Would you pre-make formula for night feeds?

[sprite25]

I know breast is best but after failing with DD this time round I'm abit more prepared and have already brought some powdered formula for DC 2 just in case. When DD did go on to formula I remember it taking what felt like hours of her crying til the bottle was ready. I know once formula is made up it's advised to be used or thrown in two hours but would have also seen alot of people on here say they make up a few bottles before bed, quick cool them then store them in the fridge for quick warming up throughout the night. It sounds so much easier with a DD who already wakes in the night and a DH who sometimes has to be away over night for work but I'm also worried I'd cause LO to be ill. Would you do it?

Yes, definitely. The current NHS guidelines say you can keep made-up formula for up to 24 hours in a fridge:

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/infant-formula-questions.aspx

See 'What if I need to transport a made-up feed?'

Top lazy cow tip:

Fill bottles with 2/3 required amount of cooled boiled water.
Fill segmented dosing container with correct measurements of formula powder
Fill Fisher Price flask with boiling water.
Put all of this on a tray and take it upstairs with you when you go to bed.
When you top the cooled water up with the flask water it comes out at the right temperature. PLonk in a dose of formula and you're good to go. After a while, you can do this without turning on the light or getting out of bed. Apparently. Cough.

I just filled bottles with boiling water, lids on as soon as just cool enough. Tub of powder and clean knife upstairs, just add the required no. of scoops and serve at room temp.

I used a thermos, boiled the water let it cool a bit, put in the thermos, when I needed milk I always had water ready at the perfect temperature

No definitely not. The reason breast in best is because people don't follow formula instructions.

No it isn't the reason.

Thank you for all the replies, the nhs guidelines have changed since I had DD so for night feeds think I'll make up a few bottles, flash cool then keep in the fridge. I'm going to give breast feeding a go but won't get too stressed if it doesn't work knowing that I can do bottles abit easier at night.

Where has this idea come from that you need boiling water to sterilise formula powder? Sounds like complete bolleaux to me. as soon as you add it to the powder the temperature will drop and be ineffectual. Totally unnecessary.

I used to boil water and leave in sterilised bottles to cool. They're ok at room temp for 24 hours. Then add premeasured formula in a travel pot as needed. I didn't even warn it and both babies fine

We used the pre made big bottles for the first 3mths or so, it was so easy because we just stored in the fridge once opened and heated in the microwave. It was probably not too much more expensive than making it ourselves because the bottles last 48 hours (if I remember correctly) and they take so little at that stage. We moved on to powder when dd was 3-4mths and taking more milk.

Absolutely. I did this. Cooled boiled water and then fridge. No problem. Every little helps op 😁 xx

Another one that used the ready made bottles and cartons.

I used to use the ready made bottles / cartons at night.

I make all my bottles up in one batch, cool them quickly and then store in the fridge for up to 24hrs. To warm them I pop them in the microwave for 40 seconds.

The milk powder needs to be mixed with v hot water to kill any bacteria in it. Making bottles with cooled boiled water is pointless as it isn't the water that's a problem. And as long as you shake the bottle really well then reheating in a microwave is fine too.

Achoopichu It has always been the case that the powder needs to be sterilized with water over 70 degrees as it is the powder that isn't sterile. It's completely pointless to add powder to cooled boiled water, that's not a safe way to make a bottle.

My youngest is now 12 but I used to make them with boiling water and chill but a little short of water. I would then top them up with boiling water to the required level which took the chill off. Guidelines have clearly changed though @

Not 14 years ago. Just googled and this seems to be about a bacteria I've never heard of called E. Sakazakki that was found in 2007. I stand corrected.

We have the Tommee Tippee perfect prep machine absolutely worth every penny!

We didn't use it for a couple of days a few months ago and what we was doing was -

Putting a big container full of boiled water in to the fridge (boiled water will stay sterile in the fridge for up to 24 hours).

When he was ready for a bottle boil the kettle and add 1/2/3oz of boiling water (depending how many oz I was making) add the powder and give it a shake,

and then measuring out the cool water from the fridge to make it the right temperature. You'd have to use a different bottle to measure out the right amount though as it goes frothy when shaken.

Sometimes it was still a little hot but obviously remember to check before you feed.

I use my prep machine through the day and on a night i add the boiling water into however many bottles i need (usually 2) then add the formula into little pots, thrn when dd wakes up through the night i just add the formula into the bottle. I dont warm them as dd happily has them at room temp.
When i was pregnant the midwives would always stress about how you should only ever make bottles up when you need them otherwise it's dangerous for baby etc. Tbh i think they just try scare you. Im 24 and ny parents actually pre made all the bottles and just left them out and im fine!

The strain of bacteria is new

So yes years ago as a nanny and all you mums who made bottles all up for the day. That was fine then

Its not now. Yes the risk is very small but do you want to risk it. Small baby being Violently sick and high temp and in hospital

The quick easy way is to do as I said before - the diy perfect prep method. Bottle can be made in seconds and at right temp and safest

Or use ready made 85/90p a bottle

I filled up all bottles with kettle water, put tits inside the water and kept in the fridge, poured out some water and refilled with boiled water and put in the milk.

Teats** not tits!! 🤦🏼‍♀️