HELP! Am I mixing the formula right?

[KMommie]

Okay, I decided to switch to tap water, since DD has a couple of teeth, and I figure she could use the floride. I'm making bottles in advance, for daycare now. I decided to boil the water first, just in case...and now I'm freaked out because:

1. Do you wait for the water to completely cool? I haven't been and the formula dissolves really well! BUT, then I have to put warm bottles into the fridge. Is this okay? Or do I have to wait for the water to be room temp, since it's going to be used the next day and not right away?

2. How do you know if the tap water is "nitrate free". I looked on the epa website, and can't find any info on my area. Is this only a problem for small towns or can larger municipal areas also be affected?

3. After a day of the "new" formula, DD had a really messy, watery bm, and it seemed like she was fussier and had more gas. Could that be from the new way we're preparing the bottles?

TIA,

Jeannie
mommy to Kiki 4/18/03

[Marisa6826]

We used gallon jugs of distilled water and didn't worry about the fluoride. At her six month visit, we got a script for fluoride drops which she gets every night. That way, we also know how MUCH fluoride she's getting.

We would warm enough water up in the microwave (OK to do for just water) for 48 hours of bottles (the max "shelf life" of mixed formula).

We would then put the measured powder in a pitcher with a paddle, pour in the water, stir and put in all the bottles.

The bottles then would go in the fridge (still warm) to be used.

When we needed a bottle, we would stick it in the warmer for five minutes just to take the chill off of it.

Worked perfectly for us once we got the system down!

All that being said -

We did the powdered formula exclusively for about eight months. I got lazy and started to use the ready to feed and noticed that not only was is easier, Sophie spit up a whole LOT less. She has reflux, so she has always been a "spitter upper".

We went back to using the powder because I felt guilty spending the extra cash on the RTF, and sure enough the spitting up got pretty significant. In fact, she got her Daddy FOUR times in an hour. He had no pants for work the next day!

So, I went and returned all the powder (five big cans) the other day and bought seven cases of the RTF for now.

Sophie has always been an "occasional" pooper - every couple of days, so I don't know what to tell you about your DD. Maybe it was the tap water?

Good luck!

-m

-m

[ncmommy]

I've heard you can get "nursery water" just to use for baby's bottles. It has flouride in it, and you don't have to worry about contaminants in your tap water that way. just an idea!

[KMommie]

Thanks so much! I also LOVE the RTF...but the price has me balking. It's soo expensive, but it does seem to have a slightly different consistancy---smoother or something. Ah, well...maybe I'll switch back to my bottled water (the Costco brand is filtered through reverse osmosis, so it does take out the YUCK), and try your method of heating up, mixing and storing. I'll check with the ped about flouride drops, too.

I always wondered what NURSERY water was!! Now, I know...I thought it was just a marketing ploy by BRU! But there really is a difference! Thanks for all the helpful input!

Jeannie
mommy to Kiki 4/18/03