How do you store and prepare baby formula milk?
Question by Clarebear: How do you shop and prepare child formula milk?
I have a short while ago started out feeding my baby on formula milk and to be honest, I come across the suggestions for storage and preparation rather strict! I cant feel i have to wait 30 minutes for boiled water to cook whilst my two week old daughter screams the home down for a feed. Can I not prepare the water in advance then add the formula when my daughter would like to feed? Also, does the water will need to be kept in the fridge or can it just be stored at space temperature?
Very best solution:
Solution by MooMooMonkey
you can use boiling water from the kettle, I in no way let it cool just before I created them up. I allways produced up the bottles before she was due a feed, in the morning when I had 10 minutes I would make up the days bottles, I let them cool and go cold in the kitchen then place them in the fridge. I then just bung it in the micro for a wee bit until finally it was warm adequate for her.
Give your solution to this question below!
April 14th, 2011 at 2:34 am
i dont boil my sons water. i buy water made for babies so i dont have to worry about it. its a lot faster and just as safe.
if you want to continue boiling, you can boil in advance and it can also be kept at room temperature. heating up a bottle for babies is more of a preference for the baby. my son has never had a heated bottle so he doesnt even like them.
April 14th, 2011 at 3:24 am
I think the guild lines are so strict to cover their own butts. I’d do what the other lady said, I’d make my kids morning bottle before I went to bed, and the rest of the days bottles after her morning feed, I’d either warm the bottle up in the mircowave, or let it set in hot water for a bit. Both my babies were on formula around 3 months of age. If I was out or in a rush, I’d use bottled water too, both my little ones are perfectly heathy
April 14th, 2011 at 4:06 am
i have 6 bottles i wash them and then boil the kettle twice then fill each with the required amount of water, i wait for them to cool down before i put the lids on incase the steam pressure wrecks the teats. Then i store all 6 in the fridge and heat them in the microwave when needed. Always take lid off for heating and put powder in after heating so it mixes better. I wash each bottle after use so i never have a pile to wash! You can store formula made up for 12 hours in the coldest part of your fridge. But if you do that make sure the water is fridge cold to prevent bacteria. Also never reheat bottle after half an hour of being made & heated
April 14th, 2011 at 4:51 am
Here is what I did. My baby was drinking 6 oz botles so I boiled water every night. Yes, once a day. Then it had time to cool. It can be kept at room temperature, in something with a lid to avoid contamination. If you prefer, you can put it in the fridge. I prefered room temperature since I just added the powder and it took about 2 seconds to warm up afterwards.
April 14th, 2011 at 5:18 am
I’m glad that you’re reading the directions on the container. A lot of people don’t bother.
First, boiling water concentrates whatever (miniscule) solids are in the water. If the water is safe for you to drink, it should be safe for the baby. But powdered formula does need to be reconstituted at a specific temperature, so check that and try to follow it.
Never put anything for the baby in the microwave (even though ‘everyone else does it’). It creates hot spots that can burn your baby.
Most mothers prepare the day’s formula bottles once a day, or the water once a day and then make up the bottles at room temperature. If you make the bottles up and refrigerate them, it is up to you (and the baby) whether you warm them or give them cold. Cold milk will not harm the baby.
It is critically important that you follow storage guidelines, as formula grows bacteria quickly and can make your baby ill if left out too long. If the baby doesn’t finish a feeding, it must be discarded, not left until the next feeding.
April 14th, 2011 at 5:38 am
i used to boil the water in the kettle an hour before my daughter was due a feed so by the time she needed it the water had cooled down then i added the formula. at night i used to make up the feed and store it in the fridge then warm it up in a jug of boiled water. if you make it fresh and feed it straight to her use boiled water then stick it in a jug of cold water to cool it to the right temperature for her then add the formula. i know its frustrating having to wait for it to cool when theyre hungry thats when i realised for me the first suggestion was really helpful during the day. you can leave it at room temperature and warm it up if you need to but dont add the formula if you do that because germs can grow, and dont do if youre planning on leaving the bottles for a few hours or more its best to store them in the fridge that way. good luck.
April 14th, 2011 at 6:11 am
I use filtered water as i am lazy and don’t feel like waiting for it to boil. I leave the covered container of water out on the counter. I jthen prepare what I think I will need at each feeding.
You can also prepare the formula in advance.
April 14th, 2011 at 6:39 am
personally i make all my baby’s bottles up the night before, i pour cold or lukewarm water from the kettle into the bottles then add the right amount of formula, shake them then stick them in the fridge. they will last for 24hours in the fridge. if you just leave them out on the side then 5 hours maximum because they go off depending on the temperature of your house.
April 14th, 2011 at 7:21 am
Get ready to use formula!!!