? re preparing formula at night

groovygrl · August 2009

this might be a stupid question & I might be clueless here but I can't figure out why it is better to have bottles or a pitcher premade in the fridge & then have to hang around waiting for it to heat up on stove or in bottle warmer versus just prepping an individual bottle using room temp-ish water from the tap & the appropriate amount of powder? The only drawback I can figure out is that if the baby wants a little more, it is tough to make in various increments using the scooper.... but it just seems so much more efficient than what feels like an eternity waiting for it to heat esp if you have an antsy baby.

Everything I read says to premake bottles, put in pitchers, put in minifridges, on ice packs, etc so I have been doing that & there has to be a reason, I am just wondering what it is. THanks!

LucyPevensie · August 2009

For one - you never want to use anything except cold water from the tap for human consumption - warmer water has more dissolved crap (sediment and heavy metals) from the inside of your pipes in it.

I use double filtered water for Jack's bottles. For me, it's just easier to make them the night before. I do warm them - but it's one step - plopping bottle in warmer - rather than filling bottle and then plopping scoops of formula in - so for me pre-made works best.

RobynK · August 2009

What Lucy said (especially about using cold water only). Plus, if you pre-make it gives time for the bubbles to go down.

skoorbnibor · August 2009

it's all about the bubbles for us! When your kid is GI sensitive, even the slightest movements to mix cause tons of bubbles, which can be hell on a reflux or fussy baby, Plus all the special formulas (like elecare and alimentum) are harder to mix, so many suggest a blender, which generates a ton of bubbles.

And FWIW, I never heated E's bottles, I just took the chill off... and I (GASP!) used the microwave! We popped them in for 15 seconds and it takes the super cold chill off, but they are still cool. Now he likes a bottle ice cold! lol

I no longer premake, in fact, I now carry around bottles with powder in them, with bottles of water, but E is 13 months)

groovygrl · August 2009

Good points thanks!

So technically (bubbles aside), I could make it w/ room temp bottled water on the spot or on the go though?

keg · August 2009

After many months of using premixed formula and trying to heat bottles with a screaming baby (or two), here's what I finally started doing which I think works well...of course, I only wind up feeding maybe a night or two a week, but still, I think it's a pretty good plan. I put the appropriate amount of powder in the prepped bottles (we use Avent) and then put the corresponding amount of water from our Brita filter in a separate bottle with a lid (I've been using my Ameda pump bottles and some of the lids we have). In order to decrease the amount of bubbles, I sometimes put a few gas drops in the bottle with the water. In the middle of the night, just open the water, take the top off the powder, shake and feed!

TheShellSeeker · August 2009

I make a day's worth of bottles at a time because of two reasons....1) it gives time for the air bubbles to go away - less air bubbles, less gassy baby, happier parents 2) we use good start and mix it to higher calorie and it takes FOREVER to completely dissolve in the water. Don't want chunks left for DS to drink. We use pur filtered room temperature water.

bottom line - do whatever works out the best for you and baby.

rockvillebride · August 2009

Thankfully, we're not eating in the middle of the night anymore. (knock on wood) However, when he was, I just brought the bottles and formula upstairs. I'd make a bottle using tap water and then give it to him immediately in the middle of the night. That was easier for us than running downstairs to get a bottle out of the fridge to warm up. Whatever works best for you!

LucyPevensie · August 2009

You can always use a brita filter pitcher and just leave it out on the counter so it's always room temp .... and on the go I often just fill a bottle with the right amount of water, cap it, and then scoop the right amount of formula into a container. When we need it - I just add the formula to the now room temp water, shake and feed! (The only trick with this is you need to be careful adding the formula to the bottle when you don't have the scooper to help you out - I've had it go everywhere before (everywhere except into the bottle!)

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