The importance of bottle warmers

SoulChild

I was on here the other day and there was a post stating that bottle warmers are not necessary. I didnt have a chance to reply so here goes.

Bottle warmers are necessary IMO.
If you are breastfeeding, your baby gets used to body temperature milk. If you go from 90 degree milk (an exageration of course) to 40 degree (fridge temp) milk your baby is guaranteed to gag.

Please remember that your baby is an individual with his/her likes and dislikes. The best way is to put yourself in his/her position. Do you like cold milk?

Now, if you are not BFing and are giving your baby cold formula from day 1 then that may be a different story.

My advice, if you got a bottle warmer ...just keep it until your baby comes. If after the baby is here you do not see a need for it, then return it.

Just food for thought.

LindsayMarieG

i disagree... Carter prefers cold bottles to warmed ones and he is normally breast fed.

MrsL.inMarch

I think there is a difference between taking the chill off of things (which I would do) and giving it straight out of the fridge.

We'll see how it goes, but I'm not getting a bottle warmer because there will be times where I can't warm it and he'll still need to drink it and not refuse it simply because it's not body temp. 

madhatter2003

A cup of warm water works just as well though rather than a fancy gadget.  We never had a bottle warmer, my DD was primarily BF and she would take bottles cold, room temp, or warmed.

little__bit

I'm not a parent yet, but I tend to disagree.  First, the breast-feeding mothers I know indicated that their kids had no preference, cold or warm.  Second, when the baby has to take a bottle, I don't want him to throw a fit because it's not warm.  I want him to get accustomed to feeding both ways so that we (especially DH) doesn't have to worry about a hyper-picky infant.

I'm curious about the other opinions too. 

ErinNConnorsMom

I bf'd and ff'd and never used a bottle warmer.  When I mixed formula, I mixed it as needed w/ room temp tap water.  If I needed to heat a bottle of ebm, I put the chilled bottle into a cup of hot tap water for a few minutes.  I guess it's like any other baby product...some people love 'em and some people hate 'em!

MandBBewley

Not to fuel a discussion...but...my SIL is a pediatrician and has two under 3 years of age.  She told me bottle warmers are a complete waste.  And it is a misconception that breast milk is 98 degrees, she said it is closer to room temp (not sure why, I thought it would be body temp).  Her rec is to warm the bottle (breast milk or formula) to room temp.  She also mentioned it is a bad idea to get your baby too use to a certain bottle temperature.  Not sure what I will end up doing but thought I would share.

sunnysouthfla

There are other methods to warm a bottle then a bottle warmer.  My mother always warmed our bottles and she never had a warmer.  You can use hot tap water and run it over the bottle or place the bottle in a pot of warm water.  A bottle warmer is not an essential tool to have.

KayLee77

i agree with the other poster with the warm water to heat it.

?

when ever i watched my niece i just put the bottle in a bowl of warm warm water and it worked just fine.?

jillybean222

90 degrees isn't an exageration,...breast milk is 98.6 degrees

ellie never liked cold breast milk but she likes warm or cold whole milk.  every baby is different.

i used a bottle warmer for the first year when i wasn't bf'ing, but that's just me. 

JARbaby

Guaranteed to gag. NOT TRUE. This is the exception not the rule.

A cup of warm water works just as well though rather than a fancy gadget.  We never had a bottle warmer, my DD was primarily BF and she would take bottles cold, room temp, or warmed. Ditto Madhatter

You do not need a bottle warmer, a cup of warm water DOES THE SAME THING!

I also imagine MORE people drink their milk cold than heated.

Just food for thought.

margarita1365

I agree with everyone else who said you can just run it under warm water.  I for one will probably try to get him used to cooler (not totally frigid) milk, because when we're away from home I'm not going to have a bottle warmer handy, and I don't think I'm comfortable with BFing in public.  I didn't want a bottle warmer, but I got one from a coworker, so I'll use it if he really shows a preference for warm bottles.  Otherwise, I was totally planning on going with the running it under warm tap water method.

jamie4duke

I had a bottle warmer and found it to be the biggest pain in the a$$.  It would get the water too hot, or not warm enough, and it took way too long that we said screw it.  I ended up bottling water and leaving it at room temp and feeding DD with that mixed with formula.  She had no care in the world if it was warm or cold...as long as she got to eat.  My mom was the ONLY person to have a cow that her granddaughter was being fed less than warm formula.  I won't waste my time or money on another bottle warmer this time around.

HappilyPreggers

Whatever happened to warming a bottle the "old fashioned" way? It's only my opinion but I think bottle warmers are just like wipe warmers - a waste of money I could be spending BUYING the bottles or wipes. Why? I have two warm hands for the wipes, or they'll be at a nice room temperature.?With the bottles -it's called warm water or the microwave to heat it up. I just see it as money I could spend on other things

MrsL.inMarch

HappilyPreggers:

Whatever happened to warming a bottle the "old fashioned" way? It's only my opinion but I think bottle warmers are just like wipe warmers - a waste of money I could be spending BUYING the bottles or wipes. Why? I have two warm hands for the wipes, or they'll be at a nice room temperature. With the bottles -it's called warm water or the microwave to heat it up. I just see it as money I could spend on other things

Well you can't micro formula or breastmilk, but everything else makes total sense. Warm wipes with your hands, and milk with warm water if needed and you are done. No machines. 

JARbaby

HappilyPreggers:

.With the bottles -it's called warm water or the microwave to heat it up. I just see it as money I could spend on other things

No you should nto microwave formula and CAN'T microwave BM, it kills all the good immuities, cells and antibodies the BM. It also risks creating hot spots that can scaled the baby.

 

brideofaussie

But that is totally different than not owning a bottle warmer.

I intend to warm bottles, but that doesn't mean I need a bottle warmer in which to do it

BearsMrs

Just because you don't use a warmer doesn't mean that the bottle is directly from the fridge.  Most moms I know run the bottle or bag under warm water to heat it up- thereby still making a bottle warmer not necessary! 

HappilyPreggers

I knew you couldn't micro BM but thanks for letting me know about formula! That would have been a mess. Thanks for letting me know ladies!

kertybird

They take forever and I just use warm water to make the bottle over using a bottle warmer. 

kertybird

Instead of microwaving the formula, just micro wave the water and then add the formula.  I still think lukewarm tap water works thebest and fastests.