just had the midwife round and this is the advice i recieved?

Question

She told me that I should make up the bottles one by one not make them up in the morning and keep them in the fridge... however the first midwife told me to make them up in the morning with just the water in it and add the milk at each feed.. how many of you make up the bottles one by one and how many make them up and refridgerate them

it seems silly to me that at 2am i have to boil the kettle and wait 30 mins for it to cool before my lil man can eat!! (he's 11 days old and i have a 3yr old daughter that would be disturbed for 30 mins every night at 2am an 6am!!)

Answer 1

Every midwife has their opinion on how to do things. Both my midwife and health visitor told me to make up bottles for the next 24 hours and keep them in the fridge. Both said that there is no harm in doing this. They also said that it is best to make up the bottles straight from the steriliser as once the steriliser is open, the bottles are not longer sterile.

Answer 2

I too use to make all my bottles for the day and store them in the fridge but was also told by the midwife not to do this now so i make up a flask of boiling water pour into bottle and cool under tap or pour out about 45 minutes or so before feed if water go's to cold pour some away and add a bit more hot from flask if I'm going out water is just right when i need it my son has just turned 5 months been doing it since he was born

Answer 3

Well I nursed for the 1st 7 months and formula feed now so not sure of the exact measurements but I do know that you can use bottled water if you don't want to boil the water. Of course you would still want to make sure the bottled water is from a spring rather than repackaged tap water.

I do boil the water so I know exactly what you mean about having to wait for the water to cool down (drag).

Anyway, I calculate how many oz. X # of bottles and just pour the water into a large 4 cup glass measuring cup with spout. Then I add the required scoups of formula and mix with a metal whisk and then pour into the bottles. All formulas can be made up in advance and stay in the fridge for at least 24 hours.

With such a young child I think they take 2 oz. every 2 hours. As I was nursing my midwife told me to wake them up during the day every 2 hours from the time they started feeding last. Except overnight of course; I let my baby just wake on his own when he wanted food during the overnight time.

So, what I would do if I were in your shoes is I would make the formula up mid-morning when the baby is sleeping and have enough 2 oz. bottles made up to last 24 hours at a time.

Answer 4

NEVER do them one by one, I've had three children and by the third I hit on the best way. If say you use 6 bottle every 24 hours then fill them with boiled water. In the day time you can just add milk as you need them, also I never kept the bottles of water in the fridge, room temp is fine, baby will get used to it, also this way means you don't have to warm the milk which is easier when your out and about. Mothercare sell a plastic tub with compartments in it. I used this to store milk powder when I was out of the house and I would take it upstairs for the night time feeds with the botlle of water, and pour it into the bottle and give it a good shake, that was a god send.

Answer 5

I've been working on children's wards on and off for 2 years and even we get mixed advise.

The current advice it to make each bottle as you need it but at the same time it's not always possible. Hospitals do one of 2 things - either they fill and boil the kettle in the morning then decant in to sterilised jugs cover in clingfilm and refrigerate (you could just use the bottles at home) OR they use little jars of sterile baby water to make the feeds as needed if they don't have the ready made cartons (jars).

Personally I would do the water up in the morning (maybe again late afternoon) and put them in the fridge then add the powder when I needed the bottle. I would do this partially because you need cooled boiled water to make the bottles up anyway and babies will not always wait half an hour for the water to cool sufficiently. I'd also do the same if I was going out unless I could get premade cartons.

Answer 6

You have to do what is best for you. With both of my children I would make up a big batch of milk in the morning, pour into sterilsed bottles and allow to cool to room temp. Then I would put them in the fridge, and take them out when needed. Both of my children were fine. You can just keep the water in the bottles and add the milk formula when needed, I know a lot of people that do that with no problems.
It is ridiculous to be thinking about boiling and then cooling the water down in the middle of the night.

Answer 7

my bottles for the day and store them in the fridge but was also told by the midwife not to do this now so i make up a flask of boiling water pour into bottle and cool under tap or pour out about 45 minutes or so before feed if water go's to cold pour some away and add a bit more hot from flask if I'm going out water is just right when i need it my son has just turned 5 months been doing it since he was born

Answer 8

Making the bottles in batches is fine as long as the water/ milk is used within 12-24 hours and has been refrigerated. You must boil the (fresh not reboiled) tap water first for a child so young to kill off any germs etc in the water. Make sure the bottles of water are stored in the fridge whilst they are not being used.

Sounds like the second midwife is being overcautious and I would go with the advice of the first midwife as it all sounds good to me. I mixed fed my daughter from 2 weeks and I made up the bottle(s) in a batch in the morning/ afternoon and she has turned out fine.....

Answer 9

when i was bottle feeding i would fill the bottles with boiling water and cool them in the fridge, and i dont think theres anything wrong with that part. then i would warm the bottle in the microwave for 30 secs (which some midwives say not to do, but i never had any problems with it as long as you give bottle a really good shake) and then add the scoops of formula. so his bottle would be ready within 2 mins. i think that a few years ago you could make the bottles with the formula and leave them in the fridge, but now they have added something to the formula which is obviously good for bubs, but makes the milk curdle very quickly, whether refrigerated or not.

Answer 10

I am not bottle feeding my 11 1/2 month old but that does sound awfully silly to me as well. I did bottle feed my now 12 year old for a time and never boiled her water at all, but I guess that depends on water quality where you live. If it needs boiled I say boil it all at one time, put it in the bottle, just wait to add the milk until feeding time.