How to cool a bottle to drinking temperature quickly and without using up London's water supply!

[lovely74]

I've just introduced a bedtime formula bottle with DS who's 6.5 months. I'm using powder for the first time, and am following the instructions on the box / what I've researched to make sure it's safe to drink ie boiling the water, leaving it for 30 mins then adding the powder, so it's still above 70 degrees. I then spend AGES with it under the cold tap trying to get it to drinking temperature.
Most people I know make it in advance / use cooler water, but I am concerned about the risks of I do this, so can anyone tell me how to cool it more quickly?

put it in a pot of really cold water rather than running under the tap, for some reason its quicker. or get yourself some ice and put the bottle in a bowl if icy water.

Keep a couple of chunky tumblers of water in the fridge and just plop the bottle in them on the draining board and it will cool in a few minutes. Much easier than holding it under the tap.

How about one of those wine bottle cooler things that wrap round the bottle.

ok, say you are making up 5oz

measure out 2.5 cold water

boil kettle and put 2.5 into bottle, add enough powder for the 5oz to mix and kill off any nasties. then add the other 2.5 to cool it back down

this is why breastfeeding is easier! lol

I used to put boiled water in the bottles and put that in the fridge. when I wanted to make up a bottle I heated the water in the microwave to the right temp and then put in the milk powder and shook it up. Never saw that there was a problem doing it that way.

nelliesmum, the guidelines (which should also be on the formula tin) have said for a while now that the water you mix the powder with should be at least 70 degrees

this is because formula powder is not sterile, and babies can (and have) become very ill and in some cases died, from pathogens in the milk.

I don't leave the water for 30 minutes. If I'm making a feed and DD isn't desperate, I'll leave the kettle to cool for 15 minutes, make up the feed, then put it in a jug of cold water, it is usually ready in under 10 minutes. If DD isn't in the mood to wait, I boil the kettle, put the water straight into the bottle (cools faster as there isn't as much water), it is ready within 5 minutes for the formula to be added, then I pop it in the jug.

I tried adding part hot water and part cold water, but I soon realised that the formula bumps up the water volume by an ounce or so, so I wasn't adding the right amount of water after I had added hot water and then formula if that makes any sense at all so now I just make sure I don't leave making a feed til the very last minute when DD is screeching!

You have to measure out both the hot and cold water: have the cold measured out already (in a seperate bottle), then put hot water in an empty bottle (measuring it), then add powder, then add cold.

I never did this for DD's few feeds though: I cooled the bottle for 10 mins in a jog of cold water. But I do really like the idea of the half hot half cold method, which I've only ready about on MN.

Either keep a jug of ice cold water in fridge

or

kdo asthisisyesterday says, so for 7 oz, I used to use 4 oz >70 degree water + 7 scoops - shake, then add 3 oz water from tap (measured into another bottle) and shake.

Can you use water straight from the tap? does it not need to be cooled boiled?

I think the usual advice is that it is ok to stop boiling tap water for babies to drink at 6 months (although when I lived in Slough, the HVs recommended boiling it for first year - so maybe it varies).

As long as the formula is mixed with boiled water (>70 degrees), then I don't see why it couldn't be topped up with water from the tap - someone might be along to correct me if I'm wrong, though!

It does cool much quicker if left to stand in some cold water rather than holding under tap. I make up 2/3 bottles at a time using water boiled then cooled for 30 mins. I than stand the bottles in water in sink for few mins before storing in the fridge - as long as they are used within 24hrs (I usually use within few hrs & then make more fresh)
I think the important thing is that you make them up when the water in still hot (after 30 mins) rather than using cold water that has been boiled as the milk powder is not sterile, but the heat kills off any bacteria. I know the packet says not to store made up feeds but I have found this works well for me - my DS is 3 weeks old, and when I had DS1 (now 4) I used to make 6 bottles at a time and store them this way with no problems. The guidelines have now changed, but its just not practical to make up fresh each time, especially at night with a newborn - you cant have the kettle boiled half an hour before you think they might need a feed! nearly impossible.

hazeyjane you need to put the correct amount of water in the bottle before you add the powder so you couldnt top it up with more water as it would be too watery

It wouldn't be watery. I'm a big fan of this method. For a 7oz bottle

3oz just boiled water to kill the nasties
7 scoops formula
shake until dissolved
4oz boiled/cooled or tap water
shake thoroughly to mix

You don't need to dissolve the powder in the exact amount of water but do remember to top up and mix!

Oh ok I get what you mean but then you would need two sterilised bottles to measure the water?

Yes, well a clean bottle will do

Or a clean jug of boiled/cooled that's kept covered in the fridge. You don't need to measure out the second lot of water - just pour very carefully to top up the amount you need (so 4oz in my example) from where the level is when you've dissolved the powder (usually around 3,5oz IME).