More Bottle Feeding Questions

The previous post was very informative, but I still have some questions.

I plan on using the Avent 4oz reusable bottles while baby is taking 4ozs, then switching to the Avent 8oz disposable bottles. I was thinking of doing what Beth did and make the powdered formula in bulk ahead of time, then just fill the bottles as needed.

My questions are:

1) If the premade formula is coming from the refrigerator, how do you heat it at various temperatures? Would filling a cup with warm water and letting the bottle sit in it for a few minutes be okay? (I saw a friend do this)

2) If I bring a premade bottle with me, how do I warm it when not at home??

3) If I’m using disposable, how do I mix the formula in the bottle when not at home?

Any supplies used or tips would be greatly appreciated. Oh, and when I mean warm I’m also referring to “bring it to room temperature” not too warm.

Also, if someone could shed some light on feedings - I have no idea what/when formula amounts past the initial 4oz every 4 hours. Then what??? And what book tells you this information????

Thanks!
Lisa

[egoldber]

Well, your baby will probably start out taking only about 2-3 ounces every 2-3 hours. This is partly why I liked making batches. I could give her a few ounces and if she wanted more, I could just pour more in rather than having to make a new bottle or waste formula.

Here is my take on your questions:

1) I never heated a bottle, I fed straight from the refrigerator. I have seen people use the bottle in a cup of hot water thing and it seems to work, but takes several minutes, with potentially screaming baby at hand.

2) Didn't warm, served cold.

3) I mixed at home and brought it in a bag or used a re-usable bottle when we were out.

HTH,

I also served formula straight from the fridge and am quite glad I did as my DD has no problem drinking/eating things that are cold and I have friends who made sure to warm the bottle to room temp and they (now at a year) still will only drink warm drinks...I like Beth's idea of just mixing a whole bunch for the day. Now I find that I am not quite sure how much DD has had to drink in a day, I sometimes lose count of the bottles, but if I started out with a larger amount from one source and just kept pouring- I would remember!!

I have a question...why can't you travel with a bottle already filled with MIXED formula??? Why would you need a contraption so that you can mix "on the go"...

[egoldber]

This is what I did. Some people don't like to do this because:

a) a pre-mixed bottle takes up more space and is heavier,
b) some are more leary about the safety of keeping a bottle chilled for several hours when on the go,
c) if you will be out for a long time, you may need more than one and the problems in a and b multiply,
d) if your baby will only take warm bottles, then you need to have a way to warm that chilled bottle when on the go, which isn't always easy to do.

It's all a trade off and what you are comfortable with.

HTH,

[Momof3Labs]

Neve,

Formula starts to break down as soon as you mix it together, so you need to keep it cold. Even kept cold, you need to serve it within 24 hours of making it up. So, when you travel you can make up the bottles beforehand but need to keep them cold. Or you can make them up as needed when on the road.

Lori
mommy to Colin Daniel 9/28/02

Thank you Beth and Lori, I was just wondering and seemed funny asking something that was so obvious to moms I am certain.

I've made formula in batches and poured into bottles as needed. It's too much to carefully make formula with a crying baby on hand. My ds and dd have drunk it cool and cold without problems. Two things no one told me in advance that I'll pass along if you want to use premixed:

- Buy a little cooler or lunch bag and plenty of ice packs. These are seasonal items that are hard to find except in summer. It's not something you want to be desperately searching for after baby has arrived and you have time for only a quick trip. The bottle holders they sell often come with little dinky ice packs that won't cut it if it's at all hot or if the trip is longer than half hour. Cold formula is far better then bad formula. The bag and ice packs work well for juice boxes and snacks later.

- Consider buying or renting a mini fridge if you live in a multi-level apt, house etc. It's tough on everyone to stumble downstairs at 3am to get more formula.

great advice....thanks!!!!

Hi!
Since Collin, my 3month old, is on Nutramigen at $20 per can for the powdered, I cannot afford to waste any so here is what I do:

I have gotten him used to room temperature borderlining cold formula, so if it's not warmed, it's not an issue. At home, we premake the bottles and keep them in the refridgerator, then *warm* them up in a container of hot tap water. I use the term *warm* loosely, because we really don't let it sit in the water long at all - just long enough to warm the outside of the bottle and inside liner. I should also mention that we are using the Playtex disposables...

For traveling, or when I'm out and about:
I bought one of those travel containers with 3 sections for formula or later on, other snacks. It has a pour out spout so the formula is pre-measured and put into each of the compartments. That way you always have the correct amount of formula. Then I carry one of the small 12 or 16oz bottles of spring water. When it is time to eat, I drop the formula in the bottle, add my water, shake and serve! Sometimes I just buy extra bottles of water while I'm out to avoid carrying so much in my Land's End Day Tripper diaper bag.

Hope this helps you :) And sorry so long!

Rhonda G
Collin 9/21/02
http://www.geocities.com/rhondareev/...uncement3.html