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Calling all bottle feeders ....

How do you make the bottles up?

I know there are many different ways in which people make bottles up, just wondering what you do, to see if there is a better way for me to do it.

Emma and Liam - 2 weeks 5 days xx

Replies

  • I make them up according to the intructions on the box. Always preparing them as I need them. Once your LO is in a feeding routine, you will be able to preparing them before he starts to cry!!

    I am using powder so use boiling water freshly drawn.

    HTH
    Joanna
  • Hi, obviously some people feel they need to follow the instructions to the letter. I use colief for colic, so make them as follows. I boil the kettle, and let the water cool for at least half an hour. Put water in bottle, add milk powder and shake. Then I cool the bottles so I can add the colief to warm not hot milk. Colief in, then in the fridge. I'm happy to do it this way, as long as I use the bottles within 24 hours. Before I used the colief I used to put cooled boiled water in the fridge in the bottles, then add the powder and warm. HTH. xx mithical and James 9 weeks 2 days.
  • I sterilise bottles and then put the correct amount of boiling water in when they are done, for the day. Then I leave them on the sideboard to cool. I add the milk powder when I need it and then heat the bottles. I only keep water for 24 hours so if I dont use the water then I tip it away and resterilise the bottles. I still dont have a proper routine as the boys are all off kilter with weaning so find it difficult to stick to 2 routines and make bottles up as and when.

    Many people do it different ways and believe their way is the best/only way for them so I would do as you see best for you.

    Gemma, Ryan and Alfie 23 + 6

    p.s. When im out and at nighttime I put half the water in and the rest in a flask so I can add half boiling water if I have nowhere to heat them
  • I make 4 bottles at a time and Lizzie has 5 bottles in 24 hours so that way i know bottles are less than 24 hours old iyswim.
    I sterilise bottles, boil fresh water, let it cool for 10mins, put 6oz in each of the 4 bottles, add 6 scoops of power and then shack and put them in fridge. then when its time for a bottle I get jug of hot water and warm bottle in there giving it a good shake. I know its not how its meant to be done but it works for me image
  • Thanks ladies,

    When I first arrived home with Liam, I was making the bottles up fresh according to the instructions on the tin, but obviously with no feeding routine in place it was very difficult doing this with a very hungry baby crying. My husband works very long hours and is often out for work between 3.30am and 4.00am, so I dont really want to make his nights difficult.

    So now what I do, along with advice from the midwife (but she didnt tell me about this - right) I now pour cooled boiled water into bottles, add milk, allow to cool and place in fridge, heating when needed, and using within 24 hours! But have been thinking about this and now wonder if this is the best thing to be doing. Liam hasnt shown any signs that this isnt suiting, so presuming all is ok, but still wondering.

    How long can you keep water in the bottles for without them being in the fridge?

    xx
  • you do same as me mrs hall and i done same with DD1 and shes a fit and healthy 4 and half year old image ofcourse you have to do what you think is right for you and your baby xx
  • I keep cooled boiled water in the bottles for up to 12 hours without refrigerating them (although it's rare for me to keep any for that long!). Our kitchen is freezing though, so I guess it's a bit like keeping them in the fridge!

    I then add a couple of oz of freshly boiled water to the bottles, add the powder and serve!

    Adam has been fine on this so far...

    xx
  • We boil the kettle with fresh water first thing in the morning, and put it into a thermos flask. When making the bottles, we add water from the flask, powder & shake. We then put the bottle into a jug of cold water (or run it under the cold tap for speed!), and serve when it's at the right temperature.

    We rarely finish the flask ( 1litre) during the day, then refill it at night, in case of night feeds, or for early morning. I would say that the water stays hot for about 11 hours xx
  • I used to steralise and fill with boiling water and leave them all on the counter. When ds was hungry I would just put the powder in and heat up image now I boil the kettle when he's napping and just leave it, then whn h comes round I make the bottle just because he's in a routine ad I don't have to be so prepared iyswim?

    What I would say about advance prep is that the reason they tell you not to make it in advance is because bacteria breeds in milk very quickly, this coupled with all the lovely nutrients in it for our babies males it very easily contaminated IF bacteria is there in the first place. If you steralise your bottles correctly o wouldn't see an issue but personaly, I woulnt do it, if I make a bottle and it lies for an hour it smells different than a fresh one so I take that as a sign of reaction and it puts me off.

    If I'm going out I boil the kettle and put the hot water and powder into the bottle and put it in a thermal bag but like j said I do think it smells funny and ds seems to pull a face when I give him it so now I have a little clippy box with formula in, put a boiling water bottle in the thermal and mix when needed - I always take two sterile bottles just incase and put the measuring spoon inside one of the bottles to make sure it doesn't get dirty image hth x
  • i have always sterilsied and filled with boiling water, then left on the side til needed when we then add the milk. i do the morning ones just before we go to bed and then in the morning we just add the milk powder in, then i do the afternoon and bed one midmorning when ds has his nap, again jsut the water and add powder as and when. i also have the TT milk powder dispensers for when out and about. ds takes his bottle at room temp so no need to heat up or naything. bottles where the milk has already been added shld be used within two hours of mixing as bacteria breeds very quickly in the milk as the milk is not sterile, but i find doing the whole thing as and when too manic lol, so i feel i've foind a happy medium for us, but u will find a way that suits u best. xx
  • When lo was on 6 bottles a day i used to make them the night before by boiling the water and leaving it to cool for 25 minutes, adding the powder then a shake and in the fridge.

    Now she only has 1 bottle a day I make it the same way but first thing in the morning at the same time I make her milk for her breakfast.
  • I agree with you princess87, I find the milk smells odd too, and this is what has put me off doing it this way. Although it is very easy for us to do it this way, I dont want to be giving my baby milk that isnt that fresh!

    So ive decided that im going to sterelise, add cooled boiled water and leave on the side, adding milk and warming when required!

    So let me get this right, ive not got to put the bottles in the fridge have I when the water is in?

    and

    use bottles withing 12 hours with water in!

    Emma and Liam - 3 weeks 1 day xx
  • That's what I do!

    Bottles on the side, discard if not used within 12 hours...

  • technically I am a sippy-cup feeder now, bit this is what I did when Abby was tiny.

    Steralise the bottle, fill with the right amount of boiling water, put on teat/ring and hood, leave it on the side until I wanted to use it (must be within 12 hours) Then add the powder, heat, and serve.
  • I completeloy agree that everyone will have their own way and do waht they think's best but I thought you had to put the milk in water that was hot enough to kill the bacteria in the milk (I think the guidelines are circa 70 degress c) but should not be boiling as that kills the vitamins and nutrients as well as the bacteria.

    Like I say, there are SO many ways to do this but just thought I'd add my two pennies worth!
  • I'm the same as Gemma, boiling water in the sterilsied bottles in the morning, then add formula as I need it.
    My DS doesn't like hot milk so he drinks it cooled down at room temperature which makes it easier for me.
    xx
  • I agree with MN, in that I thought it had to be very hot water as the powder isn't sterile. I thought that they only say that it shouldn't be boiling/leave for 30 mins, due to the risk of scalding when making it?
  • I sterilise bottles and then put the correct amount of boiling water in when they are done, for the day. Then I leave them on the sideboard to cool. I add the milk powder when I need it and he has it at room temp. I only keep water for 24 hours so if I dont use the water then I tip it away and resterilise the bottles. i have allways done it like this even when used colief and it still worked xx


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