Question about bottle feeding

[Ruthiebaby]

When I make up bottles do I have to wait for the water to cool to 'drinking temp' first before adding the powder ? Or do I add the powder even though it's still a bit warm and then cool ?

Also, can I pour the hot water into sterilised bottles and let them cool and stick in fridge and then add the powder when I need it ?

I always used to pour the boiling water into the sterilised bottles then just leave them at room temperature and add the powder when I needed it. I never refridgerated the water but am not sure whether that was the right thing to do now!

I don't wait for it to cool. I find the powder gets absorbed easier when it is warm.

I usually make up all my bottles just water and then add the powder as and when I need it.

Probably others will come on and say you musn't but oh well! Ds is fine!

Same as anchovies.

Would be good if I could just leave the water in the bottles and not stick them in the fridge as he'll drink stuff at room temp, that way we don't have to fuss around warming it up when he's hungry.

Hmm...still not sure whether this is safe though.....

i fill the bottles leave them on the side next to the premeasured containers of formula and add it when needed shake and off you go no problems (and no need to warm) its only when the milk is mixed that it needs to be refrigerated as long as the bottles are clean and its fresh water its ok (over here the norm is to use unboiled water and they don't sterilise either)

i make all mine up and when i feed dd i take the bottle out the fridge for the next feed so it reached room temp by the time i need it

Personally I make bottles up the night before. I boil the kettle while the bottles are sterilising, wait for the water to cool down with the kettle lid off for an hour which gives chance for the bottles to cool too. Then I pour the water into the bottles and put the powder into the bottles via a funnel (which has also been sterilised), then into the fridge they go untill I need to use them the next day.

Much the same here - night before I boil kettle, put it straight in bottles when kettles boiled, leave on side, add powder when wanted. No need to heat and works well when out - get one of the avent containers that is divided into 3 and then you can measure out the powder before you go out and bung it in when you need it. One of my friends prepared her bottles in the same way, and her husband told her it wasn't right so she rang aptimil and they told her this was the safest way of doing things.

what a good idea hazellnut, I worry about taking a bottle from the fridge and taking it around with me, especially in this weather. Could you let me know where you get those divider bottles from please?
We make up bottles the night before, but when we pour the boiling water in to our sterilised bottles we put them upright in the washing up bowl with very cold water, so it cuts down on cooling time, then we put the powder in and are able to get them into the fridge quite quickly and get ourselves to bed!
I have also been in arguments with my mother about warming bottles, my 16 day old dd seems to like bottles at room temp, but my mum insists we should warm to blood temperature. I knew there was a reason why I moved 130 miles away....!!!
what do you think about warm bottles? all books we read say that babies will drink at any temperature as long as it's consistent.

I pre prepared bottles and kept them in the fridge with ds but with dd leave bottles of water on the side and just add milk when bottle needed - wish i had done this with ds as the screams as we waited for the bottles to warm were awful!!

Much easier if you are out and about if your lo will have their milk at room temperature. Think this might be a good time to ignore your mother!

God, ds just has his bottle at whatever temp, I would definitely not warm to blood temperature! We don't have a definite routine as he is still a bit all over the place, but basically I fill the bottles with cool (or cool-ish) boiled water (filtered beforehand as we live in hideous hard water area) and then add the powder as required. The Avent 'divided in three' powder dispensers are fab, I bought two in Sainsburys and I must say, I don't think I saw them in Mothercare in Cambridge today, so if in doubt, Sainbugs is the place. But Mothercare do their own version which I am sure is just as good.

We have a cool bag (also Avent) which we used to use to take 2 bottles out with us, but as you say Hazellnut, better not to be adding the milk powder til it's required. The water itself doesn't need any special measures.

I've deliberately given ds his bottle from being v small either straight from the fridge, or at room temp, so as to avoid the whole 'having to heat' scenario when out.

Lots of cool info ! Thankyou

I'm going to boil the water and add to sterilised bottles in the morning. Then leave the bottles on the side. Then I'll add the powder when needed.

No need to worry about warming or how long the feeds been out the fridge for before he wants it.

Woohoo...this has just made things a lot easier.

I'll go to Sainsburys tomorrow to see if I can get one of those Avent divided in three powder dispensers - sounds good.

I'm going to bed a happy woman with a lot taken off my mind