Formula on the go

[clairerow7]

We have just started formula feeding our 3 week old.
My questions is.
How long can you keep water in the bottle before you need fresh?? I've heard it's only 4 hours?

The water needs to be above 70s to kill any Bacteria in the milk so 4 hours is way too long.

That's funny because we saw a midwife today and she said I can do that now I'm even more confused!
I may just get ready made formula for when we are out and about, seems the safest option

You could keep hot water warm in an insulated bottle bag and add powder when required or you can make up a bottle with formula and chill it in the fridge before taking out in a cool bag with an ice pack. It would be ok stored like that for 4 hours.

From nhs site:

If made-up formula is stored:

• in a fridge–use within 24 hours
• in a cool bag with an ice pack–use withinfour hours
• at room temperature–use withintwo hours

They way I've always and still do it is like this: x1 sterile bottle with cooled boiled water in, x1 sterile bottle empty, a little Tupperware tub of milk powder, a thermos flask of boiled water. I then measure powder out into the empty bottle, put half an inch/inch depending on total of the thermos flask water in, shake up, tip the cooled boiled water into the hot mixture, shake and test it's not too hot. I use a proper thermos flask that keeps the water really hot for 4 hours, after that it's too cold to kill the bacteria in the powder. Pre made formula is much easier so if baby will drink that all you need is a sterile bottle and a bottle of that, much less faff but if like both of mine you're giving any kind of speciality milk like colic and constipation aptamil, you'll have to do the powder and flask method as they don't make that ready made. Remember that if you use ready made milk and have any left in the carton/bottle it had to go in the fridge straight away so if your out and about the smaller bottlers are easier as you can just bin what's left without feeling like it's a waste!x

Thank you!!!!

Just a little tip, if you plan to use the pre made bottles, make all his feeds to room temp so he doesn't get used to them warm. Had to break my son out of the habit of warm bottles before he would take ready made.

Was going to give same advice. Room temp and being able to use ready made is a godsend. I used ready made a few times too in the middle of the night when too knackered to go and make a bottle up. It gets easier once you can just use normal tap water.

We have the tommee tippee prep machine for at home... god send at night
Didn't realise it was so complicated doing bottles on the move

Yes we've got a tommee tipper so change what I said and do a bottle of filtered water to take out, I set off the machine, tip the hot shot away then put back under and do the filtered bit, put a teat and lid on. Still easier to do ready made when out though! Love our machine, best thing we brought!!

We have a Tommie Tippie too! But sometimes I couldn't even be arsed with that in the night when I was really tired! So had a bottle and readymade formula in the bedroom!!

I've always used the ready made bottles when I'm out as it's just so much easier. They're expensive so I can see why people don't like to use them but I was quite paranoid about making bottles in the right way when lo was younger so I just found it easier to use them and I've kept on doing so.

A lot of friends take flasks and powder pots and it doesn't take them long to make them while we're out..

I used ready-made bottles as well. So much easier despite the expense.

Ready made is good but expensive.

I used a tommee tippee flask (marketed as a bottle warmer) which I would fill with boiling water before going out. Then had a screw top pot of cooled boiled water and powder in one of those multiple dose dispensers. Then made up bottles fresh whilst out using the perfect prep method! You get used to the amounts you need really quickly. You need to mark on the side of your bottles how much water you need to take into account the volume of the powder though.

Ready made is your answer I never made up a bottle while out with either of mine

I used to do the flask and cooled boiled water method. Was really easy and I had warm milk as my daughter didn't like it room temperature. But I did breastfeed at the start so didn't have to do too many bottles when out. As was when she was a bit older or when I a bottle was more convenient.