Newborn baby bottles

pawdee

Hi folks. I hope someone can answer this for me.

Can I sterilise a days worth of bottles, boil the water, cool a bit, make up the formula and pop them in the fridge? Or do I just fill the sterilised bottles with cooled boiled water ready to make up feeds as I need them? Up to now we've been using the small bottles of formula off the shelf at 95 cents a pop.

I'm typing this in a sleep deprived stupor so apologies in advance if it's a stooopid question. Maybe someone could let me know how they do it.

Thanks!

Coopaloop

pawdee wrote: »

Hi folks. I hope someone can answer this for me.

Can I sterilise a days worth of bottles, boil the water, cool a bit, make up the formula and pop them in the fridge? Or do I just fill the sterilised bottles with cooled boiled water ready to make up feeds as I need them? Up to now we've been using the small bottles of formula off the shelf at 95 cents a pop.

I'm typing this in a sleep deprived stupor so apologies in advance if it's a stooopid question. Maybe someone could let me know how they do it.

Thanks!

I think it depends on the formula you are using. With aptimal I rang the helpline and a lovely girl told me to boil 1 litre of water, let it cool for half hour, Make up bottles and store for 24 hours in the fridge, she said ideally you should make as you need but said herself who has time for that.

pawdee

I'm using Aptimal too. Sounds like the way to go. Making them up every time is a bit of a pain! Thanks very much for your advice

Moonbeam

The tommee tippee bottle prep machine is excellent . I got it on Amazon for £50 and it is my 4th and I wish I had got it before

Sligo1

Ideally you should make them up as you go along... But unless you have the perfect prep machine realistically it really isn't practical unless you've loads of time on your hands or your baby isn't likely to start screaming hungrily while you're preparing the bottle.

Most people I know, myself included, boil the water, leave cool for no more than 30minutes add To the bottles then add the formula. Then cool quickly and stash in the fridge for 24 hours. But no more than 24 hours.

Adding milk powder to cold boiled water is the least safe method and should really only be done if there is literally no other alternative.

painauchocolat

When I switched from breastfeeding my public health nurse gave me a booklet on bottle feeding that laid all the systems out really clearly. Might be worth asking for a copy? Seems to be a standard issue booklet from HSE or similar.

seventeen sheep

I rang the helpline listed on the formula tin to quiz them on all these things and why they suggest to make up feeds a certain way etc. It's well worth giving them a call with any concerns.

We sterilise bottles, then made up the next days bottles in advance.

The woman on the helpline told us that the bottles should be made up when the boiled water has been cooling for 10-30 minutes. If the water is too hot, the nutritional content may be damaged. If the water is too cold, the bottle might not be sterile. But 1L of water, left to cool for 10-30 minute, is ideal.

I asked for the reason they advise bottles shouldn't be made up in advance. She told me that it's because of cases where babies got very ill after drinking bottles that had been made up the night before and left on a kitchen counter all day. She told me it's fine to make up bottles up to 24 hours in advance, so long as they are cooled quickly and put into the fridge as soon as they are cold.

I asked why it's not advisable to microwave bottles to heat them. She said that it's purely because of the danger of hotspots. Microwaving does not damage the nutritional content. So as long as you don't overheat, and as long as you shake the bottle very well and test before giving to baby, microwaving is fine.

The Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep machine seems great, however my baby is happy to take bottles at any temperature - cold or room temperature or body temperature or warm - I don't want to get him to used to getting it at the "perfect" temperature every time, as the machine won't be there all the time! I don't have one and don't want one, it's just easier to have the bottles ready in the fridge in advance, to be heated when needed.

January

Sligo1 wrote: »

Ideally you should make them up as you go along... But unless you have the perfect prep machine realistically it really isn't practical unless you've loads of time on your hands or your baby isn't likely to start screaming hungrily while you're preparing the bottle.

Most people I know, myself included, boil the water, leave cool for no more than 30minutes add To the bottles then add the formula. Then cool quickly and stash in the fridge for 24 hours. But no more than 24 hours.

Adding milk powder to cold boiled water is the least safe method and should really only be done if there is literally no other alternative.

Unless it's the way the formula has to be made which is the case with the formula my baby is on has to be made.

Sligo1

January wrote: »

Unless it's the way the formula has to be made which is the case with the formula my baby is on has to be made.

Yep sorry I would've said that but OP is using aptimal so I just iterated the guidelines that would be appropriate to him/her for making up regular aptimal formula.

Suziebear

I used the same formula for both my kids. The youngest is still on it. Here's what I've always done.. I boil a kettle of water and pour it into a plastic jug that has a lid when cool. You now have cooled boiled water to use. I make the bottles as I need them so no need for storing in fridge. If you want a warmer bottle then fill a small flask to save u boiling water each time. Put part cooled water and part boiling water from flask. I find the formula dissolves better if the water isn't cold. Very handy if you're doing night feeds. No need to leave the bedroom!!! Having the cooled boiled water ready is very handy, especially if you're going out. I find got water doesn't work well in a sealed bottle!!
That's what I do anyway and it's made life very easy. They age suggest in the hospital last time to make them up and put them in the fridge but I found that was a disaster
Hope this helps.

seventeen sheep

Suziebear wrote: »

I used the same formula for both my kids. The youngest is still on it. Here's what I've always done.. I boil a kettle of water and pour it into a plastic jug that has a lid when cool. You now have cooled boiled water to use. I make the bottles as I need them so no need for storing in fridge. If you want a warmer bottle then fill a small flask to save u boiling water each time. Put part cooled water and part boiling water from flask. I find the formula dissolves better if the water isn't cold. Very handy if you're doing night feeds. No need to leave the bedroom!!! Having the cooled boiled water ready is very handy, especially if you're going out. I find got water doesn't work well in a sealed bottle!!
That's what I do anyway and it's made life very easy. They age suggest in the hospital last time to make them up and put them in the fridge but I found that was a disaster
Hope this helps.

The problem with this method is that the formula powder itself isn't sterile, so the water needs to be at least seventy degrees to sterilise it. It's great that neither of your babies ever got ill as a result, but some babies do.

I'm not criticising you for doing it - we all make our own judgement calls about which risks we choose to take as parents - I'm just pointing out the rationale behind the advice to use boiled water that has been cooling for less than half an hour.

Sligo1

Suziebear wrote: »

I used the same formula for both my kids. The youngest is still on it. Here's what I've always done.. I boil a kettle of water and pour it into a plastic jug that has a lid when cool. You now have cooled boiled water to use. I make the bottles as I need them so no need for storing in fridge. If you want a warmer bottle then fill a small flask to save u boiling water each time. Put part cooled water and part boiling water from flask. I find the formula dissolves better if the water isn't cold. Very handy if you're doing night feeds. No need to leave the bedroom!!! Having the cooled boiled water ready is very handy, especially if you're going out. I find got water doesn't work well in a sealed bottle!!
That's what I do anyway and it's made life very easy. They age suggest in the hospital last time to make them up and put them in the fridge but I found that was a disaster
Hope this helps.

You're not really meant to add formula milk powder to cold boiled water as the milk powder is not sterile. Adding powder to cool/cold boiled water is contraindicated because cold water (or water less than 70 degrees) will not kill any harmful bacteria that may be present in the unsterile powder. It is advised NOT to do this in all health and safety guidelines for preparing bottles unless absolutely necessary.

Suziebear

Would you believe I never knew that!!!! I know I good few people that do it so I just followed their advice when I had my first. Just goes to show how wrong people can be. We've all been very lucky no one got sick so. I'll know better if I go again, lol.

Suziebear

Would you believe I never knew that!!!! I know I good few people that do it so I just followed their advice when I had my first. Just goes to show how wrong people can be. We've all been very lucky no one got sick so. I'll know better if I go again, lol.

Suucee

I made bottles that way with my first (adding formula to cooled boiled water). I hadctried bf and it didnt work out. I hadnt a clue how to make bottles and sil showed me that way so i went with it .
It wasnt until she was about 4 months that i discivered the better way.
I make a 24 hr batch now and store in the fridge. I just chuck in microwave when needed. Adding the formula to water and shaking or sticking a premade bottle in microwave it really made no difference neither is quicker but one is safer. I have a dr browne formula pitcher too which comes in handy if bottles arent ready when kettle is and was very handy when he was younger and unpredictable with quantity. Were always at home when he is due a bottle anyway as uts straight after nap time. Or morning and night.