Formula feeding questions

[mammytobe2021]

I wasn't sure where to put this so thought I'd put it here as I'm currently pregnant.

I plan to formula feed baby when they arrive (due January so I still have a long way to go but I'm finding myself feeling absolutely clueless and it's terrifying me even though we TTC for so long) and I'm wondering what people do about night feeds.

I know you're supposed to boil the kettle and allow it to cool for half an hour ish before you make up the bottle then cool it under the tap before feeding but how the bloody hell do you do this in the night? You can't hang around with a crying baby in the middle of the night waiting for the kettle to cool down and everywhere seems to advise you don't make up extra bottles in advance so what do you do?! I feel like an absolute moron for even asking this and I'm panicking myself that I'm going to be a crap mum for not knowing basic stuff but there's no answers for this online anywhere.

I know a lot of people use perfect prep machines but from what I've read they're not actually that safe because the water doesn't get hot enough to sufficiently kill all the bacteria in the formula and I don't really want to spend £70 on something if it isn't going to do the job properly/safely.

I'm getting so anxious, how can we have TTC for so long only to feel so unprepared now I'm actually pregnant!

Perfect prep! It makes life so easy. Use the proper filters and clean it properly

PPs usually resell for a good price as well if you look after them. We bought a day and night one in the sale for £80, sold it for £50 a year later, so only really 'lost' £30 on it plus the price of filters, but it was so so so worth it.

Wow thank you for all the replies!

I think the information I read about the Perfect Prep machine is incorrect then - as people have said its based on putting the water in first and then the formula powder (which I did find a bit odd) so I'll definitely have a think about getting one of those to make life easier.

I don't really have any "mum friends" in real life and my mum is obviously quite outdated with some of her information as it's been 25+ years since she last had a baby so she's not as up to date with all the new things.

This is all really helpful though thank you!

I really want to get the perfect prep day and night, has anyone seen any good deals? The cheapest I've seen is £117...

"Consider breast feeding"

There's always one.

I boil the kettle, fill the bottle, cool it under the tap and then add the formula. That's what it says to do on the tin so I just followed their instructions. I never heard anything about formula not being sterile.

We have a water purifier and sometimes I use that, it does warm and cold water.

We combi fed but when my DH had our baby overnight we used pre-made formula. Next time I will go the perfect prep route if we formula feed, even with breastfeeding too. All of our formula fed friends had one and not one had an issue. I used theirs when we went to their homes too, it was brilliant. One of our parents friends had one upstairs and one down....genius...if a little pricey!

didnt formula feed myself but my friend who did had resdy made formula for during the night and made up the bottles for herself. if I had formula fed this is how I would of done it too as its quick and atleast I would of known there was no chance of me doing anything wrong half asleep in the middle of the night!

@mammytobe2021 With the perfect prep, it puts a hot shot of boiling water in, then you add the powder and give it a good swirl/shake. This sterilises the formula powder. Then you put it under again and it tops it up with cold water to the perfect temperature. It’s very easy. If you end up formula feeding or combi feeding, it really does make life a lot easier.

I held off getting one until DS was about 4 months old as I was trying to EBF. It was never easy for us and while I kept breastfeeding until 7 months, we did combi feed too. I really wished I’d got one earlier. This time I plan to buy a second to have one upstairs and downstairs!

Honestly, the perfect prep was a Godsend. Never had a tummy bug prior to introducing solids, and in fact her reflux seemed a lot worse when making bottles ‘from scratch’ when at in laws etc 🤷🏻‍♀️

If there's no medical reason why not, I'd really consider at least trying to breastfeed. Free, easy, zero sterilising and best for baby.

Not everyone wants to try breast feeding so formula and perfect prep machines can make feeding easy as an alternative.

It’s absolutely fine to choose not to BF. OP sounds very well informed in any case. Leave her alone with the whole “why not” nonsense. Each to their own.

I got a kettle which tells me the temp, so boil it then open the lid so it cools quicker then when it says about 85 I start making the bottle.

I also make 24 hours worth, cool them quickly then store in the fridge, HV said this was fine. We reheat in the microwave ( which HV said isn’t fine) they advise to heat it in warm water

I started off BF and was combi feeding by 9 weeks which is when my DD stopped waking between 10pm and 6am for a feed anyway, so was lucky. On the odd occadions after that when she would wake and I would try milk to settle her, as she was then bottle fed, I would just use pre-made formula from the little cartons. Didn't buy a perfect prep as originally hoped to breastfeed for much longer and we were in a very bad state financially so couldn't justify spending the money. Used one at my friend's house when we stayed there for a few nights when DD was 7 months and it was cool but I wouldn't say it saves much time in the daytime compared to what we were doing which was making the bottles up the night before and keeping them in the fridge and warming before a feed. Our DD took her milk fine even if it was still quite cool too so it didn't take long. But if you had a newborn or any other baby who is waking for milk for s prolonged period a Perfect Prep would be easier and the premade cartons are so expensive that you would probably cover the cost of the Perfect Prep anyway after awhile.

Jumping on here as I have a question about the perfect prep. Is there any difference between the older and new model? One is around £80 and the other is around £120!

The newer one looks slightly easier to use as it has a digital screen but I'm sure if it's worth the extra money?

The more expensive one is advertised as the day and night version. Has glow in the dark controls and quieter but doesn’t seem much for the extra money.

Thank you @Parker231

I only came on to see how long before someone told OP to breastfeed. I think 3rd comment must be a record!

OP has clearly chosen to formula feed. Why can't people respect that?

I say this as a mum of 2 ebf children.

@dotdashdashdash I know, as if it is some novel suggestion the OP hadn't heard of

@ItWasNotOK @dotdashdashdash no seriously have you heard of this thing call breastfeeding?? I've heard it cuts out the need for bottles and prep machines 🥴

For anyone thinking of getting the perfect prep machine, Boots has a points event at the moment so that combined with being signed up to their parenting club means you currently get £25.60 worth of Boots points when you buy one, that's what I've just done! 👍🏼