Preparation of bottles

[niamh29]

So here is my technique for making bottles for our baby (no 3)
-boil water and put boiling water directly into bottles
-put formula into separate containers
-add formula to water as needs be (up to 24hrs)

So my questions are:
-would you think this technique is ok, we are trying to combine ease with safety
-would pouring boiling water into the bottles warp or harm the bottles in any way?

Thanks

For safety the water needs to be hot, >70°C it sounds as if you are adding powder to cold water which would be wrong?

(The water has to be hot to kill any bacteria present in the formula powder)

the bottles have to be made to be sterilised using steam or boiling water so there is definitely no problem with pouring boiling water into the bottles.
But jaggythistle is correct that technically the water has to be above 70 degrees when the powder is added in order to kill any bacteria in the powder too.
That said, the degree of 'safety' you opt for probably depends on the age of your baby. We started formula feeds as top ups to BF when DS was 4 months and i have to admit that we boiled a kettle in the evening and then used it throughout the night adding the powder to the bottle as and when DS wanted a feed. We gambled on his immune system being strong enough by that point to handle some bacteria. I'm not necessarily advocating that, just saying its what we did.
an alternative for ease is the ready made cartons - i always used them when out and about - sooooo much easier than faffing around with powder and sterilised water.

We boil the kettle, let it cool for about ten minutes and then fill a flask with this water. We then use the water from the flask to fill the bottle as and when it is needed. We refill the flask after one use to make sure the water will be hot enough for the next feed. We then cool the bottle down in cold water (using the lid of the flask). I also use the cartons sometimes when I am out and about (I always carry one in my bag along with his flask incase I don't have time to make his bottle up).

Hi,

We also put slightly cooled boiled water in a flask, and use this for about 12 hours so that water is hot - I know lots of people don't though..

I second cartons for out and about - so much easier!

For safety the water must be above 70C. It is the powder which is potentially contaminated, not the water (in most places in the UK at least).

You can make up feeds in advance as long as the formula powder goes into hot water and the mixture is stored at the back of the fridge. That is safer than using cooled boiled water.

DOH guidelines

WHO advice here and here. Preparing feeds using room temp or cooled water is an absolute last resort.

If you need to make a fresh feed and rapid cool then it's okay to use half the amount of hot water, add the powder, mix, then add the remaining amount of cooled/boiled water to reduce the temp and mix again. That way the level of bacteria in the formula has been brought down to an acceptable level by the hot water and adding the cold has reduced the temperature quickly.

Use pre-mixed cartons, the extra money is definitely worth it!

Sorry, not really answering your post.

The bacteria which can occasionally be found in milk powder can be responsible foe serious illness and even death in babies. If you need to make in advance, do it with water hotter than 70 deg, quickly cool in a pan of iced water (can use ice packs) and store in fridge until needed but not for ages. Eg, I wouldn't do it for 24 hours.

That's what we did for DD1 before moving to ready made (much easier). I didn't know that the boiled water was to kill bacteria in the powder so would let it cool. DD was perfectly okay with it though (switch to ready made when she was about 2/3 months).

Does anyone know why you can only keep formula for 2 hours while at room temp? I assume it''s to do with bacteria again but is frustrating when you have a slow (lazy) feeder

km276, the cynic in me says its probably because the manufacturers want to make more money on you having to make up more formula. We used to keep one bottle on the go for half a day with our DS. But you are probably right, its probably to do with bacteria and i shouldn't be so flippant.

To be honest I take a bottle of formula to bed with us to use before I open her carton as she's waking up so frequently (don't you just love the '4 month regression'?!)

km276 yes it's to do with reproductive rates of bacteria at room temperature, especially in such a yummy substance as milk for them. Bear in mind that your bottle probably starts out above room termperature, which is an even more ideal breeding ground.