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?

It's your choice how you do this but you need to think about this if you decide to make up in advance.

IWouldTryAndBFTiggaxx

The Foods Standards Agency gives guidance on making up formula. It says you can make up bottles in advance by adding formula to water that it is no less than 70 degrees, rapidly cooling it and keeping in fridge for no more than 24 hours.
I only use one bottle a day for dreamfeed otherwise BF. I rinse kettle out, freshly boil water. Put cooker timer on for 30 minutes, when timer goes off I add formula and put in sink of cold water. Once cold I put in fridge until needed. Reheat in microwave. During day, if necessary make up when I know feed is due. Baby is 4 months though so easier to predict feed times. If out and about take pre made carton and flask of boiling water to warm it up with.
Agree with everyone that this is rediculously confusing and have only recently changed my method after realising from a recent thread on here that I was doing it wrong. Feeding DD3 and guidelines changed after DD2 so did not realise. Admit does say on formula box but did not feel I needed to read this as had been making formula as per original guidance using cooled boiled water. Health visitors should be telling us about this instead of being just focused on BF.

Haven't read all posts as just tooooooo late!! This is what I do...I sterilise all the bottles I need for the whold day first thing in the morning and put the kettle on...Once bottles are ready, I pour the right amount of water from the kettle into each bottle and just loosely pop on top the lids. After an hour, I put the lids on properly and then when I am feeding a baby I am looking after, I grab a bottle of the water, add the formula and feed just at the room temp. Easy peasy and never had a baby who wouldn't take it after a day or so!! xx

OMG

I've gOt a 1 year old now but I wish I'd read this thread when she was a new born.

The poor thing, we ff her completely wrong and never realised!

Am ashamed to say we used to leave a jug of cooled boiled water (with a plate on top) and make up her feeds as and wHEN

she always had really loose nappies too, bless her, am now starting to wonder if the bacteria in the ff could have been the cause

Flying duchess...I won't if you don't mind...The wording of your post makes me think I have been utterly remiss in not doing so and I am somehow incredibly wrong for doing things this way...forgive me if I am misreading you..

We all do things differently...one of my families wass a paed cons. and they were already doing this before I arrived...We all have our different ways..

JoeyBettany....please no face!!! Do you love them? do they smile? do they have screaming fits over things? you're normal then...children have runny nappies for all sorts of reasons. Don't go beating yourself up over this...there are plenty of others on the AIBU threads that will do that for you!!!
xx

mrspoppins - I think you have read a lot into FD's one line post there

I think it makes sense for anyone to read the previous posts, as they explain, and link to other documents explaining, why 'all doing things differently' increases the risks of formula feeding, and why a consistent way of preparing is recommended to ensure safety.

Your way of preparing bottles breaks many of the 'rules' - up to you what you do, of course, but merrily assuming that because there is a paediatric consultant in the family who does the same thing, it must be ok is to ignore the considerable evidence that it isn't ok. Most babies will probably be all right, or acquire only minor illness that's quickly dealt with, so I suppose that's reassuring!

Ok..well I just read through and it seems that I hadn't read too much into the one lined post...just the right amount I'd say!

I can't find the research to give the numbers of infants that die from this incredibly rare bacteria but from memory, I thought it was as low as 50 worlwide in the last 50 years..Truly, I would be interested to have the link to accurate stats as I can't remember them properly.

The bacteria is found in the environment and not just in the powdered milk and some countries say that the bacteria multiplies in warm milk after a period of 40 mins..so to prepare in cold, others as your threads have said here, to make up in warm...

As with all risks of anything, we weigh them up. I have seen mothers feeding sterile pre prepared baby formula but tearing open the carton with their mouths as well as those opening with unsterilised scissors that they use for each time but don't wash inbetween...

We do need to be vigilant but also to not be so hung up about what we may be doing wrong, that we miss out on what we are doing well.

oh flying duchess!!! You are too much!!

Just to add too...sterilising bottles helps ensure that there are is no residual milk that had been left after handwashing. Always sterilise.

Just to add an interesting thought to this - When DD was in hospital recently, I asked for some water to make her bottle up and was given water at a temp suitable to drink. I was interested they didn't give me water at over 70 degrees...

Don't let Flying Duchess hear you! She'll have them in the dock with me on attempted murder charges/ neglect!

stapes - your breast is never empty and the more you feed, the more milk you will produce. If you truly feel that you must top up with formula, then the quickest thing for you to do would be to use ready made formula which does not even need heated. Remember though, your baby may always take it even if not hungry. It is like being in a restaurant and you are full on the main course. When a pudding comes that is different, you suddenly have room for it.

here is the NHS leaflet with information for making up feeds

That is really interesting mears!!...I thought I recognised the ring on the thumb of that hand in the leaflet...
here is the same leaflet from 2004.

Note all the bottles made up at once and stored in a fridge...Times change quickly.!!
When I nursed in the 80s, we made up 50 or more each morning like this!!

Wow - I didn't expect it to cause so much debate! I think I might use a thermos to keep water warm but not boiling which means I can cut out the 25-30 min wait in an 'emergency' and yet still ensure I am preparing the feeds with hot water. This seems like a good idea for night time feeding too... what do you think flyingduchess?

How old is your baby stapes?

Remember that night time is the best time for milk production to be stimulated in a newborn due to the high levels of the hormone prolactin.

Be aware that introducing formula can mean the premature end of breastfeeding ie your milk definitely not being enough and formula being given more and more.

Some times it is just a case of having confidence in yourself

this information might help?

She's six weeks. hv is amazed by how much she is still feeding and has done since birth - the six week spurt is exhausting. It's more than every hour now!

Is her weight gain good? Has she got wet and dirty nappies? Does she take both breasts at each feed? Does she lie at the breast doing nothing for long periogs? Is she coming off on her own? Does she love to suck? Perhaps it is a dummy she could do with rather than formula?

There are lots of things here that could be an issue that can be easily sorted. Contacting a breastfeeding supporter in your area would be a good idea.