preparing formula

[stapes]

I have just started topping up my baby's feeds with formula as my breast milk is struggling to keep up with her growth spurt. Is it acceptable to prepare the formula in advance? I know it is against dept of health guidelines but what do you do to avoid a long wait with a screaming hungry baby?

Um.....put her to the breast while she's waiting? And that way you might find the need for topping up goes away!

I wish! She's already screaming because I don't have enough milk by the time I have to resort to a top up bottle!

on the box it says to throw away any un-used formula after 2 hours so I guess you could make a bottle up 1.5hrs in advance. cool it quicky under running cold water and then put it in the back of the fridge.

but saying this 4 yrs ago it was ok to make the days feeds up in advance, the formula hasn't changed and all the kids fed this was are no different from kids after the guide lines changed. but that is just my opinion and I make upp feeds as and when baby needs them, sometimes he has to cry for 5mins while the bottle is cooling but its not going to hurt him in any way.

It is a balance of risk. In the past people made up all their feeds at the start of the day and babies still lived.

Alternatively could not have the cool boiled water ready and then add the formula.

Or maybe you could get some ready made formula that comes in tiny cartoons. You could then just open the cartoon when you need it.

Frenugeek is good food supplement if you want to boost your milk supply.

agree with tiktok! the more you feed the more you'll make. you won't keep up with a growth spurt by supplementing

however, if you really want to give bottles, then why not just use the ready-made cartons?

you need to add boiling water to the powdered milk in order to kill the bacteria in the milk powder - formula is not sterile.

tiktok has a point - just her suckling will stimulate your body to make more milk and help increase your supply, you could also try fenugreek, skin to skin, feeding more often and expressing to help boost your milk supply.

I make up bottles like this:

1 bottle with measured amount boiled then cooled water so needs advance preparation.

Another bottle with measured amount of boiling water added. To this bottle then add the correct amount of scoops of formula for the total volume of the water you have in the two bottles. Mix well.

Add the cold water to top up the hot bottle and mix. Ready to feed though check the temp first.

I do approximately 1/3 required total water volume in boiling water and 2/3 in cold water and that is then a good temp to feed straight away.

I topped up DS with formula (can't say whether it was for the best or not, as would have preferred to solely bf but that's a whole other thread....). I used to boil water for the bottle and fill bottle with boiling water prior to staring to bf. I put the bottle in a large jug of cold water, so that by the time I had finished the bf it was the right temp, and I could just really quickly add the formula.

I used the cartons when out and about, but they work out a lot more expensive than powder.

i'm sorry to bang on about it, but there is no point boiling water, then cooling it, then adding powder. the reason you boil the water is because it needs to be over 70 degrees to kill the bacteria in the milk powder. you need to pour the boiling water on the powder, then let it cool.

Jackie - on the formula box it says to boil the water, leave it to cool for 30 mins and then add the formula.

which formula are you using?

does it? oh. can i ask which formula that is? I work for maternity services in NHS and had it drilled into me that when advising mums on making up bottles it is really important to make sure the water hitting the powder is over 70 degrees as otherwise it won't destroy the bacteria in the milk.

I think it really is a case of weighing up the risks to yourself. I always put the boiling water in the bottles and sealed them to keep it sterile. I made up a day's worth in one go and left them to reach room temperature. I then added the powder when it was needed and fed the baby straight away without heating. (Much easier when out and about.)

I know the argument about formula not being sterile but the from what I read it seemed that problems only arise in a very small number of babies and not in developed countries. Somewhere on MN there's a thread where microbiologists were recommending not sterilising bottles etc at all even for premature babies. I'll have a play and see if I can find the links I mean.

Heinz Nurture. I used it a bit for DD when it was branded as Farleys, and it had changed name by the time I used it with DS. Although just googled it and apparently it is being discontinued due to small market share - good job DS is just about to start on cows milk!

happyseven, actually a large number of babies in france and belgium were very ill from formula milk not that long ago.

here is another case of it belgian baby died

ok i stand corrected. Have just doubled checked the nhs guidance and they are advising that you should boil the water, and then leave in the kettle for no more than 30 minutes before adding to the powder - the water does need to be 70 degrees or above - which is still hot (hot enough to scald) but NOT boiling (as obviously that is 100 degrees - doh!). So, it's ok to let water cool a little, but it still needs to be hot iyswim.

OP - if you want to go with the formula top ups, then i guess boil the kettle when you start breastfeed, leave in the kettle to cool slightly while you feed her, then make up the bottle and maybe let her suckle on the other side whilst cooling the bottle?

Good idea to put your baby to the breast while you make up the bottle though as even if she isn't getting anything it will stimulate your breasts to produce more milk which might help you continue breastfeeding, if that is what you want. It's unlikely she will be getting nothing by the way, it might be just that it isn't coming out fast enough for her liking.

Flying Duchess - not sure what you mean?

I have always been quite particular about following the instructions on the box, but just did google search on making up formula and a lot of sites fail to mention that the water must be over 70 degrees. Its certainly something I never realised. Most just state that you must use cooled boiled water.

Sorry, I stand corrected. It was something I was given when I had my son 4 years ago and quoted 50 babies a year being ill but that was worldwide. Can't find the article now but wish I could to reread it in the light of what's been posted here.

I can feel the panic rising about feeding correctly already and my baby isn't due for another 8 weeks!

I've always been baffled by this. The aptmil box says boil fresh water, leave to cool in kettle for 30mins and then measure and add formula - so water will be a long way off boiling (depending how much was in the kettle I suppose) by the time the powder is added to it. So I thought it just had to be hot enough to disolve the milk. But then there is nothing to kill any possible bugs in the powder so I'm guessing that will be why you're not meant to keep it made up for more than 2 hours.
Perhaps mn should ask the manufacturers for clarification?