Mil didn't add boiling water to bottle

[harleysmammy]

I left my 5 month old with my mil today for the first time. Me and my partner went shopping as mil has a broken foot and is house bound for a while so we thought it would be nice for her to have his company. I was nervous and I didn't want to leave him and I felt awful but I trust her obviously, she's my mil. Anyway, she fed him 7 oz whilst we was out and I thought nothing of it. She's had 2 kids I assumed she knew. We got back and my son started grizzling, so she made him another 4 oz. I heard her shaking the powder with the formula but then she came straight back in and gave it too me. It was cold. I then had bad pains in my belly after I realised she hadn't boiled the kettle and hadn't done for the feed that she'd fed him whilst we was out. I didn't say anything but when we left, I told my partner we wouldn't be leaving him again. This is the type of thing I was afraid off. I love my mil and I trust her so much but this is why I didn't want to leave him -not with her, with anyone. He's had about 11-12 ounces with cold water, will he be okay??

Is the baby weaned? If so you're told to use tap water.

Unboiled tap water. A 5 mo doesn't need freshly boiled water for every feed, quite the opposite actually. His immune system needs to be built now

He'll be absolutely fine, it is a complete non-issue.

You never use tap water for making up formula! Can you not just go over making up a bottle with her? Had you gone over the process before leaving your lo with her?

for formula it's important to use hot enough water to kill the bacteria in the powder.
maybe next time take ready cartons of formula.

I don't understand the other replies tbh. Formula should always be made up with boiled water over 70 degrees to kill bacteria in the powder. I've never made it up with tap water.

Given that he's five months he's probably not weaned.

OP, I think the risks from formula are very small, I seem to recall some formulas/circumstances where they advise not using boiling water because the risk from bacteria is less than the risk of depleting nutrients in the formula. So I'm sure your little one will be fine :) I'd mention it to your MIL though just so she knows for next time. Guidance changes all the time so I just assume my parents know nothing and give them very detailed instructions lol.

Did she know how to make a bottle? I've had 3 children but all of mine were breastfed; I wouldn't have a clue how to make up a bottle of formula. Now, i would google if I needed to, but it might not have crossed her mind to do anything other than add water.

It's extremely important that boiling hot water is used on the powder to kill bacteria. It clearly says this on the instructions. What was she thinking!!

I'm sure he will be ok btw but go over what to do rather than just say she can't have him again. Rules for making up formula have changed over time

Surprised by the early responses.

It's a safety issue, and you should talk to her before leaving him with her again.

The risk of it actually making him ill this time is very low, but personally I'd keep an extra eye on him for a few days.

He. Will. Be. Fine.

Just remind your MIL that bottles should now be made up using boiled water to kill any bacteria in the milk, and then topped up with cooled boiled water.

Don't now decide that your poor MIL can't ever look after your child unsupervised because she's made such a minor error!

Just tell her, don't make a big deal out of it, your baby will be absolutely fine...

As a one off and the feed was used immediately after being made it's extremely unlikely to have caused any harm, don't worry. The safety guidelines are all in effect failsafes - each one (particularly making up fresh and using hot water) would actually be safe enough on its own but they advise doing both because it means if you make a mistake with one of the regulations the others should cover you.

Let her know how you'd like her to do it next time, but please, don't make yourself ill worrying about this. Or in future make the formula up in advance, flash cool and ask her just to warm it up. Or supply ready made cartons.

It's a simple mistake and guidelines were probably different when she was last making up formula so she didn't know. She hasn't done this maliciously and it would be a huge overreaction to never leave the baby with her again - just communication is all this situation needs! :)

My dc were on solid food and we didn't sterilise after 4 months. It's just what she thinks is the norm, I'd imagine. If guidelines have changed then you need to inform her.

Our formula specifically says to boil water, then let cool to 40°C and add powder. Midwife said to use a mix of hot and cold water. So I think your baby will be just fine. Besides, he's not as vulnerable as a newborn.

He'll be fine, although obvs what she did was not ideal. But I think you were wrong to not say anything and then tell your DH she can never watch him again?! I don't understand why you didn't say - oh did I not say, you need to boil the water - and tell her explicitly how you do it. Very passive aggressive to say nothing and now punish her

What Beek said. Poor mil.

Not understanding why she can't ever look after him ever again.....because you feel awkward pointing out a mistake??

Also, leaving your 5 month old with your milk to keep her company whilst she has a broken foot?!?! Surely she needs rest and recuperation!

Never letting her mind him again is too harsh - you'll break her heart and/or cause a family feud

'best practise' for babies is constantly changing. In the 2 years between my first and second the recommended age for weaning changed. Both kids weaned at different ages, both fine. As were previous generations who had rusks in their bottle, or whiskey on their gums

Your son will be fine. Just supply bottles of cooled boil water next time and explain gently what to do

Bottles of cooled boiled water won't help. You need to put hot water on the powder to kill bacteria. Tap water isn't supposed to be used for formula, whatever the age of the baby.

If you let her mind the baby again, just leave some ready made formula cartons.

You don't say how old your MIL is. But, if she's a similar age to me, it's possible instructions have changed since she last made a bottle. I've just checked the instructions for the brand I used to use. It says you can use water that has been boiled and allowed to cool for no longer than 30 minutes. When my own dcs were babies, it was considering to use wager that had been boiled and then cooled. I noticed that the current instructions imply that formula should be made and used when needed. When I used it, we were told it was OK to make up to 24 hours in advance and store in the fridge. We warmed it in hot water, which I also imagine is not advised now. Things have moved on so much that I do think you should have shown her clearly what to do. Or, left ready made cartons. These were just coming out when dc1 was a baby and if my mum babysat, I'd leave a couple of those along with the disposable, sterile bottles that were available. Much easier and no worries about it causing tummy upsets.

I don't understand the part where you had stomach pain op? Did you also drink from the kettle? could it be cooled boiled water. Sorry I'm confused here.

Bit extreme to say she can never watch him again. Just buy some pre-made cartons for her to use next time then you don't have to have an awkward conversation about how to make up bottles correctly and you won't get 'belly pains' again.