Easiest way to store bottles now rules have changed?

[nenee]

Hi there

Im due my baby girl tomorrow and wont be breast feeding like i did previously as i had a horrendous time and have been left with a benign cyst which comes and goes so breast feeding out of the window, i also have a 3 yr old and i feel if i bottle fed gives me more time with him and hubby can help out to.

My question is what is the easiest way to store milk?  iv heard u can give it to them room temp but then a health visitor said the guide lines say:

make fresh everytime let cool for 30 mins add milk and feed within 2 hrs and to do this for every feed, well theres no way im doing that every 2 or so hrs at night it would be a nightmare.

I was thinking of boiling the water then putting in sterile closed bottles and leaving to one side then when needed add milk and i think boiled water is ok for 24 hrs left on the side without going in the fridge?

would it go lumpy if at room temp? cause health visitor also said i need to heat up milk to kill the bugs in the powder as not sterile so im soooooo confused?

Any help about this would be really appreciated.

nenee

[Mashi]

You need to add the formula powder to water that is a certain temp - which I can not recall but will look it up - which works out roughly to be boiled water that has been left to cool for no longer than roughly 30 minutes. The water still needs to be very hot as formula powder is not sterile.   So leaving it on the counter after it has been boiled is not advised.

Ideally the safest and healthiest way is to make your feeds up as needed , which is what the NHS advises you do. However, it's not always possible!   We made ours up and put them in the fridge for up to 8h when DS was very young, and up to 12h when he was older...I think that it is just about looking at what the guidelines are and coming up with a way that you feel comfortable with - I know many people are not comfortable with making bottles up and putting them in the fridge the way I did.

[macsmum]

I made them up and left them in the fridge have done with all 3 of my kids , i would make up 3 in the morning that would get me through the day and them make another 3 late afternoon, that did the  evening and night,and i also had some pre amde cartons in the cupboard when ds was little, just incase or if i was going out

Emma

[nenee]

I made them up and left them in the fridge have done with all 3 of my kids , i would make up 3 in the morning that would get me through the day and them make another 3 late afternoon, that did the  evening and night,and i also had some pre amde cartons in the cupboard when ds was little, just incase or if i was going out

Emma

Hi ya

Thats exactly what i did previously and my sons were fine too, i think its the easiest way and the hot water kills the bugs off when made up then left to cool and then in the fridge so not left out to get bugs,

Do you heat them up to warm or just a little like room temp? or if htey have been in the fridge do u have to heat up warm to kill any bugs?

how many bottle sdo u have too, i only have 5 at the moment think il need more?

i think i will use the cartons for night feeds as so easy but they aent cheap

cheers
nenee

[macsmum]

Hi, i used to just warm them up a little in a jug of hot water............. and yes i agree the cartons aren't cheap, but sooooooooooooo much easier at night
especially when i started ds on the EASY routine, i didnt want to be bringing him down stairs to warm bottle up etc, so i just took the carton to bed with me with a clean bottle and did it that way, much quicker too
i had six bottles in total, it was enough..
how exciting you will soon have a lovely baby in the house

Emma

[scucci1979]

Hi there

I used to boil water, let it cool then mix the formula.  I was told to use it within a 24hour period. I would make two batches-One at night and one in the morning. At night, I would boil a kettle of water to warm up her bottle. It wasn't too bad as her bottle warmed up quickly. Some moms told me to keep boiled water in a thermos for night feeds and mix the formula when needed.   I am too fond of that idea. Another option if you are planning to have formula stored in the fridge, is using a bottle warmer.

I also used a few pre-made fourmula mixes when we went out.

Good luck!

[nenee]

Thank you for your great advice.

i think i may be swayed to use the cartons at night cause will be soooooo tired and so easy, did you lo take it at room temp?

and then make bottled for the day store in fridge and use bottle warmer and then take cartons out with me too.  do you know if theve been in fridg if you have to heat them really warm or can they be heated just to room temp?  dont want to confuse my little girl

nenee

[macsmum]

I always just heated to room temp for bottles from the fridge, when i used cartons at night i always started out well and warmed them up, but uisually after 3 months of getting up in the night i just gave at room temp, straight from the carton

[Mama2boys]

what we did was boil water cool to the right temperature and then put in a flask. So when i need to make a bottle poured the water form flask added powder gave it 5-7 minutes to cool and was all set.

[Lolly]

We used to do that, fill a thermos and make the feed fresh then refill the thermos at the same time for the next feed. At least you aren't waiting for the kettle etc as well as cooling. Both my kids have ended up on reflux formula which has to be made with cold water  so we put water into bottles in the fridge and add powder when needed then warm. Not had any problems with either method!

If you are making bottles in advance make sure they are cooled really quickly then straight in the fridge. I think you need to store them at the back of the fridge not in the door as it's colder at the back.

Laura

[macsmum]

ooh forgot that, yes store in the back of fridge amazing what i have forgotton

[josylyn15]

Hey if you still need there is a print out at the world health organization web site on how to safely make powder formula for later use.  Pics and all!

[arbour01]

FYI
the best way to kill "bugs" aka Bacteria is to boil. I use formula to mixed w EBM for my hubby to give for dream feed. I boil water and then put it into sterilized mason jars and keep it in the fridge. Then I mix the water and powder just before I am going to use it - and warm in a bottle warmer

The key is to make sure that you keep everything clean - washing everything with very hot water and soap - and washing hands just before making up formula is a good practice because our hands are always touching surfaces that have bacteria on them.

All the best