How far in advance can you make up formula?

[15milner]

I'm back to work this week and will need to provide formula for nursery and Grandma to feed.
Can I sterilise and make up the bottles the night before, ready just to pop in the bag to take to nursery?

TIA

Alex

[stagemanager2]

Formula will stay good if refridgerated for 24hrs

if not 2hrs
but goes bad an hr after lo eats from it
 (which ever one of these comes first)

[Lolly]

I used to put the water ready in sterilised bottles and put the powder in a little pot ready for nursery so they just had to add it in and warm it (or give it at room tepm if he will take it that way!) Or the other thing you can do is put the water ready the night before and refridgerate it then add the powder before you leave and put it in a cool bag so it is chilled but hasn't been made up for too long.

It depends what you are comfortable with, lots of people make up feeds for the day, we keep bottles of water ready in the fridge. In the UK they say to make feeds fresh with freshly bolied water around 70 degrees bacause the powder isn't sterile and that should kill any bugs - but we have never had any problems adding powder to cold water and heating!

Laura

[ryan's mum]

Yes it's o.k to make them in the evening and keep refrigerated . I used to prepare all feeds for the next day the night before .

[*Nicola*]

I made them up the night before for Ciara but with Callie I do the boiled water in bottles and the formula in the little dispenser thingy.

[Fiona (Leah & Kians Mom)]

TBH I would go with the water in the bottles and then the formula in a dispenser, then there is no room for doubt. Have done this since I had dd.

[emmas]

I do the water in bottles - so much easier!  Don't know what bottles you have but if they are tommee tippee they do some pots which go inside the bottle so no room for error.

[button]

The new advice in Ireland is the 30 minute rule, i.e. boil the kettle once and let it coll for 30 Min's and then make your bottle.
This is a link to some info on it:
http://www.safefood.eu/article.asp?article=2246
and if you click on download booklet at the end it gives you all the info on why to do the 30 minute rule, it advocates making bottles as you go (I couldn't do it) but says its also OK to make in advance, cool quickly store for 24 hours and heat as needed for no longer than 15 mins.
I could never make then as I go but for the above reason I make them using the 30 minute rule the night before but I know of loads of friends who have the water ready in sterilised bottles and put the powder in a little container  & never had any problems.

[15milner]

Thanks everyone - one less thing to do on Thursday morning!!