Change in Formula Preparation

Chesty LaRue

Does anyone know why they changed the preparation of formula? i.e. cant make up several bottles, store in fridge and use as required. This is how it has been done for as long as I can remember. Now, it is recommended that the bottles be made as needed. I have spoken to several nurses, PHN's and a scientist who think it is ridiculous and told me to do as it as always been done. Just to make sure hands are washed and all utensils are sterilised. However, I am like most Moms and nervous to do so just in case he gets an upset tummy...I will automatically think it is because of the way I made the bottle!!!! What do you think??????

January

Been making them in advance with Saoirse and she hasn't gotten any tummy bug yet! To be honest the PHN never told me about the change... so I just carried on the way I did with Addison.

I think it's due to studies been done constantly that they change guidelines every so often.

LashingLady

I think when they changed it they were trying to take ALL the risk out of the guidelines.

With making them in advance and storing in the fridge if you don't let them cool quickly enough then there's a risk of bacteria. BUT if stand them in a sink or bowl of cold water once you add the formula, then move them straight to the fridge then I don't think there's any problem.

If you're going out then store them in one of those coldpack bags (avent do them and they hold 2 bottles) and they stay cold for 8 hours.

You can also make bottles by just filling as many sterilised bottles as you will need for the day with the boiled water, and and then adding the formula to each bottle when you are giving the feed. But I don't think I would do this with a baby younger than about 6 weeks, as the formula powder isn't sterile you need the water to be hot to kill any harmful bacteria.

So the long and short of it is I think the "old" way of doing it is still perfectly fine as long as you cool them quickly and keep them in the fridge.

beachbabe

AFAIK they changed it when a baby in Britain died as it's formula was made wrong. The thinking now is if you make a bottle wrong, better to make 1 wrong, not a whole batch. My PHN said the old way is fine, once it's done right.
I work in a paediatric hospital where the bottles are made in batches, enough for 24 hrs. If it is good enough for sick children it's good enough for me!

Das Kitty

I've been using the boiled water in the bottles and adding the formula at each feed method, he's only been having formula since 11 weeks though so I don't know if I would have done that when he was really little. It works perfect for us as some days he might have one less bottle and the formula doesn't get wasted.

bulmersgal

Oops I've been doing it wrong so, I've been leaving boiled water in the fridge and then just adding formula when I need the bottle and Elisha is only 4 weeks old. Ah she hasn't had upset stomach and never get sick after her bottle. Think i'll keep doing it this way as she is really coming on great drinking 5ozs now at each bottle for past 2 weeks.

Kimono-Girl

as far i know it was a way of them covering themselves in the case of babies getting sick over parents leaving bottles stand around all day this way they can claim in the event of a lawsuit that the parents didn't make the bottle fresh as per their instructions.


honestly from day 1 we made them in batches and so far we have had no problems, we just made up the powder and boiling water in the bottles and put them in the fridge,as this is how my mum did it for my sister. there was no way we could make it up fresh each time having to wait the 30 mins for the kettle to cool, then wait for the 1 bottle to cool,then do it all over again, i was all over the place and found it to be too much planning in the first few weeks, i don't think there is a right way or wrong way, as long as it works ok for your baby.

Chesty LaRue

thanks everyone for your replies. Think I will try the old method and make some bottles up for the fridge. We have been boiling water, filling the bottles and adding the formula as needed. So we have been putting the formula into cold water and heating each time. Am I correct in saying this is the wrong way and I should boil the kettle EVERY time I need to feed DS? This is not possible, as he feeds every 2 to 2and half hrs.

So......boil water, leave to cool for 30mins. Add formula and store in fridge?
Bottles will be slightly warm going into fridge? This correct?

cbyrd

I have an airtight jug and in the morning i boil the water make the first bottle and then i have the water for the rest of the day, either for milk or water drinks... i put the water in the bottle heat in the microwave for 40 seconds and then i add the formula. i've been doing this since he started bottles. he's on the comfort formula which needs hotter water to make it otherwise it goes like paste..ugh..

unless i'm going out and i need one or 2 bottles i make them and bring them with me..when the bottle is sterilised and the water is sterilised there really shouldn't be a problem with bacteria unless it's more than 24 hours old..;)

caprilicious

Chesty I found it very frustrating also as the conflicting advice about making bottles up.

Originally I was boiling & cooling jug of water each day, keeping it at room temperature (sealed jug kept on the counter), filling bottles each time with approx 2/3 cooled boiled water & topping up with freshly boiled water to take chill out of bottle then adding the formula.

Then when I read that people still make them up safely in batches I started making up batches, storing them in the fridge & reheating with a bottle warmer.

Then I started to worry about having the bottles made up for too long so I'm boiling up water, filling the bottles with the boiling water and leaving them (sealed) on the counter til I need them.
I then add the formula & mix with a Clevamamma formula mixer thingy & serve straight away at room temperature/don't heat.

I'm probably still doing it wrong and it does worry me, but the one consolation is she has not once had an upset tummy since birth & she's 9 weeks old today.

I am meticulous about scrubbing and sterilising all her bottles/soothers & my hands before preparing each feed so hopefully that helps.

I think as with most things to do with being a mammy there's several ways of doing it and when our kids are grown up (please God happy & healthy!) we will be told that we were doing it all wrong!
My mum finds that a lot, things that were fine to do when I was a kid (ie carry baby on your lap in car/no car seat :eek:) is a complete no no nowadays.

LashingLady

Chesty LaRue wrote: »

So......boil water, leave to cool for 30mins. Add formula and store in fridge?
Bottles will be slightly warm going into fridge? This correct?

Chesty, if you are going to make up a batch then after you add the formula you need to stand the bottles in a sink or bowl of cold water to cool them. Once they are cool then put them in the fridge. The risk of the process is if they are left warm for too long. The bottles are good for 24 hours in the fridge. I used to do them before I went to bed and I would make enough to do me til the 7pm bottle the next night.

I found when he was little and I was doing 6 or 8 bottles and they were very hot that I had the change the cold water in the sink or bowl after a couple of mins but they cooled down very quickly after that.

Chesty LaRue

Aaagghhhh, I am so confused . Everyone is doing it differently!

We too were filling the bottles with boiling water and leaving them to stand and adding the formula as required and giving at room temp - (during the night after standing for a while the milk is actually quite cold). But past wk he is having discomfort drinking some of his bottles and seems to prefer them warm (helps to shift wind). So last night I made up some bottles and stored them in fridge and heated in microwave (I know, another no-no)!!! and he drank them v. calmly. Fingers crossed all ok.

Sorry for my ignorance...but what is the difference in cooling the bottles in water first before putting them in the fridge? Wont they cool either way?

Das Kitty

They will but you're supposed to cool them rapidly once the formula is in as it provides food for any bacteria. That and it puts extra strain on your fridge to cool down something from hot.

caprilicious

This is from safefood.eu

"Can I store bottle feeds to use later?
It is safest to prepare a fresh feed each time you need one, and to
give it to your baby straight away. This is because warm milk
provides ideal conditions for bacteria to grow – especially at room
temperature. If you need to prepare feeds in advance to use later,
make up individual bottles, cool them quickly and place in the
back of the fridge (5°C or below). Throw away any feed in the
fridge that you have not used within 24 hours."

http://www.safefood.eu/Global/Publications/Consumer%20information/PIF%20leaflet.pdf?epslanguage=en

So they ok preparing them in advance

I did a batch last night for todays feeds and it is so much handier being able to grab one when needed,also the formula definitely mixes better when made with warm water

I came across this when I was looking for info on mixing formula;

http://www.mybabymed.com/Electronic-Formula-Dispenser/Bottle-Buddy/

Pity they don't do one that measures out the right amount of water!
I use the Dr. Brown bottles & I find the amount markings on them are smaller & a bit harder to see than the Avent bottles. It takes me ages to get it right on the 5oz mark!:o

LashingLady

The Dr Brown's Bottles are actually denominated in US ounces which are slightly bigger than UK ounces! But the difference is negligible. If you see the back of the formula tins they say that one scoop of formula per 1 ounce of water, or 30ml depending on whether you want to go imperial or metric! 30ml is actually a little more than an ounce. That extra little bit of water won't do baby any harm so you don't have to get it exactly on the 5oz line!

Hannibal Smith

Chesty LaRue wrote: »

Does anyone know why they changed the preparation of formula? i.e. cant make up several bottles, store in fridge and use as required. This is how it has been done for as long as I can remember. Now, it is recommended that the bottles be made as needed. I have spoken to several nurses, PHN's and a scientist who think it is ridiculous and told me to do as it as always been done. Just to make sure hands are washed and all utensils are sterilised. However, I am like most Moms and nervous to do so just in case he gets an upset tummy...I will automatically think it is because of the way I made the bottle!!!! What do you think??????

Apparently it's because the formula box isn't sterilised so if you put the formula into the water and leave it in the fridge there's a higher chance of the unsterilised forumla effecting the sterilised water.

I had my son Apr 2009 and I was told to make up each bottle as I went. But after a week or so I was wrecked doing it so I just sterilised the bottles, boiled up the water, left the water for 30 mins and then filled the bottles, cooled them and put them in the fridge and when I needed them I heated them up and scooped the formula into them.

The PHN told me that they change the rules regarding formula feeding quite regularly. In fact it's changed a couple of times since

Chesty LaRue

I have been making the bottles, cooling them and then storing them in the fridge...heating them as required for the past few days. So far all ok. Thanks to everyone for your help!

TargetWidow

I read somewhere when my little one was born that the reason you add the formula to the hot water and not cold is to kill any bacteria in the powder. And I get that, but the bit that used to baffle me was why do we have to wait 30 mins for the temp to cool in the water before adding the formula? It's my least favourite bit of making babies, spending the bones of an hour a night scrubbing, rinsing, sterilizing and making up bottles. Hated it, but at least I hit on a convenient time to do it (after baby is in bed at 7 p.m.). If only someone could invent the bottle making equivalent of a teasmade for bottle making!:D

LashingLady

You have to wait 30 mins cos if you have a trade off between the water being so hot that it kills the nutrients in the formula and being hot enough to kill any potential bacteria.

I hear ya on the making bottles chore. I'm determined to make breastfeeding work this time round so that I have a few months without making 8 bottles a night!!

TargetWidow

LashingLady wrote: »

You have to wait 30 mins cos if you have a trade off between the water being so hot that it kills the nutrients in the formula and being hot enough to kill any potential bacteria.

Thank you lashinglady. I feel better about it now knowing it's not some random thing plucked from the air to torment us!