HELP! Formula advice

[thesunshinestoday]

Really struggling with the best way to make up formula feeds. Breast feeding wasn't an option and baby has been on ready made baby milks for the past three months. Have recently started using formula powder and it's such a long process

1/ adviced against the perfect prep machine by NCT and health visitor. Have read many stories about mould, hot water not been hot enough etc. not sure what to do

2/ making a fresh feed at the time- how is this even possible?! No regular feeding pattern and the whole process takes about 40 mins. Does the water need to cool down- what does up to 30 minutes even mean?! Can I use it after five minutes?

3/ have thought about doing a hybrid PP method- half boiling water- add formula- leave a few minutes and then add cooled down boiled water that's been in the fridge. How long can this be used? I presume 12 hours should be fine?

Do I just get a PP machine?! HELP!

@thesunshinestoday no reminders needed as they have alert lights! 🤷🏻‍♀️

I made mine in the morning and put them in the fridge. Never had a problem (4 babies, used Aptamil and Hipp Organic). I even heated them up in the microwave. Just make sure it's well shaken to avoid hot spots.

Advice is so conflicting but I used to boil the kettle, leave it for 15/20 minutes or so then make up a few bottles, cool them down and store them in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When she wanted one I'd get one out and warm it up in a bowl of boiling water for a few minutes.

We purchased 2 kettles. Switch between for tea / bottles. One is always likely to be the right temp!

You can buy a kettle that keeps the water at perfect temp for making a bottle it’s called a uneeqbaby kettle

We had a PP and never saw a hint of mould nor had any tummy upsets. Best Buy ever!

Bear in mind the type of bottle you use might influence it - we used Mam and they have holes in the bottom so fill up with water if you submerge them! Also we used anti reflux formula that couldn't be made in advance anyway so when out and about I brought a flask of boiling water with me and a bottle with a measured amount of cool boiled water in it.

Get a perfect prep and make sure you check it regularly for cleanliness.

making a fresh feed at the time- how is this even possible?! No regular feeding pattern and the whole process takes about 40 mins. Does the water need to cool down- what does up to 30 minutes even mean?! Can I use it after five minutes?

It doesn’t have to take 40 minutes. The water doesn’t have to cool down for that long - but make sure it’s not still bubbling. The formula companies put this because they are covering their arses - if you shake the just boiled water with the powder in it it’s a lot more volatile and you can scold yourself - so make sure the lid is secure before you shake. You can then place the bottle in some cold water to cool, it will take about 10 or 15 minutes. Quicker if you run it under the tap like it says on the instructions - but seriously, if everyone did that what a shameful waste of water that would be. It’s all just silly and unrealistic, especially as most people are advised to feed on demand whether feeding breastmilk or formula.

So again, I recommend a prep machine for your own sanity.

Back when mine were small you made up the bottles for the day and refrigerated them, then warmed for use. I don't remember kids getting ill from them. I barely used formula so used ready made occasionally but after 6 months I did use some follow on milk and I made with some hot then topped up with tap water which was the advice in the USA

Perfect prep is great. Just keep it clean! It isn't hard.

Kendamil.

Problems solved :-)

Its really not nonsense. Boiling water will destroy some of the proteins. I did that a few times before I realised, it made the formula slightly chunky and gave my DS diarrhoea, honestly, why else would the formula manufacturers direct you to wait if boiling water was ok?!!!

We combination feed and use a PP, its exceptionally easy and as long as you clean it regularly and change the filters all the info says its fine!

Its really not nonsense. Boiling water will destroy some of the proteins. I did that a few times before I realised, it made the formula slightly chunky and gave my DS diarrhoea, honestly, why else would the formula manufacturers direct you to wait if boiling water was ok?!!!

For the reason I just stated.
What you just stated about the quality of the formula being comprised is in fact completed nonsense.

We mix feed and have a PP. it's great. Not had any problems with mould or anything - I run the clean cycle regularly and so far no issues (touch wood). We had to make bottles from scratch using a kettle on holiday recently and it was such a pain in the ass. PP definitely the best way.

PP machines are fine if you change the filters and run a cleaning cycle.

I used to make up a fresh feed with boiling water and cool down in a jug of icy water. It takes no longer than 5-10 minutes.

As a slightly bonkers, sleep deprived FTM I managed to talk myself out of the perfect prep due to Dr Google, but as long as you keep up the maintenance and the cleaning I'm sure they are fine!

I did get a uneeqbaby formula kettle though which I would recommend. Boiled it in the morning then it held the water at a hot enough temp all day. Made up the bottle and stood for a couple of mins in cold water from the fridge job done. Was also great when we started weaning as could easily make a couple of oz for porridge etc before we started using cows milk.

I do your hybrid method, purely because the last two families I worked for didn't have a PP. I use boiling water, the guidance for waiting half an hour is to make sure the water is at a temperature that will kill bacteria, whilst also being less of a scalding risk. A midwife told me that ready made formula is processed at a temperature similar to boiling point and no nutrients are destroyed.

I’d just get a prep machine. Honestly, it makes your life so much easier. I’ve used one with all 3 of my babies and all of them have been perfectly healthy. As long as you run a regular cleaning cycle on them and use the tommee tippee filters you will be fine.

At night I use 2 flasks (we are in a loft conversion bedroom and can’t be bothered going down 2 floors!) which basically mimics the prep machine. I add a shot of boiling hot water from a thermos, add the powder, mix, then top it up with cooled boiled water from another flask. Works for us.

We’ve used a PP machine for the past 10 months and had no problems whatsoever. We have twins, so it’s a godsend. We clean it constantly, change the filters regularly and always use the proper filters, and have had no problems. I’m extremely glad we bought ours, as night feeds with twins would have been brutal without it, especially in the early days.

Second safest way is to make up in advance, flash cool and put in fridge (max 24 hours)
Super easy, how they do it in neonatal units and if you’re wise the baby gets used to cold milk.

why waste money and take potential risks with prep machine?

NHS guidance is pretty clear, first safest way is make up one at a time, second is make up in advance and flash cool.

@TheLovleyChebbyMcGee
The whole point of using boiled water is because formula isn't sterile and it requires the boiling water to do so

Honestly don't waste your time pissing about trying to cool bottles ect just buy a pp machine.

Thanks everyone. FTM so overthink everything and do it all by the book, but I think I may end up get a PP machine.

Hi op I keep a flask of cooled boiled water in fridge and basically copy what the perfect prep does.

Example I'll use 45ml hot water and add powder to mix then add 165ml cooled boiled from fridge and done

Just have a flask full of boiling water and a flask full of cooled boiled water. When you’re about to feed, measure half and half and it’ll be at the perfect temp - warm but not hot. there’s literally no need to have to wait until it cools down

Used boiled water then rapid (or not) cooling for DD1. Nightmare.
Pp machine for DD2 - game changer. Set a reminder on your phone to clean it if you’re worried.

No advice but just wanted to say I totally understand. I ended up using ready made and still do at 20 months. I could not get to grips with powder.