Bottle feeding

[Jmcd2020]

Should I get a prep machine or make up bottles the standard way? So confused!

Watched my friend use one of those shaker pot things into a warm bottle today while she was out and about, took seconds. Powder dispenser I think they're called. Literally on Amazon getting one now! I was so impressed at how quick and easy it was. If you're just talking about mixing formula at home I can't see what real benefit a machine is, never had one with DD1 and it was no hassle to add the scoops to the water and shake it...

I have a prep machine and I think it's worth every penny.. I looked into it and found the bad reviews and stories of mould etc.. I clean it regularly and check the pipes often.. I've never had any issues, my little one has never been poorly. I personally highly recommend it.. my little one will go from happily playing to screaming from starvation within seconds so I love that bottles can be made and ready to drink in such a short time!

@ChristinaMarlowe I don't think those shaker dispensers sterilise the powder though? The water must be 70 degrees in order to kill bacteria in powder which is why people use a perfect prep because it sterilises with a hot blast of water then cools it with cold water so it is drinking temperature.

Ah okay so maybe a prep machine is worth investing in? So many mixes answers!

Make them up. It doesnt take long to do.

Personally I dont think they are very hygienic and it's not worth the money but then again I've never had one. I make the bottles in advance and keep them in the fridge. Then all you have to do it warm them up to your babies preferred temp which you cant do with prep machine

OP, we've just bought the complete sterliser set with bottles, brush, electric steriliser, electric bottle warmer etc and then a perfect prep (all Tommee Tippee) from Amazon for £133 as a job lot brand new!

I just used ready mixed - so much easier. I mixed fed so was using a bit less I suppose but I think I’d still have done the ready stuff. It’s especially good for out and about.

No question - it's a complete lifesaver. Totally worth the money and you can get them v cheap second hand (they have a clean function on them which I'd suggest you run a few times if you get second hand though!).

The powder dispensers are fine but unless you're putting it into boiling water then it's not sterile. The water needs to be boiling when mixed with the powder in order to kill the bacteria in the milk powder. Perfect prep sorts all that out then adds cool water so the bottle is the right temp to drink straightaway instead of having to cool it down

the good old way to make bottles , unfortunately that is deemed not good enough for killing bacteria so you are advised to boil one litre of water, leave to stand for 30 ( awful ) minuets while your baby cries and then add to bottle and powder as and when needed ... and then cool to temperature.

You can only have bottles for max of 2 hours once made otherwise too much bacteria will have grown.

Hence The machine is increasingly popular.

I clean mine regularly, and the filter is meant to get rid of water impurities ... the hot shot is hot enough to kill bacteria in the powder ( so it is claimed )

I love mine and saves lots of crazy prep hours I advance.. you can get them for £10
Second hand or great deals about now.

We make up formula 24 hours in advance in 70+ degree water, flash cool and store in fridge. No room for a machine

Prep machine is worth every penny. Absolute saviour, especially in the middle of the night!

@sylbunny Ah that makes sense. DD1 is 7 now but I used to just use slightly cooked boiling water, add powder and shake to make them then store in the fridge.
For going out I bought the ready to use bottles - expensive but honestly didn't go out much 😂 They're cheaper now, 85p each from most supermarkets (Aptamil 1st milk but the others are around the same price I think) and I don't think that's too expensive for say one a day when going out somewhere.
Feel like I need to look into perfect prep now... Times change! So what was my friend using then if the water wasn't hot enough to sterilize the powder? Her baby is 7 months, does that make a difference?

I got a prep machine with my youngest as a gift from my db and sil. OMG what a life saver it was! Loved it and kicking myself still for not getting one when I had her older sister.

I@ChristinaMarlowe did your friend just have a little plastic pot thing that pours the powder into a bottle? That's fine to do if the bottle contains boiling water. If pouring powder into and mixing with cool water then it's not hot enough to kill the germs apparently. Think the guidance is to do bottles this way until they're on cows milk (around 12 months old(ish)) because the formula powder can get contaminated.

I used to use prep machine at home and then just got the ready made stuff for out and about. We'd go out most days but it really didn't work out too expensive anyway.

I had 2 prep machines I loved it that much (one at home, one at the caravan). I bought them both on Facebook Marketplace for £20 each and just bought new filters.

I had a prep machine for DD- loved it! Out of the house I used ready made.

I honestly don't get the issue with making up bottles.
DD is 6 now and when I called the Aptamil advice line, they said that it's fine to make up 24 hours' worth at a time, although I only ever did 12 hours' worth - boiled water, speed cooled then back of the fridge. Even in my day the official advice was to make up as you go along but the advice from Aptamil was that it's fine to pre-prepare.
I would do it morning and evening when making myself a coffee, was a total non-issue.

I have one upstairs and one downstairs. Both second hand but cleaned and sterilised Before use! They are a godsend and great in the middle of the night!

@ADogRocketShip Yes she put it into pretty cool water as baby drank it straight away as soon as she finished shaking it 🤷🏻‍♀️
I think I'll just what I did with DD1 and make with recently boiled (ie. very hot) water and then store in fridge until needed and warmed by standing bottle in jug of hot water? I have bought the ready to drink bottles for hospital and will just get more of those for taking out and about.

Some excellent advice here! Thank you all! I may invest in a second hand one just in case I go with the normal way to make up bottles 😊

Another vote for the Prep! Bought it when I had DD, using it now for DS. I've got it upstairs next to my bed and I couldn't do without it. If it had broken in between I would've bought a new one immediately!

Perfect preps are amazing, I love mine. I’ve been meticulous about running a cleaning cycle every few weeks and changing the filters as required and it has been great. I’ve used the same one for my 2 boys and they have always been perfectly healthy. It is so convenient I love it