Making bottles in advance?

[Yellowflower123]

Hello everyone

So I'm prepping for when baby is born but just need to decide on this whole new world of feeding 😅

Apologies for the mind diarrhoea...

So I was thinking of getting the tommee tippee prep machine, especially for at night. However the minimum it makes is 4oz which means a waste of formula and would require new filters every 4 weeks (so cost involved).

I was thinking the alternative would be, would it be OK to make formula bottles in advance and put them in thr fridge for over night? They way I could take them out and put them in the tommee tippee warmer instead? (And not worry about wasting formula or buying new filters). I know it's controversial making them in advance but just wanted to know the general consensus!

Thank you

Yep make in advance and fridge, warm up for a few mins when needed! Makes life a lot easier.

I was going to tell you what I did, but then I realised why it was actually not a good idea.. so I won’t tell you.

Himdsight is an interesting thing..

I’ve always made them in advance and popped them in the fridge. Then just warmed them up through the night as I needed them.
Was considering getting a prep machine this time but it wasn’t particularly hard preparing bottles before so I think il just stick to the old fashioned way!

I used the ready made stuff for night feeds.

You can absolutely make in advance but with the prep machine.
My baby very quickly when from 2 or 3 oz to 4 oz within weeks. We also didn't mind making a bit more and throwing out an oz here and there.
Also the filter doesn't need to be changed that often the light comes on and it comes about every 2 months.
You can buy 2 oz bottles pre made which we used a fair bit before baby took bigger bottles. You can also use these sore made bottles and take a sterilised bottle to bed with you then just open and pour in. My baby didn't need the milk heated.

DD is almost 18 and for her I used to make up 6 bottles last thing before bed and put them in the fridge (24 hours worth). When I had DS a few years later the MW advised me that the guidelines had changed and that it was no longer advised.
I did it anyway
So it’s NOT the guidance now but it’s not illegal or anything so it’s your choice

Yep but the bottle warmer is rubbish so I wouldn't bother using that. Quicker to boil the kettle.

Making in advance and putting in the fridge is fine.

If you're looking for ease and low waste for the first few days / weeks (as they're up to 4oz in no time) buy the cartons of pre made stuff. Expensive, but very easy!!

Be aware prep machines aren’t advised by the NHS as there are safety concerns with them.

I always made my DDs in advance.

As alternatives, have you considered breastfeeding or ready made formula? When you factor in the cost of the prep machine and tins of powder (and electricity), the ready made stuff might work out cheaper, idk.

There are even formula bottles with teats to make it really easy now, I was given some in hospital with DC2 (not uk) although I’m not sure they’re great for the environment.

And breastfeeding can be really easy, depends on the baby, but when costing it up don’t forget the 400 extra cals you need to eat daily. I only breastfed in the first place because I couldn’t be bothered with making sense of the formula aisle and all the rules about how to make the stuff, it overwhelmed me!

Just to add more options to the minefied lmao! 🤣

I know that new mothers are now told not to make bottles in advance. However, this is stupid imo and I'd definitely make them in advance

The guidelines that midwives wete issues saying these aren't safe was issues in 2016 so it's very dated and most midwives now will tell you they can't recommend them but most if they young kids and FF have them.

Why don’t you do your own perfect prep? Shot
of fresh boiled water or water from thermos and top up with cool water?

I did the day ones fresh but made up the night ones in advance. We used the Philips Avent bottle warmer and found it really good. Whilst it’s not the first recommendation by the WHO, if you look at their advice on it, they do say you can do it this way if that is your only option.

Also, after 6 months they can drink water straight out of the tap. At that point we would make up the formula with half the boiling water needed. Once mixed we would add cold from the tap. I had a friend who used to just throw an ice cube in.

Yeah you can make them in advance, we have a babybreza so we can make smaller amounts of formula when needed, its been brilliant.

I still make all mine in advance…. With an actual kettle. Never killed a kid yet. You’ll be fine. Our mums never even put them in the fridge. They just left them in a pantry all day

I've got two little ones - 4yrs and 1yr - and we did this with both of them without any issues. DC1 only had 1 stomach bug under 1 and I'm sure that was from nursery as we were told it was going round the room at the time. DC2 so far has never had one.

Personally I wouldn’t bother warming them, you’re just setting yourself up for more work. I used to express and keep in the fridge and give it to them straight from there! Especially if you’re going to use ready made out, saves bringing warmers/getting hot water. The Mam bottles are great, but they can’t be put in a bowl of hot water to warm up as they leak!

As long as you rapid cool them before putting in the fridge they will probably be fine. I know this goes against current advise but I can't help but think the reason they stopped suggesting making bottles in advance is because people left them on the side for hours to cool and they went bad. I used to make 6 then out then in a lasher pit in the sink under a cold tap until they were cool.

I always did 24hr worth, cool quickly in a sink of water and refrigerate. I also never heated any milk, they always drank it straight from the fridge, from birth onwards. Hugely reduces bacterial growth. I’ve had 6 children.

We do 24 hours worth the night before, fridge then microwave for 30-45 seconds! We used to use the bottle warmer when he was tiny but now he just drinks them whatever temperature

I formula fed my first child and made all bottles from fresh. We had a hot water dispenser so I could easily make a hot shot then top up with cold water. I had read somewhere that since preparing bottles in advance wasn't recommended anymore, rates of stomach bugs in babies declined. I did some research and found out that the safest way to prepare in advance was to flash-cool, so the milk drops in temperature rapidly with less time for bacteria to grow. I was always too nervous to risk it though. Other people seem to have done it without incident though.

Yep thats what i doz most important bit is that the formula powder hits the hot water to sterilise it, then quickly cool and pop in fridge ready for next day

We made all bottles in advance for my 3 , by the 3rd the guidance had changed and for a very short while i made them as needed, but i decided there was possibly more chance of bacteria etc this way so went back to making in advance as method hadn't failed us before.
We were scrupulously clean and never had any problems.
I think a lot of the guidance was aimed at parents microwaving to heat incorrectly and potential burns , but as usual guidance changes aimed at the masses just in case.