Preparing bottles in advance

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• 10-Jan-2010 13:40

  Preparing bottles in advance

  Ball Joined on 04-Jul-2004 United Kingdom Posts 1,915	Contact Hi, You would have thought as a second time Mum I would remember this but no.... We are combination feeding and so don't really know when she will want a bottle, how do you make them up in advance?  All the guidelines say bottles should be prepared as needed but am sure didn't do that with my first. Thanks Tx

• 10-Jan-2010 13:43

  Re: Preparing bottles in advance

  Snidget Joined on 03-Jan-2006 United Kingdom Posts 6,055	Contact Ethan is purely FF, but I tend to make up 24 hours bottles with just water in the fridge, then add powder as I need them.  He likes a fairly warm bottle, so I often top up with hot water when he needs a feed

• 10-Jan-2010 14:16

  Re: Preparing bottles in advance

  KB3 Joined on 13-May-2008 Posts 14,014

  Contact We make them as we go so before bed ensure there is a bottle with water on the side ready to use in the night. When we use that we flick the kettle on and make up another bottle of water. So basically when we've used one bttle we have the water ready for another one. We don't refridgerate as they are used within 4hours (he current feeding time) and we never warm the water, he gets it as it comes. HTH

• 10-Jan-2010 15:33

  Re: Preparing bottles in advance

  LadyLeah Joined on 04-Feb-2002 Shropshire Posts 6,203

  Contact   Pour boiled cooled water into sterilised bottles. Add teats etc then just leave to one side (no need to put in fridge as its just water!) Then just add powder as and when needed, shake and serve! No need to warm up, just give baby at room temp. It soooo mucheasier (especially at night) to serve at room temp, also get the containers from Tesco/Mothercare etc that you can put pre measured formula in, YOu can take it to bed withyou then with the bottle of water and you won't even need to get out of bed, other than t pick baby up! HTH   Ethan - 26.05.2005 Rhys - 28.10.2008

• 10-Jan-2010 16:36

  Re: Preparing bottles in advance

  jelly baby Joined on 22-Feb-2005 United Kingdom Posts 17,833	Contact Exactly what LadyLeah said. Apologies for lack of capital letters - Zoe has stolen my shift key

• 10-Jan-2010 16:40

  Re: Preparing bottles in advance

  Plummary Joined on 19-Dec-2008 Posts 1,050	Contact Pretty much WEES. A is completely FF. I make up enough bottles to last 24hrs. Wash, sterilise and fill with cooled boiled water. I put them in the fridge, just so I know theyre cold enough and arent going to grow bacteria in the 24hrs. When A needs a bottle I just pop it in the microwave and add formula.   HTH  www.willoughbee.com

• 10-Jan-2010 17:05

  Re: Preparing bottles in advance

  AllyD Joined on 26-Nov-2003 Scotland Posts 4,555

  Contact I'd been wondering about this as A is starting nursery in a few weeks and they don't make bottles up from scratch so I wasn't sure if I should take the water in the bottle and powder in a container and they could just mix it and give it to her at room temperature or if I should make the bottle up in the morning then nursery could store it in the fridge and reheat. But is it safe to add the powder to cool water? I thought Knickers Twickers had looked into this a while ago and the conclusion was that the powder should be added to water that was at least 70 degrees in order to kill any bacteria that may be in the powder.

• 10-Jan-2010 17:08

  Re: Preparing bottles in advance

  LadyLeah Joined on 04-Feb-2002 Shropshire Posts 6,203

  Contact But bacter Plummary: Pretty much WEES. A is completely FF. I make up enough bottles to last 24hrs. Wash, sterilise and fill with cooled boiled water. I put them in the fridge, just so I know theyre cold enough and arent going to grow bacteria in the 24hrs. When A needs a bottle I just pop it in the microwave and add formula.   HTH   But the bacteria won't grow in water, it only grows if you have already added the powder. Ethan - 26.05.2005 Rhys - 28.10.2008

• 10-Jan-2010 19:32

  Re: Preparing bottles in advance

  Snidget Joined on 03-Jan-2006 United Kingdom Posts 6,055	Contact Its a lot harder to grow bacteria in water, as there's nothing for it to feed on.  But in milk there are fats, sugars etc to make a feast of it for bugs!

• 10-Jan-2010 19:38

  Re: Preparing bottles in advance

  Plummary Joined on 19-Dec-2008 Posts 1,050

  Contact LadyLeah: But the bacteria won't grow in water, it only grows if you have already added the powder. I guess I'm being overly cautious then! So its ok to just leave them out if its just water? Also, does anyone know - if LO doesnt finish a bottle, I know it can be used for an hour out of the fridge, but if I put it back in the fridge is it still "safe" to give 2 hours later? (I'm only asking cos K is a "snacker" and I'm tired of throwing away an unfinished bottle only for him to HOWL 2 hours later for more milk!!!  www.willoughbee.com

• 10-Jan-2010 20:10

  Re: Preparing bottles in advance

  looneytune Joined on 26-Jan-2007 United Kingdom Posts 5,155

  Contact I also looked into this and seeked advice from KT.  If I am making if advance, I boil kettle, use the water within 10 mins, add powder, cool quickly in very cold water and fridge for up to 24 hours. The water needs to be hot to kill off any bacteria that is already in the powder.  Adding the powder to coolboiled water doesn't really work the same but I do know many do it this way. For night feeds make the bottle up and warm up when needed or take a flask with hot water to bed and already measured out powder and mix upstairs. If too hot just run bottle under cold tap for a couple of minutes. No only use for bottles for an hour, then bin, it about germs breeding on the teat etc. You could have a few bottles made up with less milk but a lot more faffing especially if your never sure how much milk he is going to take for each feed.

• 10-Jan-2010 21:13

  Re: Preparing bottles in advance

  Claire74 Joined on 17-Feb-2005 United Kingdom Posts 3,399

  Contact For a long time we used to have a flask of boiling water (that had been boiled half an hour ago) and make that up the night before and then make the bottles up as we went using that water throughout the next day, which inevitably did cool down slightly. For several months now we changed methods as the flask wasn't working properly anymore and now (yes still at 19 months I know!) boil the kettle in the evening and make two bottles up after half an hour or so of the kettle boiling and in the meantime put two jugs of cold water into the deep freeze. When the bottles are made up with the formula we plunge them into the jugs that have been in the freezer, cooling them down very quickly and put in the fridge to use once cooled down for the next day. I guess this method only works once you know your LO will drink a certain amount. In the earlier days mine would drink anything from 1-6oz a time so never knew how much to make and a lot would get wasted. Thomas 16/5/2008

• 11-Jan-2010 12:23

  Re: Preparing bottles in advance

  LadyLeah Joined on 04-Feb-2002 Shropshire Posts 6,203

  Contact Plummary: LadyLeah: But the bacteria won't grow in water, it only grows if you have already added the powder. I guess I'm being overly cautious then! So its ok to just leave them out if its just water? Also, does anyone know - if LO doesnt finish a bottle, I know it can be used for an hour out of the fridge, but if I put it back in the fridge is it still "safe" to give 2 hours later? (I'm only asking cos K is a "snacker" and I'm tired of throwing away an unfinished bottle only for him to HOWL 2 hours later for more milk!!!   Yes totally OK to leave them out!   Ethan - 26.05.2005 Rhys - 28.10.2008

• 11-Jan-2010 12:27

  Re: Preparing bottles in advance

  LadyLeah Joined on 04-Feb-2002 Shropshire Posts 6,203	Contact   I think the risk is tiny isn't it if you DON'T add the powder to v hot water?? Personally, everyone I know that uses formula just adds the powder to room temp water. I FF both of mine from birth (near enough) using this method and they are fine...   Ethan - 26.05.2005 Rhys - 28.10.2008