Bottle feeding in the night

[AliveAndSleeping]

Currently, 5 month old is combination fed. If he wakes up in the night I usually breastfeed him first and then prepare a bottle of formula. I'm planning to stop breastfeeding soon but am a bit confused about how to prepare a bottle in the night without letting him cry for very long.

During the day I use hot water from a thermos, mix half the required amount of water with formula and then add the second half of required amount of boiled cooled down water. This results in the formula being at exactly the temperature that ds likes and takes only about 5 minutes. However, the water in the thernos only stays above 70 C for about 4h so even if I fill it up just before going to bed it might not last long enough for ds' next feed. Boiling water in the kettle takes ages especially if it needs to cool down a bit first (according to NHS websites and manufacturer's instructions you should wait for 30min bit I only wait for ten minutes or so). So in the night I mostly use ready made formula but that also takes quite long to warm up, ie about 5-10 minutes. I use mam bottles. Other bottles might be quicker but he rejects everything else.

I think now breastfeeding him first takes the edge off his hunger a little bit but once I stop breastfeeding I'm not sure what to do. Any ideas?

I used to have a perfect prep machine that was great and meant I didn't have to worry about any of this. You can normally pick up a second hand one for fairly cheap if that's of interest.

The one we had broke so I've had to make bottles the old fashioned way since. What I do is making it similar to the prep machine. I do a ounce (ish, depends on the total size) of freshly boiled water and then fill up with cooled boiled water (I keep a covered jug on the counter). Sometimes I do cool water, hot water, formula, mix as it's easier to measure the water out properly. Other times I do hot water, formula, mix, measured cool water, shake.

Thanks for the reply. I do the same, ie I mix hot and cold water. I'm just confused about what to do at night? Boiling a litre of water takes at least 5 min I think, more if I need to cool it down first according to the guidelines (ie 30min though I usually just do 10). Then pouring and mixing will take a few more minutes. I usually leave the bottle with hot water and formula to stand for ay least 1 min to kill bacteria (no idea if 1min is enough. It's totally random).

You can mimic what a perfect prep does if you dont have one.

A hot shot of boiling water from the kettle, enough to dissolve all the formula and kill bacteria etc, then fill the rest with cooled, boiled water. You should end up with a warm bottle at the right temp.

@Letsallscreamatthesistene

You can mimic what a perfect prep does if you dont have one.

A hot shot of boiling water from the kettle, enough to dissolve all the formula and kill bacteria etc, then fill the rest with cooled, boiled water. You should end up with a warm bottle at the right temp.

Yes, thanks, like I said that's exactly what I'm doing. The problem is that the thermos keeps the water hot above 70 degrees for only about 4h so I'd have to boil the kettle again, which takes about five minutes. So the whole preparation takes about 7-8 minutes. What do I do in that time? Let baby cry? Can it be avoided?

Sorry forgot to add that theoretically I'd have to let the water cool in the kettle for about 30min (according to midwives and health visitors at least for ten minutes if not 30) so actually it would take even longer.

I also recommend the prep machine it's a life saver and takes 2 minutes to make the bottle , but if you don't want one you can just copy what it does by using your kettle , my baby takes 8oz bottles so the hot shot fills up to about 2oz then add your formula , mix it and then add the rest of your cooled boiled water.

So everyone just uses boiling hot water straight from the kettle to make formula rather than letting it cool for anytime as recommended?

I always premade some bottles before the bed for night feeds and put in the fridge and then just warm them up in hot water when he woke up.

We posted at the same time I didn't realise it's boiling the kettle that takes longer, you can buy the bottles of pre-made formula I use them for going out as the are handy all you do is pour it into the bottle and it's ready

And I guess letting the baby cry while the kettle is heating water can't be avoided?.

I would get a The Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep machine.

It takes about a minute to make a bottle of milk and the temperature is perfect.

@A2304

We posted at the same time I didn't realise it's boiling the kettle that takes longer, you can buy the bottles of pre-made formula I use them for going out as the are handy all you do is pour it into the bottle and it's ready

Yes that's what I do but it also takes about 7-8 minutes (or more if I use a precious opened ready made formula bottle from the fridge)..I'm not sure if it's the mam bottles that take so long to heat. Ds really likes his mill quite warm as well.

Previously opened bottle from the fridge
Not precious...butter fingers!!

Why do you need to let the water fool for 30 mins? I think it's a max of 30 mins that you can leave boiled water for before you use it.

My 6 M O is EBF now but when he was younger he had a bottle in the night. I used water straight from the kettle then made the formula and put it in cold water to cool.

Takes about ten mins.

I held baby and he was ok. I want to start giving bottles again but BFing at night feels so much easier!

The prep machine makes it room temperature so I would definitely recommend getting one as you don't have to worry about the temperature or the time as it takes 2 minutes

Or as someone else said, I used to pre-make all of the bottles, let them cool and then put them in the fridge ready for the night feeds. I would then just microwave them when needed.

Prep machine set up next to your bed. 2 mins and done

@Eri21

I always premade some bottles before the bed for night feeds and put in the fridge and then just warm them up in hot water when he woke up.

But once you've made the formula you have to use it within two hours.

Use the ready made stuff and microwave for 20 secs in a bottle, give it a shake.

In the the room temperature yes it’s 2h but premade and then stored at the back of the fridge where it’s coldest is up to 24h.

I used to put sealed bottles of cooled, boiled water in the fridge at bedtime so that I had chilled sterile water ready to go. During the night I would boil the kettle quickly and mix the formula using freshly boiled water and the chilled stuff to make it exactly the right temperature.
I understand waiting for the kettle to boil whilst your baby cries is painful 😣 Does she have a routine during the night? DS used to wake for a feed every 3 hours (from memory at 5MO) so I just used to get up and make the bottle ready, before he woke.

Is continuing to breastfeed at night an option?

I combi fed my first but kept the night feeds as breast because, quite frankly, it was easier.

I found once we started weaning he fed less at night alway (we weaned early on doctors advice so by 6 months he was on full meals 3 times a day) I also nights weaned at 9 months when feeding to sleep stopped working.

I don't know if that's an option for you?

She?! Apologies! I meant he

@Hotyogahotchoc

Why do you need to let the water fool for 30 mins? I think it's a max of 30 mins that you can leave boiled water for before you use it.

My 6 M O is EBF now but when he was younger he had a bottle in the night. I used water straight from the kettle then made the formula and put it in cold water to cool.

Takes about ten mins.

I held baby and he was ok. I want to start giving bottles again but BFing at night feels so much easier!

That would be so much simpler but if you read the instructions carefully it doesn't say upto 30min. You are meant to keep it cool for 30 min (not longer than that or the water won't be hot enough to kill bacteria). Apparently it's because if the water is too hot it destroys the nutritional properties of the formula and it might also microdamage the bottle and cause chemicals to leach into the milk. I've asked every midwife and health visitor about this. They all said to at least wait for ten minutes after boiling before I add formula to the water.

@Eri21

In the the room temperature yes it’s 2h but premade and then stored at the back of the fridge where it’s coldest is up to 24h.

No, even in the fridge it's still 2h.