Formula

[Nlh96]

This might sound like a silly question but how do you make your bottles?
I’m confused, if you make the bottle with boiling water and you’re meant to feed straight away then what’s the point of the bottle warmer?

I used the perfect prep machine, which basically does shot of boiling water, then tops up with cool and is ready to feed

You can boil the water and keep it in a thermos.. throughout the night or day once the boiled water gets colder, you can use the bottle warmer to heat it.

Personally I dont think youd need the prep machine if you didnt want it

So when do I add the powder. After reheating the water? I’d rather not have a prep machines. I normally boil, add formula, cool and feed but I’ve been given a bottle warmer and it’s thrown me Cus I thought you couldn’t re boil kettle water and once mixed to feed within an hour? But then I read about people putting their water in the fridge, So do people boil the water refrigerate it, warm then add the powder? I know you can make them up and keep them in a thermal bag but that keeps them warm so why would you need reheat them? It’s proper confused me 😂😂

I think bottle warmers are for people that don't follow the guidelines. And also for breastmilk.

At least some of the water would need to be hot enough to kill the bacteria in the formula, minimum 70 degrees I think. So you could add boiling water, then cool boiled water from a thermos/fridge to bring to room temp and ready to feed.
I'm guessing Warmer would be useful if you made bottles in advance and wanted to warm them, or to warm expressed milk from fridge.

For making them up I know it's not recommended now but I did it the old fashioned way. Emptied and refilled kettle, boiled it and left it to cool for 30 minutes to reach the correct temperature to make bottles, added the water then equivalent number of flat scoops of powder. Shook them well, then left to cool naturally at room temperature. When cool I stored them in the fridge, they can be kept for up to 24 hours. To warm up I used boiling water and a plastic jug (we had a flask that we filled with boiling water for going out).
I think it's so much easier than messing about making them as needed. And I know most people use the perfect prep machine but sorry to me that's laziness, you don't need a machine to make bottles in my opinion. I'd only ever make them the old fashioned way, regardless of what's recommended.

You can make up 3 or 4 bottles using boiling water. Use one straight away. When others cooled put in fridge and use bottle warmer to heat up bottles when you need them.

This is how I did it. Made a few bottles at once for nighttime. I boiled the water, put in sterilised bottles, add the formula (it has to be added to boiling water to kill off bacteria) then shook the bottles and added to fridge. During the night when baby woke for a feed I put the bottle out the fridge into the bottle warmer till it was warm then fed to the baby.

I absolutely did not have time or patience to make bottles as and when needed as babies get very angry when hungry.

Call it laziness but if I can have a bottle made in the night without the faff and stops baby having to properly wake up, I'm all for the laziness.
Makes no sense to me to make them wake up and wait for me to prepare their bottle to make us feel like I'm being hardworking and we've earned it.
I exclusively breastfed until 9 months so only used the prep for middle of the night feeds until 1 year. It was quick, easy and minimal sleep disturbance for all. Much like breastfeeding.

@longtimelurkerfirsttimeposter I've just got the bottle prep machine for my second child as I can remember how frustrating it was even waiting 5-6 mins for a bottle to heat up with a baby crying in the middle of the night. I'm going for the easy life option and have no shame in it haha x

Bottle warmers are for heating chilled milk. They are crap tbh.
P.s. those thermal bags are to keep milk chilled or to keep water hot. They are not to keep milk warm

Boil kettle, cool slightly make bottles, allow to cool then store in fridge and microwave when needed (shaking to avoid hotspots).
Never had need for a bottle warmer

Used a lot of Pre made bottles too specially when out and about

Same as @happymummy12345

Used bottle warmer for reheating as I was pumping breast milk for a while but could’ve equally stuck the bottle in a jug of off the boil water for a minute or so, and did when out and about

@happymummy12345

For making them up I know it's not recommended now but I did it the old fashioned way. Emptied and refilled kettle, boiled it and left it to cool for 30 minutes to reach the correct temperature to make bottles, added the water then equivalent number of flat scoops of powder. Shook them well, then left to cool naturally at room temperature. When cool I stored them in the fridge, they can be kept for up to 24 hours. To warm up I used boiling water and a plastic jug (we had a flask that we filled with boiling water for going out). I think it's so much easier than messing about making them as needed. And I know most people use the perfect prep machine but sorry to me that's laziness, you don't need a machine to make bottles in my opinion. I'd only ever make them the old fashioned way, regardless of what's recommended.

Laziness to use the perfect prep but not lazy to make bottles up in a way that go against recent guidelines with the health and safety of the baby, with only your convenience in mind?

Ok 🙄

OP I also used the perfect prep - so easy, ideal to have a bottle ready quickly through the night and I was happy knowing any nasties in the formula will have been dealt with.

Its just the same keeping a thermos of boiling water and topping up with cool boiled water I guess, it's the concept of the perfect prep I was advocating, not necessarily the machine itself if OP doesn't want for whatever reason.

Parenthood is so hard as it is, anything that makes life easier but is still safe for baby is a win for me, especially in the wee hours! Each to their own.

@PrincessConsuelaBH can you link to something that says it’s against health and safety guidelines? Else I’m reporting your comments for scaremongering

OP my baby was fed formula that way and is thriving. Really each to their own and don’t let people try to scare you unnecessarily

I'm think it's in the red book about not pre-preparing feeds. Definitely read it somewhere like that.

But the NHS website also has information on this

'Reducing the risk of infection
Even when tins and packets of powdered infant formula are sealed, they can sometimes contain bacteria.

Bacteria multiply very fast at room temperature. Even when a feed is kept in a fridge, bacteria can still survive and multiply, although more slowly.

To reduce the risk of infection, it's best to make up feeds 1 at a time, as your baby needs them'

We used a bottle warmer to warm up premade formula from the big bottles which you buy and they go in the fridge after opening.

If we ever have another baby who can't be breastfed, (I've had one of each), I'd get a perfect prep machine and clean it with milton regularly.

Thanks @longtimelurkerfirsttimeposter That’s true and I had forgotten it!

But you can make them in the morning to use that day as long you don’t keep it for more than 24 hours.

Liquid formula can be kept for 24 hours once opened too

Everyone has to find what’s best for them, best to follow the guidelines on the formula packs surely?

Isn't it strange how quickly we forget?! I guess we have to remember so many different things for every new stage we have to let go of some information or we'd never retain anything!
Not to mention guidelines change all the time, which is why what was done a few years ago isn't the done thing now.
Ultimately we all want what's best for our babies and there's many ways of getting there!

It's been a while since I did it, as my youngest is now 8 but I always made bottles up fresh. Boiled the kettle, left to cool for 30 mins, added the formula and then cooled down in a cold jug of water until at the right temp. I didn't really have any issues doing it this way.

I never owned a plug in bottle warmer but i did have a thermos one for travelling as I'd usually buy the ready made formula cartons and pour them into a bottle and warm it up using the hot water from the thermos/bottle warmer.

@littlejalapeno

I quote from the NHS website regarding making up baby formula - 'To reduce the risk of infection, it's best to make up feeds 1 at a time, as your baby needs them.'

Which goes against the poster I initially quoted, who said - 'I know it's not recommended now but I did it the old fashioned way/stored the bottles in the fridge/it's so much easier than messing about making them as needed..'
And who then went on to say that parents who use the perfect prep machine are lazy (although they are making the bottles as recommended by the NHS with the health and safety i.e lowering the risk of infection, of the baby in mind.)

Feel free to report my post though 🤷‍♀️

Cot bumpers are still sold - doesn't mean they should be used.

Bottle warmers could be useful for expressed breast milk if the baby won't take it from the fridge, otherwise I can't see how they can he used if you're following the current guidelines for making formula.

www.firststepsnutrition.org/making-infant-milk-safely