Formula feeding - advice for 1st time mum

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Sorry for if this is really stupid but I am first time mum who is bottlefeeding and would like some advice. I know that you now make a feed up as required but one midwife told me I could make bottles up from water which has been boiled in the kettle and then left to cool for 25 minutes. I then run these bottles under cold water until cool and put in fridge which keeps for 24 hours. When I make a feed up I put formula into one of these bottles, and as the water is cold I heat bottle up. Is this ok to do?

I saw on site that for night time feeds you can use a flask and then make feed up fresh. Does this mean you boil kettle for 25 minutes and then put in flask or do you use boiling water? What is the temperature of the water supposed to be when you make a feed up and if I use a flask how do I know its the correct temperature?

I am using Milton tablets for sterilising and when I sterilise a bottle how do I keep it sterile when I take it out of the water?

Confused first timer

I think the important thing is that the water is at least 70 degrees when you put the powder in it, as this will kill any bugs in the powder. So you can boil the water and not leave it more than 25 minutes before putting the powder in, as any longer and it won't be hot enough to kill any possible bugs.

I found this for you to have a look at

HTH

Thanks this looks very good!!!

the newest advice says not to store the milk. YOu need to make it up as you need it. It's because the powder isn't sterile and cooling it then warming it can cause bacteria to grow.

A flask should tell you how long it will keep the water warm for - 70degrees is the magic number. Or get a thermometre - a cooking one should be able to be sterilised.

Also you can get powder measures that fit inside bottles so you can pre measure if you are out and then just mix with water from a flask.

The cartons of premade milk you get ARE sterile so you can use them and warm them up but they are more expensive.

I am 33 weeks pregnant and going to bottle feed this one an dit is confusing.

My bottles and teats came with plastic tongs which I sterilised at the same time as the feeding kit. Then I only touched the outside of the bottles, rings and caps, and only handled the teats with the tongs. Does that make sense?

As for the water, has advice changed drastically in the last 6-7y?

In the evening I would sterilise feeding kit, boil a fresh kettle of water and immediately fill all the bottles I was likely to need for the next day. I would do them up complete with teats, but not powder. I would measure out the powder into tubs with lids, one for each bottle of water. All of this sat out on the counter until needed. When I was about to feed the baby I would add powder to one bottle, shake, and feed. I always fed at room temperature.

This was also very convenient for taking a feed out with me, as I didn't have to worry about keeping anything warm or cool.

PrettyCandles Yes, the guidelines have changed alot.
Because the powder is not sterile, it needs to be mixed with water that is hot enough to kill any germs.
Although it is unlikely that a baby will get ill from formula, if they do, there is a 20% mortality rate.
It is now recommended to mix powder with water that is at least 70 degrees in order to kill off bacteria and to then cool the feed down rather than add milk to room temp/cold water and warm up.
OP I know pwople who have gotten around this. Let us say that your baby is feeding 5oz, so I'd keep a large bottle of cooled boiled water in the fridge, then at each feed boil the kettle and fill bottle to 3oz, then I'd add the 5oz of formula powder, shake/stir well and then add the remaining 2 oz of water from that bottle I have in the fridge to cool it down to a reasonable temperature.
If I was out, I would do it in the same way, but using a thermos flask, or I'd buy cartons.