Contact and formula milk guidelines

[Gingerbics]

Hi I was just wondering how you all manage formula feed preparation relating to contact. For example if contact is at 10 -12 and feed is due at 11am how long prior to then would you make up the feed or would you get the parent to do the actual

Sorry sent too soon. Would you get the parent to mix the feed at contact by taking flask, powder etc? Just asking as wondering how carers find the best way to manage this in reality. Would appreciate any comments as looking into this for some of the carers I work with. Thankyou

Not a fosterer sorry, but how about using ready made formula for contacts? Its more expensive but is well should be sterile unlike powder formula, so mixing it with water over 70 degrees to sterilise the powder isn't an issue.

I would either make it up and rapidly chill it, then take it in a cool bag! Or supply a ready made carton and a sterilised bottle. What do you do if you are going out normally?

But without knowing what facilities were available, or what the plan was (it might be beneficial for mum to know how to sterilise and make up bottles), it is hard to say.

I would ask the contact worker or mum how they would like it done if you aren't sure!

And off the record, I have always made up formula with boiled and cooled sterilised water. This 70 degree thing is a new one!

Infant formula isn't sterile and although its rare, babies have died from the bacteria in the formula, that's why its important that the water is 70 degrees. Lots of people seem to assume you boil the water to kill the bacteria in the water, it's not. In the uk the water is pretty safe, you boil it to kill the bacteria in the formula. The guidelines are here

HTH

Hi, I always get parents to make it - they should be being assessed on simple parenting tasks like making up feeds as part of supervised contact (I put should in italics because in reality all sorts of basic things like monitoring seem to have gone out of the window lately).

I'd send a flask of boiling water, a measured out amount of formula and a sterilised bottle. I used to send a tin of formula but there were too many times when the wrong number of spoonfuls were counted out and babies got tummy aches...

Thanks for all your replies, really helpful. I agree, ready made is the most obvious ( though not cheapest) option. Good point also re the parent making the feed and carer supplying the water and measured powder. The guidelines def make things more complicated tho I appreciate the need for them. Thanks again