Talk to me about room temperature bottles and other questions

[babybarr]

So the plan is to bottle feed these two!

Everyone I have spoken to has suggested serving the bottles at room temperature to save time with heating etc and I just wondered how people went about this.

Is it a case of sterilise bottles, boil water, fill bottles and leave them on the kitchen side and then add the powder at the last minute, mix and serve?

How long is the water ok left in the bottle on the side?  How long is it ok for the milk to be left made up?  What do you do when you go out - do you take the water and milk separately or do you just add the milk before and just leave the bottle till you need it?

TIA

[my3girlsjde]

Once I had a system down, this was so much easier

I would boil my water and leave it in a jug at room temp. I would only make enough for a day so I didn't worry about it going stale or anything. I would also steralize the jug every day. When it came time for a feed, I would pour the water in the bottle and add formula and shake. With E I had a separate shakers bottle with a metal coil to help break up the sticky powder because HAF is super clumpy. If going out, I would prepare the bottles with water and leave them in the diaper bag until needed. I had an awesome little powder container with a flip top and compartments made just for this (very cheap at any baby store) then shake and feed.

With my big girls I made the mistake.of making up a jug of formula and refridgerating it and I would have to heat each bottle and carry it in an insulated cooler  PITA!!!!! Warm is actually warmer than bf so I would actually think less natural iykwim.

I loved the room temp and making as I went - I had lots of help from los who loved to shake things. Perhaps something O would enjoy?

[Lolly]

I have a health warning for you! If you are using powdered formula then you need to make the bottles with water that is no less than 70 degrees centigrade (kettle boiled once and left to cool for about 20 mins) because the powder isn't sterile and you need the water at that temp to kill bacteria. There is a specific bacteria that is found in formula which can cause problems, particularly in young babies.

This link is the WHO guide http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/PIF_Bottle_en.pdf

When DS was tiny we made each bottle fresh and then ran it under the tap to cool. We kept a thermos flask filled with hot water, made the bottle from that and then re-filled it so it was ready for the next bottle which saved waiting for the kettle.

We did eventually make bottles with cold water from bottles I had pre-filled because their reflux formula mixed better with cold, they were 6 months (ish) by then so I was comfortable with the risk. If you sterilise a bottle and fill it with once boiled water, put the teat and cap on straight away and leave to cool it stays sterile for 24 hours providing it's not opened until you need it.

Laura

[*happy*]

was just about to post with what we did, but Lolly explained it much better than i could have!!!(FWIW, & a slight aside, but she also held my hand & guided me in the right direction-time & time again while i figured out the whole FF-thing!thanks again Lolly!DD has you to thank for not being poisoned!!!!)
i foudn it handiest to use the cartons of formula if we were out & about for a feed....they are more expensive, but it was stress-free,iywim!?! i used to buy them in a specific pharmacy(not sure if i can say the name!?) so that i was collecting points at the same time & didn't feel so guilty about taking the "short-cut!"

[koe2moe]

What I did was to put boiling water with formula (just enough to dissolve it) and then add enough boiled cooled water to the required temp.  That is way faster. 

I keep a flask of boiling water and a jug of covered cooled boiled water.  I measured out formula in those boxes for out and about even at home.  You will get the hang of how much hot water with cooled water for the desired temperature. 

[Shiv52]

Yup needs to be made with hot water each time. You can't use cooled boiled water to make up bottles.

My friend who has twins said she got into a routine of making the bottles up before she knew they needed fed. The only way she said she kept sane was being quite regimented and feeding 3 hourly or whatever so she'd start preparing them a bit before that to avoid two screaming starving babies.  I can't remember what she said but there is also a time frame for how long you can leave a bottle sitting so you can't make it too early.

For out and about she used the pre-prepared cartons but at family etc she brought powder in those wee contrapractions you get and just made them as normal.

[Lolly]

What I did was to put boiling water with formula (just enough to dissolve it) and then add enough boiled cooled water to the required temp.  That is way faster.   

The only problem with this method is that you may not be adding the correct amount of water. When you add the powder it displaces the water and creates more volume so a 6oz bottle actually looks like a 6.5/7oz bottle but it contains 6oz of water and 6oz worth of nutrients and calories. If you don't put the correct amount of water into the bottle first you may not be diluting the formula to the correct ratio which is potentially dangerous especially if there isn't enough water.

I can't remember what she said but there is also a time frame for how long you can leave a bottle sitting so you can't make it too early.

Yes! A freshly made bottle is good for 2 hours at room temp BUT once it has been drunk from it need to be used/ discarded by 1 hour because of bacteria washing back into the bottle from the baby's mouth.

Laura

[koe2moe]

What I did was to put boiling water with formula (just enough to dissolve it) and then add enough boiled cooled water to the required temp.  That is way faster.   

The only problem with this method is that you may not be adding the correct amount of water. When you add the powder it displaces the water and creates more volume so a 6oz bottle actually looks like a 6.5/7oz bottle but it contains 6oz of water and 6oz worth of nutrients and calories. If you don't put the correct amount of water into the bottle first you may not be diluting the formula to the correct ratio which is potentially dangerous especially if there isn't enough water.

it is fairly easy to work out the end volume, just by doing it.  Write it down.  On our formula box it has the amounts with water added and the end volume listed.   Eg, 1 scoop, x g., 30ml water, you get 33ml formula, etc.

[babybarr]

Pre-prepared cartons - of course   With O he had soya milk so everything had to be made.  His milk also *only* mixed with boiling water else it'd remain lumpy.  I used to make his bottles for the day and then heat them individually.

So what you're saying is really there's not easy way of making room temperature bottles I'm guessing the people I know who do it are maybe not aware of the risks

I guess I could make all the bottles with milk and then leave two out on the side a bit before feeding time? (if I remember and if not warm through a bit?) just the night time will be a pain.

Any other thoughts?  Vicki what would you do?

[koe2moe]

If you are going to make them and keep them in the fridge, I would add boiling water to it to warm it up which is fast and safe. 

[babybarr]

If you are going to make them and keep them in the fridge, I would add boiling water to it to warm it up which is fast and safe. 

So you;d make a smaller amount and then add the additional boiling water???

[koe2moe]

Yes.  Say 3 scoops to make up with 90ml water to make 100ml formula.  I would add say 60ml first and then add 30 before feeding.  You will work out the magic number very quickly.  I write it down for DH to mix.  I suspect for chilled milk, you might need close to half the amount to warm it.  Bear in mind you want to get them used to room temperature but we were going for hand warm.  It was a real PITA as DS really refused anything cooler even at 3 (for cow's milk, ie).

[babybarr]

I'd really hoped I was going to be saving myself some time... clearly not

[Lolly]

We found keeping a flask of hot water quick at night. The water was hot and ready and it only take a couple of mins to cool under running cold water.


Laura

[koe2moe]

Keeping a flask of hot water and then add cooled water was the fastest!  No need to premake and no wastage.  Cooling under water took too long.  We had a very hungry baby.  (in the end, we changed to hungry baby formula so that the feeds were not every 2 hours at 4 mo!). 

[Shiv52]

A flask of water for nights sounds like a plan.

 

Yes! A freshly made bottle is good for 2 hours at room temp BUT once it has been drunk from it need to be used/ discarded by 1 hour because of bacteria washing back into the bottle from the baby's mouth.

And what about if you make them the way Koe is saying and leave them in the fridge?  I didn't think that was considered safe to make up any amount of formula and leave it for more than two hours even if adding more boiled water. But then I guess if you're having to add boiled water anyways its not going to save time really.

[Lolly]

The WHO leaflet does say you can make up the bottles with water, leave at room temp then add powder if you DON'T have access to freshly boiled water but it's not the safest way.

If you do make up bottles and keep in the fridge they have to be rapidly cooled and then used within 24 hours. They have to be kept at the back of the fridge not the door because it's colder.

I don't think you are saving time either. I'd also be worried I wasn't getting the amount of water right if I was making the formula more concentrated then adding cold/hot water. UK formula boxes don't tell you what the volume would be after the powder is added so you would have to be pretty accurate measuring into the bottle and there's no way I could work out adding another x amount of water in the middle of the night unless I measured it out into another bottle and then that need sterilising too!

We could get a bottle made and cooled in the time it takes to boil the kettle to refill the flask in the middle of the night by having a flask of hot water to hand! We used to put the amount of powder ready in a pot before we went to bed too so no measuring - just dump in and swirl!

Laura

[creations]

I'm guessing the people I know who do it are maybe not aware of the risks

There are a whole lot of people out there unaware of the risks.
One of the bacteria which can be found in powdered formula is salmonella, remember the big salmonella scare? (maybe not, I am likely much older than you) Parents are frequently wary of feeding a 6-12 month old a cooked egg, which in the UK are lion marked to show the hens have been vaccinated and there is a very very low risk of salmonella, and yet the same parents fed their new borns formula made with cold water.

There is a way which adheres to the guides and that is the way it was done about a generation back, make the bottles up (hot water that has only boiled once as previously said), rapid cool, then keep them in the bottom back of the fridge.  The ideal is to make each bottle fresh as needed, but this method (to make up bottles in advance) is also listed as acceptable in the 'birth to 5' book new mums are issued with (ask HV for one) which I believe is the same as the WHO info (though not been to read it recently).

Depending how long you plan to be out it's possible to make up a feed and take the bottle out with you, like Laura said it's good for 2 hrs so you have a 2 hr window to the feed time and a further 2 or 3 (or later 4) hrs until the next feed is due by which time you may be home and able to make the next feed fresh.  That's a pretty long time to be out.  You can also carry bottles in a cool bag with a freezer block in it (available at the £1 shop) although that's added weight.

Another thought - feed straight from the fridge   Mine took it fine and many do.  I chose to use pre-made formula for all feeds (no guilt here Happy, we can all spend our money where we choose hey ) and poured into a sterile bottle just before a feed was due. I used large cartons which are kept in the fridge.  Depending where we were going I would either fill a sterile bottle up just before heading out or take a carton, a pair of clean scissors and an empty sterile bottle with me. DS drank it room temp if it was a new carton I'd just opened or fridge temp if it was a pre-opened carton stored in the fridge.  it made no difference to him and totally avoid having to wait for something to get to room temp or to warm it with jugs of water or whatever when you are out.  It really cuts down on the hassle whilst sticking to feeding guidelines and eliminates the difficulty of night time bottles needing to be brought up to room temp too.

oh posted, same time as a couple of others, I see Laura has replied about keeping bottles in the fridge too.

[creations]

If you do make up bottles and keep in the fridge they have to be rapidly cooled and then used within 24 hours. They have to be kept at the back of the fridge not the door because it's colder.

Oh and if you did choose to do this rapid cooling can be done by keeping 2 or 3 freezer blocks in your freezer, drop them in the kitchen sink filled with cold water in the morning whilst you wait for the kettle to boil, cool a little then make up your bottles.  By this time the freezer blocks will have further chilled the sink of water. Seal the bottles, lids on, then stand them all in the sink. After rapid cooling, bottom back of the fridge like Laura said and freezer blocks back into the freezer will be ready to use again the next morning.

[my3girlsjde]

Wow! I had zero idea about that!   

Well I think I would go back to what I did with my big girls and having a 24 hr supply ready in the fridge, because in my twin night-fog nights I most definitely would forget to take hot water to bed with me. No kidding. I used an ice cream bucket to put hot tap water in to warm them up, and yes it was a PITA but compared to the thought of it not being safe I would go back to the fridge bit. Especially since when we went out, the odd time I gave them cold bottles out of a cooler and they took them with little issue. Why I didn't think to continue with cold bottles I have no idea I think we all have been ingrained with the belief that their bottles have to be warm.

Every morning when I was fresh I would do a batch either in the jug or if I was really ambitious I would fill all of the bottles and line them up in the fridge. I would boil my water while I cleaned the bottles and steralized them, and by the time they were dry the formula was ready to bottle or put in the jug. Considering the options with having to mix with warm water and either refridgerate or use, I would try the cold route if I had to do it all over. If money wasn't an option, the liquid ready to go mix would be the way I would go but it's awfully expensive for two. We used a bit of it and cost quite a bit that way.

I hope that helps

[creations]

the liquid ready to go mix would be the way I would go but it's awfully expensive for two

it is more expensive.

Cloth nappies and wipes! Save LOTS of £££s and use some of the saved £s on the convenience of ready-to-drink.  It takes 2 mins to load the washing machine and no more than 10 mins to stuff the nappies so they are just as easy and convenient as a disposable.  It would take more than 10 mins of your day making formula up so in effect you save money AND time, more time for cuddles with lovely little babies 

[Lindsay27]

I pre-mixed my formula for the day every morning since it is good in the fridge for 24hrs.  I had 2 containers that I sterilized when I sterilized the bottles and I had pre-measured and drew a line on each container indicating how much water I needed.  I can't remember what the exact measurements were but I think each container was enough for 3 bottles, so x amount of scoops and then I filled with the boiled water (I would wait 20-30 mins before mixing) up to the pre-indicated line.  This way I only mixed formula once a day and I poured it into the bottles and stored in the fridge.  I hope that makes sense?

To warm the bottles I left a kettle on the counter and boiled water and I would just put the bottle in the hot water for a few mins.  I do wish I had a better system at night though because I would usually have to bring Ben with me to the kitchen to warm the bottle in the middle of the night because if I left him in his crib he would just scream, but bringing him to the kitchen was counter productive because it usually woke him more.

[*Kara*]

I didn't use powdered formula simply because of the boiled water issue... I used concentrate... you mix it 1:1 with water and since the concentrate is sterile, it was no big deal to boil my kettle and let it cool right down (I used to leave it about 30mins and it would be warm, but not hot)... mixed in the designated formula jug and popped into the fridge.  I poured a bottle as needed and used an electric bottle warmer... took 4-5 mins to heat 4 ozs from the fridge and about 6 mins to warm a full 8 ozs from the fridge.

As for night feeds, I did the same thing... we had a system!  I would hear DD stir over the monitor - DH would run downstairs and warm the bottle while I went to her room and changed her bum... by the time I was done, he would arrive with the bottle (and he went back to bed).. he was awake 10 mins or less and I was back in bed in about 20-30 mins.  Worked a treat to get the NF done quickly!

[ZacsMumme]

What we did for T in the big particularly was this

Keeping a flask of hot water and then add cooled water was the fastest!  No need to premake and no wastage.  Cooling under water took too long.  We had a very hungry baby.  (in the end, we changed to hungry baby formula so that the feeds were not every 2 hours at 4 mo!). 

But rather than a flask I just had a the kettle always with 2 cups or so of water in it ready to boil, and cooled boiled water next to me already ready. I learnt pretty quick the right amount so would use a diff bottle to measure up straight it the bottle ie the formula in it. I 2oz of boiled, shake, add 5 more of cooled. Shake, test and feed.

[my3girlsjde]

But rather than a flask I just had a the kettle always with 2 cups or so of water in it ready to boil, and cooled boiled water next to me already ready. I learnt pretty quick the right amount so would use a diff bottle to measure up straight it the bottle ie the formula in it. I 2oz of boiled, shake, add 5 more of cooled. Shake, test and feed.

I'm starting to like this idea.......but how to make it all faster for when out with them?

[babybarr]

Kara what is concentrate formula?  Not sure we have that here??

I would usually have to bring Ben with me to the kitchen to warm the bottle in the middle of the night because if I left him in his crib he would just scream, but bringing him to the kitchen was counter productive because it usually woke him more.

And this is something i won't be able to do very easily with two screaming bubs!!  Hence with DS I used to use the microwave and shake.

TBH I am now more confused than ever!!!

So I have three options...
1. Premake formula (either in a jug or already in bottles) store in fridge and warm - this is what I did with O.  Now I know that ideally btls are supposed to be made up fresh but in the hospital they use this method.  They would make his bottles for the day leave in the fridge for me to warm.  With O I just put them straight at the back of the fridge after making them, I didn't know about fast cooling them... best way is to chuck into a bowl of cold water yes??
2. Premake some sort of more concentrated formula and then add cooled / boiling water to make to the correct level - I honestly am not sure about this and not sure my frazzled brain would be able to cope with this !!!!
3. Make btls and serve them cold straight from fridge.

Cloth nappies and wipes! Save LOTS of £££s and use some of the saved £s on the convenience of ready-to-drink

The idea of this freaks me out even more!!!  Honestly I'm sure you are right, but washing nappies in addition to twice as many baby clothes / linen is a very scary thought!!

I'm guessing once they are on fewer night feeds I may be able to swap to cartons at night to save time...

The other slight issue I have is I am using dr browns bottles (o had them so just bought another set) and shaking and warming is a pita anyway due to the air vent thing

[Lolly]

The reason to fast cool them is because if you put them into the fridge hot it makes the fridge warmer which has implications for the other stuff in your fridge! It also means the bottles take a lot longer to cool which allows time for bacteria growth. Rapid cooling is either holding them under running water or standing in a sink/bowl of iced water (Creations idea of using ice packs is a great one!).

There is no concentrated liquid formula in the UK, it's either powder or ready to feed cartons.

You aren't supposed to use the microwave for heating either (although we did ) because of hot spots etc but I guess use your common sense with that one.

I really don't think time wise there is much difference in heating a pre-made bottle from cold or cooling a hot bottle you have made from a flask of hot water. Mine wouldn't take cold or room temp formula, we tried a few times so we had to warm! The other think you may find is that powdered formula and ready to feed are a bit different texture wise so they may not swap between the two if they are having mostly powdered in the day.

With Dr Brown's it's better to swirl not shake or you get air bubbles which kind of defeats the purpose of the bottles!

It is confusing. Your best bet is to follow the directions on the formula you choose and speak to your midwife/ HV.

Laura

[ZacsMumme]

I didn't pre make it concentrated, just put the right level of boiled water in, then poured in the formula (which I had pre measured at night in tommie tippee formula travel containers) then topped up with room temp preboiled water (measuring with another bottle) so other than booing jug (which took 30 secs with not much in it) it's just pour shake, top up, shake and serve

[babybarr]

Yeah I know about not using the microwave but like you we did for ease and to bf honest as long as it's stirred after it should be fine. We stirred our Dr browns bottles. Had sterilized spoons for that job!

So Sara you'd have say3oz boiled water in one btl cooled and then measure out 3oz boiling water and mix with 6 scoops of powder mix the powder with the boiling then add the cooled to get a 6oz btl?

[ZacsMumme]

Ugh I'm confused now

So we get up to stirring baby - siiiggghhhh
1. Flick on jug
2. Pour pre measured formula for 6 oz bottle in bottle
3. Pour 3oz (or whatever your mix is to get temp) boiled water into empty bottle, or measuring cup then into bottle to ensure right ratio. Put lid on shake quickly
4. Pour 3 oz cooled water into same measuring cup/bottle (now empty) and then into bottle, put lid on and shake while walking to room to feed.

Make sense? - sounds lie, a lot of work, but once down to a fine art it was really quick YK?

[koe2moe]

We didn't have to measure the second batch of boiling water.  After you make one full bottle, mark down (even on the bottle if it helps) where it should fill up to, pour boiling water till that mark!  Swirl and done!  Does the Dr Brown system have a lid?  I used to bring cooled boiled water in the milk bottle with lid, I can shake vigourously without spill before putting the tit on.  And the lids get sterilised, too. 

[babybarr]

Pour pre measured formula for 6 oz bottle in bottle

This is the bit I'm confused about!! Clearly my baby brain is definitely not working!  I guess I'm confused because you have to measure the water and then add the powder and adding the powder makes the whole bottle bigger in volume

Perhaps you or Koe can give an example in measurements too please?!!

However I'm first going to try cold milk   gotta be worth a shot!

[Lindsay27]

We didn't have to measure the second batch of boiling water.  After you make one full bottle, mark down (even on the bottle if it helps) where it should fill up to, pour boiling water till that mark!

This is what I did.  I put in the number of scoops I needed into a container (if I remember correctly 1 scoop per 60mls of water).  So say I needed 6 scoops, I would put it into the container, and then I pre-measured 360mls of water in a measuring cup, then poured it into the container and mixed.  Once it settled I drew a line on the container with a marker indicating where the mixed formula was, so each time I knew I needed 6 scoops of formula and then I would fill up to the line with the water, and I wouldn't have to measure the water every time because the line told me how much I needed which included the increase in volume because I drew the line after it was mixed.

I hope that makes sense! LOL...it all sounds so confusing.

[creations]

Laura I think they mean one of those little plastic tubs that you can store the dry powder in. Rather than counting out x number of scoops each time you make a bottle you spend a few mins in the day counting out x number into a tub, seal, then x number into another tub, seal, and so on until you have a collection of little tubs with the right amount of powder in. This means if it is night and you are bleary eyed or day and you are heading out you have a pre-measured amount of dry powdered formula ready and don't have to take the full carton out with you or try and count in your sleepy state in the middle of the night.

From what I understand for esample a 6 oz bottle
- 3oz of cooled boiled water in bottle A
- pour 3 oz of boiled and hot water (above 70 degrees) into bottle B
- add one pre-measure out portion (x number of scoops) tub of dry powder formula to bottle B (hot water)
- shake to kill bacteria and dissolve powder
- pour bottle A (cool water) into bottle B (hot with formula)
- shake to mix

It does work out that you will have the right amount of water and the right amount of formula this way and that the bottle will be cooler than a bottle made up solely of just boiled water.

[babybarr]

Ok thanks for clarifying everything!  That is what I thought all along!!!  So technically I could make up "half bottles" so 3oz boiled and hot water with 6 scoops of powder, fast chill and refridgerate, then add warm boiled water (3oz again) to take the chill off??  I'm just trying to find the quickest way of making up the bottles when I *need* them.  I'm happy to do the prep in advance iyswim?! just when I have two screaming hungry babies I'm gonna need to be fast!

[ZacsMumme]

Yes - as creations said! And as koe says after a bit you know how much to put in anyway.
Sorry Laura...can you tell a certain small someone isn't sleeping well ATM

And yes, no reason you can't do your own concentrate if kept in the fridge I think

[creations]

Hmm...I suppose in theory yes you could but this is not one of the recommended ways from the WHO guidance (I don't recall anything in the guidance saying anything about babies crying with hunger just about what is safe, best safe, then other less-safe-safes for if the best-safe isn't possible.  Am I confusing you again )

If I had two (or even one mew one) and really couldn't do the ready-to-drink I'd make up the bottles in the morning and I'd also try feeding straight from the fridge.

Not that I have twins, but, I see baby twins IRL and they often don't eat at the same time.  Often times one is asleep whilst the other is being fed and entertained, cuddled etc.  I have also seen them both feeding at the same time though (bf).

[babybarr]

Yes I'm thinking just make them up like I did with o in the morning. Everyone I have spoken to with twins says feed them together even if you wake one. Else you end up feeding non stop! So that's my aim. I'm going to try from the fridge and failing that I'll have to warm them perhaps just to take the edge off rather than to make them warm if you get me?!  I've worked out how much it'd cost to buy ready made formula over the powder and initially I wondered about doing that but you have to keep the opened carton in the fridge so there's no point unless out of course!

[koe2moe]

Just one little thing to clarify.  I think it is best to do an experiment.  Get a box of formula now.  follow instruction on the box, 1 scoop for how much water?  mix it and see what it comes up to on the bottle.  Write it down.  (it might make more sense to do at least 3 scoops, as you don't want to miss out on the round up/down.) 

Then mix a jug the way you would want to do it.  I think the cooling off would take considerable time, unless you use ice.  (Get a feel of how long it would take, so you will not get a shock).  Then after proper chilling test how much cold (from the fridge) and how much hot water give you a good enough room temp bottle.  60ml of 5C water will not need 60ml of 100C water to come up to 23C.  Just the math doesn't sound right

AND when you run out of premade one, what are you going to do??  What is the contingency?  Pour hot water, add formula, stir, then add cooled water!    That, to me, is a must know-how!

Oh and Laura, I wanted to find your other thread but I will just add here.  As I had awful back pain that I couldn't even hold DS as a newborn, I sometimes fed him on a nursing cushion, the kind of microbeads, not the hard filled ones.  It can nicely hold a baby in place but not too high, esp. as a newborn.  You will have a hand free for twin b.  You probably can prop them both next to each other and hold both bottles.  Soon enough, they will be able to hold the bottles themselves. 

[*Kara*]

Soon enough, they will be able to hold the bottles themselves. 

Unless they are like my kid who never held her own bottle - apparently, she thought her mother was supposed to do that job

I can't believe you can't buy the concentrated liquid over there   It's a big time saver for sure and costs about the same as powder does...

What about doing the premade for the first few months until you get everything into a bit of a routine?  Then moving to powder once you feel a little more in control of things?

I have a few friends with twins and all of them did feed both at the same time, even if they had to wake one during the night to eat.  That said, they aren't much help to us here - all 3 of them exclusively BFd.

I used the microwave once DD was a bit older... the hot spots risk can be eliminated by a good shake of the bottle (or more specifically, turning it over on itself 10 times).  Had i known that there wasn't actually a risk to the formula itself - I would have used the micro much sooner!

[babybarr]

Ok so I'm back! Both boys will drink milk which is room temp (premade formula) they will also take it from the fridge although not as keen so I've been literally takin the edge off it with a minute or less in warm water. Now dh is freaking about how much the ready made stuff is so thinking about swapping to powdered formula for during the day and perhaps cartons for the night. I'd like 2 make up the milk in a large jug or pitcher first and store in fridge but how do I sterilize the jug or do I need to buy something specific?  I have a steam sterilizer but my large jug wouldn't fit and also don't want to fill up a massive bowl with sterilizing solution just for that.Thoughts?

Can I sterilize the inside of the jug only with water in it in the microwave for instance ? I just know it'll be quicker than doing the individual bottles.

[Lindsay27]

Do you have a big pot you could boil it in?  My friend has twin boys and she used to use a large stock-pot and boil the bottles and containers once a day at night while her DH was doing bath time and then she would pre-make the formula for the night feeds after everything was sterilized because it is good if kept in the fridge for 24hrs.  During the day I think she did room temperature bottles.

[Shdef]

We had two flasks, one with boiled hot water, one with boiled cold water. And a container for the formula. I would make each bottle fresh, mix the powder with the hot water then add the cool water until perfect temp. It was quite easy.

And as someone mentioned, it has to be done above 70° when mixing with the formula. But not boiling either.

[Mashi]

To sterilise the jug you could use Milton?

[creations]

Do you have a dish washer? I don't but I hear that in the US many people only use the dish washer for bottles etc and don't use the sterilisers or solutions?
is your fridge big enough to keep a jug/pitcher of formula in the bottom back?  I just can't imagine rearranging my fridge to fit that in, bottles are smaller, or do you mean to make up the large amount in the jug and then fill bottles to go in the fridge?  Not that it really matters to your question, I was just being nosey.

[Lolly]

Do you have a dish washer? I don't but I hear that in the US many people only use the dish washer for bottles etc and don't use the sterilisers or solutions?

Apparently UK dishwashers wash at a lower temp than US dishwashers so don't sterilise in the same way that the US ones do. Not sure if that's still true but would be worth looking into to check!

If you filled a jug up with Milton solution and left it for the 15 mins it would be sterile on the inside if you then used it straight away. I would just line the bottles up and make them up individually all in one go though then you know they are definitely sterile.

Laura

[Shdef]

You can buy dishwashers with a sterilising function. The setting says 70+ or something like that. It's really handy in combination with the dishwasher bottle and teat holders. Has to be done at the top shelf.

[babybarr]

Tryin to save time as every day atm I'm making 16 2oz bottles hence wanting to make the milk in a jug as it will be far quicker. I'll have to have a think. I have sterilizing solution so will see if I can get a suitable container to put the whole jug in perhaps?

[Urbsvox]

They sell pediatric or "nursery" water here in the States that's already sterilized, so I'd fill up my bottles with the correct amount of water and bring them into the nursery with me (I sleep in the nursery with the baby's crib) along with the carton of powder formula.  That was the easiest way for me to mix a bottle in the dark and serve it immediately at room temperature. Unfortunately, our pediatrician switched her formula to Similac Alimentum (hypoallergenic) and although there is a powder version, my daughter will only drink the ready to feed liquid.  Since it has to be refrigerated, I have to warm it up for her.  She was taking it cold, straight out of the fridge, but went on a food strike and now will only eat if it's warm, almost hot.  The good part about the RTF is that there is no Cronobacter worry; the liquid is sterilized.