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Original poster

Novice question regarding warming up baby bottles when on an outing!

59 replies

RL20 · 06/02/2015 15:03

So I'm due in April with my first baby.
Have been purchasing SMA, and have also been treated to the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Machine by my partner. I bought a Tommee Tippee sterilizer too.

A few days ago I suddenly had a thought and felt so silly. I feel silly asking it but I'm a complete novice!

When your out.. How do you feed baby?!
Do I make up the bottles beforehand, and reheat them when out? I know certain places have the microwaves to warm baby bottles. Can you reheat the milk once it's gone cool?
Or can you give them the cool milk?
Or what if I'm out somewhere that doesn't have the heating facilities?!
I can't believe I didn't think about this before!
Please don't judge me!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

BlinkAndMiss · 06/02/2015 19:34

Always make fresh with boiling water, this is to kill the bacteria in the powder. You shouldn't warm the milk back up once it's cooled and you should use it with 2 hours. Reheating breeds germs which can make the baby very ill.

One solution is to use the tommee tippee flask, make the bottle up with the boiling water when you need it and then stand the bottle in the outer bit filled with cold water or ice. Another is to take a pre made carton and a clean bottle and then use the boiling water from the flask to warm it up.

It's foolish to go against the guidelines, they're there because the harmful bacteria in milk is dangerous which is why you must sterilise whatever you give the formula milk in for as long as you use it. Even when they are exposed to other types of germs. Other people may have been lucky but it's really not worth the risk.

Original poster

RL20 · 06/02/2015 21:31

Thanks curly- yes I'm looking forward to using the perfect prep! I'll be testing it out over the next couple of weeks to get my practice in! We managed to get it down from around £99.99 or something like that, in Mothercare - to £69.99 in Toys R Us as they do a price match if you find the item cheaper online! Great service.

Wee Blueberry thanks for the tip! It won't upset babies tummy if I change the milk will it? I know that sounds silly but would it be ok if I tried a few different ones if he didn't like one?

Thankyou Blink some great advice there!

OP posts:

HumptyDumptyBumpty · 06/02/2015 21:54

Okay, just read up on what these 'possible harmful bacteria' are. There's two families of bacteria which seem to be possible, salmonella and related, and enterobacter and related (please someone tell me if I'm mis reading).

The salmonella is obviously unpleasant, but not necessarily life threatening.

The enterobacter is awful, and 40-80% mortality BUT there have been under 100 cases in the last 60 years.

So, yes, there is a risk, but it seems to me (not a microbiologist) to be small enough to live with. Bottle feeding, especially at first, is bloody hard work, and trotting back and forth everywhere with hot and cool water on top of everything would have made me a recluse.

I also microwave bottles because I believe in the power of a good shake to disperse 'hot spots' in a liquid

ShatterResistant · 06/02/2015 21:58

I also microwave, then shake well. Can't believe a "hot spot" would survive that.

HumptyDumptyBumpty · 06/02/2015 21:58

Oh, and blink the advice isn't to sterilise equipment as long as you use formula, but to do it until 6 months (this is from my HV).

Solasum · 06/02/2015 21:59

Ready made bottles don't need to be kept refrigerated unless you have already opened them. They are by far the easiest option for out and about if not bf. we mixed fed from early on, and DS could only drink bm or premade formula, powdered made him projectile vomit. So maybe don't buy too much in advance just in case. It will make your life a lot easier if the baby is used to drinking room temperature milk, or even from the fridge.

Treesandbees · 06/02/2015 22:27

I used to steriliser all the bottles in the morning and evening. After sterilising I poured boiling hot water in them straight out the steriliser. Put the lids on etc and leave on the side. When your ready to use add the powder. So if your out Id just take the powder in separate containers. I personally chose not to give DS warm milk so didn't have the fuss of trying to heat up milk to the correct temperature whilst he was screaming hungry!! Reduce as much opportunity for stress as poss! Good luck!

marinerkk · 06/02/2015 22:34

The single serve bottles are about 80p each and so much easier. Sorry to hijack but with the prep Machine, does anybody else find if you press 6 for example it ends up more 7 by the time it's finished? Always end up with more than what I've pressed iyswim?

espa · 07/02/2015 09:04

I think it's just bubbles from when you've shaken it after the initial hot shot. If you leave it to settle you can see the line of liquid is lower.

angryangryyoungwoman · 07/02/2015 09:09

Have you considered breastfeeding?

Only1scoop · 07/02/2015 09:12

Make them up before....easy to get them warmed in cafe etc. when dd was very little I used to take a sterilised bottle and a carton and pour that in.

Good luck

Trooperslane · 07/02/2015 09:16

I didn't warm anything. Dd took straight from the fridge too.

fattymcfatfat · 07/02/2015 09:31

ds took from the fridge, dd was a bit fussier and it had to be room temperature but a bowl of hot water sorted that! never in the microwave! mine is one of those that likes to make things explode anyway so wouldnt put my bottles in there!

WhyOWhyWouldYou · 07/02/2015 10:08

mariner it's because 6oz of water + formula powder creates a larger actual volume than 6oz. When you make up powder formula correctly it should always be this way.

Original poster

RL20 · 07/02/2015 10:29

Thanks for everyone's help!

Angryangry- Being nearly 30 weeks pregnant and asking about how to correctly bottle feed, of course I have considered breastfeeding. But nowhere on my thread do I ask about breastfeeding so thank you for your concern but it wasn't an 'answer' I was looking for on this thread

OP posts:

thatwhichwecallarose · 07/02/2015 11:52

Angryangry-none of your business. And I thought we were doing so well too!

RL20 - I second the "range of options" depending on where you are going.

Powder and make on the go, cartons, warm before you go, warm once you're there (microwave and a good shake or hot water). I use all methods regularly and you'll soon get to know which method is best for each place

missingpinotgrigio · 07/02/2015 17:25

I'm in the same position! Was wondering how you go about formula feeds when out and about too, so pleased I found this thread. I'm due this week!
Have got the Perfect Prep Machine (Live in a 3 story house with our room on the top floor and I'm not prepared to trek down 2 flights of stairs when I have a grumpy flump to feed! So it will reside up there with us for night feeds! Also got it for £59.98 from John Lewis last week, Bargain!!)
Was just looking at the Tommee Tippee Travel Bottle Warmer and JL have it for £8.40 at the moment :)

angryangryyoungwoman · 07/02/2015 19:38

I was only asking because it's easier when out and about. It was a neutral question, not meant to judge or be nosy either so no need for the defensiveness. Some people find it easier to ff when at home, breastfeed when out.

Passmethecrisps · 07/02/2015 19:51

It certainly would seem easier in theory. I remember being on a MN meet actually with several who were bfing and I was the lone ff. It certainly felt harder. Could you really just bf when out though?

I found that most of my ff anxieties when out were linked more to my belief that I was being judged than actual difficulties. I do remember visiting a friend by train and takin a whole day's worth of bottles and a spare tin of formula!

Original poster

RL20 · 07/02/2015 20:00

Angryangry - Ok I may have taken it the wrong way, but my defensiveness was ready and waiting for someone to mention breastfeeding. It's just that I hadn't mentioned it at all in my thread for that purpose, as it's something I have thought about and have (not lightly) come to the decision to purely bottle feed. I don't think anyone who chooses to bottle feed, hasn't thought about breastfeeding and like I said it's not a choice made lightly and I really have tried to consider a lot of things. I had thought about mixing the both methods of feeding together but I think I am going to just stick with the one method.

Missing - Wow that was a bargain! And yes I'm going to look at the Tommee Tippee bottle warmer after this months payday :-)
Good luck to you! Hope all goes ok!

OP posts:

angryangryyoungwoman · 07/02/2015 21:01

that's great then, I really wasn't making a judgement as it's a personal decision but I was just wondering if you had considered it. It is possible to do both when the milk supply settles, but if that is not for you, I'll butt out now

weeblueberry · 07/02/2015 22:56

I disagree that it's easier breastfeeding when out and about though. I was hugely self conscious about feeding DD and so that really added to the stress and anxiety. Nothing's easier or harder - just depends on your life really.

In answer to your question about upset tummies RL I honestly don't know. I breastfed so didn't have experience of using formula but suspect that if you do have to change it's probably because there's a need for it and babies tummy wouldn't get upset? Their tummy might be upset prior to the move which is what prompts it though if you know what I mean?

Postchildrenpregranny · 07/02/2015 23:07

Now I remember why I bf mine .I'm just lazy...Not judging,honest .It's a very sensible question

angryangryyoungwoman · 07/02/2015 23:18

True, it depends on many things whether it is easier or not, I shouldn't have generalised. From my experience and from others I know, it can be easier as long as breastfeeding is established and there are no other issues, such as tongue tie or feeling uncomfortable about feeding in public. It's definitely a personal thing anyway, sorry for hijacking the thread a bit.

Only1scoop · 07/02/2015 23:41

Op I ff from day one by choice and for us it worked fantastically....we got into a routine with the bottles and it literally took minutes to sort. Dd thrived from day one so healthy.... gaining weight etc....and we never had any problems with feeding at all.

I did have a bottle Warmer but never used it. I literally used a Pyrex jug of hot water to warm bottle for a couple of minutes....we had a fab routine and took it in turns each night to sterilise and sort bottles.

We used the ready made cartons for the first couple of weeks as we were scared to use the powder incase we got it wrong but once we were up and running all was good.

All the best....enjoy it.

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