Preparing Baby Bottles Help Please

daveyjp

Boil kettle, leave to cool, fill about 6 bottles, keep in fridge. When needed add formula then warm in microwave for a few seconds - as mentioned above it doesn't need to be very warm, just enough to take the chill off. Night time feed was made up before bed so just needed warming. Did for us for 6 months.

Titch89

daveyjp wrote: »

Boil kettle, leave to cool, fill about 6 bottles, keep in fridge. When needed add formula then warm in microwave for a few seconds - as mentioned above it doesn't need to be very warm, just enough to take the chill off. Night time feed was made up before bed so just needed warming. Did for us for 6 months.

I got told this was a big no-no. I got told was to put the bottle of milk in a jug and pour in hot water.

onlyroz

Well I always used to warm the milk in the microwave - as long as it's stirred properly and doesn't make you yelp in pain if you pour some on yourself then it'll be fine. And I never added the powder to the water until it was needed either - and when out-and-about I'd take the powder in mini-tupperware tubs, and just pour it into the boiled-water filled bottles. My boy was fine with having the milk cold when out-and-about - but then again, I breast-fed him until seven months, so he probably wasn't as fussy as a newborn.

As for sterilising - use sterilising fluid and boiled water in a large plastic bowl. Don't bother with one of those fancy steamer thingies because they're a waste of money.

Boppy_2

I think to be honest everyone is different, i use to make 6 bottles up every night and put them in the fridge, when LO woke for a feed i would boil kettle, fill jug, put bottle in, whilst this was heating through i would fill hot water bottle to put in moses basket to keep it warm so LO would go down easier. During the day i would use the microwave, extra caution is needed but the majority of parents aren't daft. There's so many rules and guidelines to follow they would drive you mad, my mum had 4 children so i followed her rules only, although i did a fine job myself (even if i do say so myself) my LO is 3 now and fit as a fiddle.

moneypooh

daveyjp wrote: »

Boil kettle, leave to cool, fill about 6 bottles, keep in fridge. When needed add formula then warm in microwave for a few seconds - as mentioned above it doesn't need to be very warm, just enough to take the chill off. Night time feed was made up before bed so just needed warming. Did for us for 6 months.

We did exactly the same all the time for 2 children. Both were bottle fed, for reasons that couldn't be helped.
My DS was in hospital with meningitis at 5 weeks old and the nursing staff always made up 24 hour feeds and left them in the fridge in his room. These were then warmed in the microwave.
At home we used a microwave steamer to sterilise and it was brilliant, just added water and bottles were sorted.

Don't worry about weaning. We cheated and used puddings to get started (after I tasted baby rice - yuk!!), they soon got the hang of it then we added savoury foods. All were homemade and made from food we ate, just mushed and frozen into cubes.

Both children now 14 & 11 have brilliant appetites for all foods, except sweets - strangely enough neither have a sweet tooth.

Relax things will get better, enjoy this age, at least they can't talk back yet!!:D

It is strange how things change even between babies, it can give you massive guilt trips if you let it. With my eldest sleeping on it's tummy was still OK, a couple of years later a big no no. I was told NOT to microwave bottles with my eldest then a couple of years later health professionals were doing it quite happily.

specialK

sasha_108 wrote: »

Even easier, we used say 4 oz cool boiled water in the bottle when out and topped up with 2 oz of hot water from a thermos!

I done this with both of mine, no screaming starving baby with an instant feed

My midwife even commented on it being a good idea, but said some people may not get the right balance and scald the baby. She said you would be surprised at how literally some people take things! I can believe this, For example, if I made a feed up at Mums it would be too hot so common sense was needed!

Sarahsaver

I can't remember when my periods started again after ds1. DS2 is 14 months younger :eek: don't let any health 'professional' tell you you do not need contraceptives!
I love him to bits but it was a bit of a shock to have another baby so soon.
I breastfed all 3 of my kids for a month then with DD she just wasnt growing, DS1 was SO hungry and the boys' father was not too supportive either.

I used a microwave steriliser and it was great, and also had a good resale value on ebay;)

Now awaiting arrival of no.4, and being a SAHM at LAST I hope to BF as long as possible...but we all know life doesn't always follow our plan!

3KIDSNOMONEY

i am a SAHM to 4 kids, so really i feel a bit daft asking these questions, but my first 2 were only fed for a month and my 3rd for 7 months so it is all a bit different, plus it all passed in a blur!!! and things have changed so much.

Thanks for all the replies, it seems that even health professionals don't know exactly and that a bit of common sense is needed. i know i used to just make up bottles and put them in the fridge for 24 hours. This time round my baby tends to bit and bob and so has no set pattern which i think has made it worse.

i have a avent microwave steriliser and have used one of these with all 4 of mine and i would definitely recommend it.

last night i put a cold 9 oz bottle of water in the fridge and took it out at 6 this morning, put in formula and warmed in a jug with water i kept in a flask. going to invest in a better flask though as mine didn't keep the water boiling. Just sterilised 3 more bottles and am going to put water cooled for about an hour in the kettle in them and then put them in the fridge.

Expensive business this isn't it? i bought bottles, formula and a milk dispenser yesterday. Formula was nearly £7 and i can see i am going to get through quite a lot.

starbump

3KIDSNOMONEY wrote: »

Expensive business this isn't it? i bought bottles, formula and a milk dispenser yesterday. Formula was nearly £7 and i can see i am going to get through quite a lot.

We don't use formula but, yes, it is an expensive business shopping for a baby. I particularly advise you not to buy a bottle warmer - that was such a waste of time and money! Honestly, you will manage with the jug of hot water.

moneypooh

One of my best buys was an in-car bottle warmer. It was a sleeve type device that slipped over the bottle ( a bit like a wine cooler sleeve). It heated the bottles beautifully and they were ready for when we stopped (always when my 2 woke up hungry!). It plugged into the cigarette lighter thingy.