirly.
dingdong, i think you're not grasping that the water needs to meet the powder at >70degs in order to kill the bacteria that should your child suffer injury from it, would more than likely kill them.

[AitchTwoToTangOh]

they're guaranteed, twirly.
dingdong, i think you're not grasping that the water needs to meet the powder at >70degs in order to kill the bacteria that should your child suffer injury from it, would more than likely kill them.

[AitchTwoToTangOh]

is that me being uppity, mrsvee? lol.

yeah, tiktok, calm down.

[AitchTwoToTangOh]

is that me being uppity, mrsvee? lol.

yeah, tiktok, calm down.

[mrsvee]

Not trying to be obtuse (honest), but if I boil the kettle and leave it for 30 mins, what temp will the water be? I suppose it depends how much water is in the kettle...?

[Stayingsunnygirl]

Did someone mention eclairs??

[mrsvee]

I have plenty for all!

Actually, no. They're all for me.

[mrsvee]

Aitch - sorry, can't be bothered to look back through the posts. Have an eccles cake.

[dingdong3]

Must be pure luck then that my three survived...off to have a real bun now!

[tiktok]

The 'leave water to cool for no more than 30 mins' is a work round; obv the length of time water takes to cool to a certain temp (no less than 70 deg C) from boiling depends on ambient atmosphere, volume of water (exhausting school science knowledge now) but it seems to be a sensible sort of time

[Stayingsunnygirl]

Ahh well, tiktok - Mr Kipling does make exceedingly good formula!!

[AitchTwoToTangOh]

well of course it's luck, dingdong. it certainly wasn't because you made the safest choices, as you yourself have observed.

i just Do Not Get the resistance here, i find it completely baffling. as it happens, i don't make up feeds 100% correctly all the time, because sometimes i can't be arsed. i accept that about myself, and i accept that there is a risk involved. what i don't do, however, is come on and sneer at people who are only giving the correct information, and belittle that correct information with stupid comments.

[Stayingsunnygirl]

I wasn't trying to belittle, Aitch - just a humourous aside to tiktok, alluding to the fondant fancies and battenburgs she was dodging.

[AitchTwoToTangOh]

no no, i wasn't referring to you, stayingsunny. it's the 'my kids survived' that creeps me out, like i said before.

my grandmother's kids survived car journeys without so much as a seat belt, but in light of changing circumstances and better understanding of what happens in a crash i'd be loathe to employ her advice on the matter now.

i swear to god i hope that if and when i'm someone's grandmother i will be able to respond to the latest research that my dd tells me without snorting with derision about how she survived.

[dingdong3]

This is the trouble with forums....sometimes difficult to get humour across...or perhaps I am a crap poster!
Not a sneer at all Aitch..sorry you took it that way. Just throughout the whole thread I have been exasperated at unreal govt guidelines. As mentioned earlier, because of these unrealistic guidelines, I fed readymade formula to mine for the early months. In fact, had no idea of the dangers of powdered milk to be quite honest and now glad that they are finished completely with formula and that I am having no more babies.
Am giving up MN posting...it's stressing me out...will just read from now on!

[AitchTwoToTangOh]

there's no need for that, dingdong. but again, i'm utterly baffled as to why making up a feed at >70degs is unreal or unrealistic. it's a doddle.

[unyummy]

Oh blimey, so i've just started mixed feeding my new baby after excl breastfeeding last time, i had no idea about this and have been using boiled water kept in fridge til feed needed and then slightly warmed.. can someone very patiently and slowly explain to a bottle feeding novice what the get rounds are - i have just been trying to wade through this thread but its too much!

Can i boil the kettle, add formula and make up with cold boiled water and feed straightaway? How much of each water for a temp that is safe and wont scald the baby?! I'm sorry if this is dense but i cannot see how you can wait for 30 mins for night feeds, my baby screams after 30 seconds.

For out and about, if i sterlise a bottle, put the cap on and take it out empty, and use read made cartons, that's ok, right?

[AitchTwoToTangOh]

grab a thermometer and test it yourself, you'll only have to do it once and then you'll know the measurements, i suppose it could be different for different fridges.

70degs isn't drinkable, so you need a splash of cold in there, then some boiling water, add powder, then top up with the cold for the desired temp. both of mine liked their milk surprisingly hot.

i used to keep boiled water in the fridge and then just heat in the micro (again, you'll have to test it) and add the powder and shake, shake, shake for hot spots.

for out and about, what bottles are you using? if tommee tippee closer to nature, get the little powder dispensers, they are GREAT.

[tiktok]

One of the big misunderstandings seems to be the idea you always have to wait 30 mins.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO !

This is the max. time to leave the water before mixing with the powder.

Anything up to 30 mins is within the guidance.

It is still too hot to drink, then, of course.

Some parents add cold water after it has been mixed with half quantities of > 70 deg water....you just need to know how much to add and to be accurate about it.

[brettgirl2]

OK Tiktok/other in know another question - what is the risk of giving babies under 6 months unboiled tap water (either to dilute formula made at more than 70 or to drink)

Not that I have done it but it is something that I have frequently wondered whether or not it is necessary.

[tiktok]

Sorry, brettgirl, I don't know.

My common sense guess is that in the UK this would be a small risk, as our water is good, but if you have mucky taps you'd need to let the water run out a bit first....but don't quote me on that, as it is something out of my head only!

[AitchTwoToTangOh]

there have been a couple of episodes of campylobacter rising to unsafe levels in our local reservoir, to the degree that we were ALL told to drink boiled or bottled water, so again it's not a risk i would take with a wee baby. i did stop boiling at 6 months, though, with fingers crossed.

[brettgirl2]

Well quite, I would imagine if there was actually a problem it would be safe for no-one.

I guess in the very unlikely event that there was an undetected problem then a tiny baby would be at more risk of being dangerously ill though.

I think what got me thinking is that dd (5 months) tries to drink the water when I take her swimming. I then get home and lovingly boil tap water