Newbie preparing formula question

Hi All,


I've just stopped breastfeeding my nearly 10 month old (the little bugger refused to have any more! :() So the largely dormant sterilizer has been dragged out and we've stocked up on 'safe' formula.


For the past week I've been using freshly boiled water poured into the bottle, added the formula and waited for a ridiculous (not to mention a water-wasteful time) over the tap for it to cool. I've read that formula is not sterile so it needs boiled water (not cool boiled water) to get rid of any nasties.


I'm using Avent bottles, which have a small amount of BPA however I'm not too concerned after a few months of mulling over the subject - Bab uses sippy cups most of the time anyway.


Recently I've taken to pouring half the amount in freshly boiled water, adding the formula and then cooled boiled water once the formula has completely dissolved. A lot of my friends give their babies cooled boiled water mixed with formula which I thought was fine until I heard that the milk powder itself is not sterile. I also want to continue using sippy cups but many of them have 'not for use with warm or hot liquid' stickers on the packaging.


We travel A LOT during the week and I was wondering if I had to invest in a thermos or not. Gah, if only the little monkey stayed on the boob! Even in insulated bags the water goes warm. I can't help but think it would be easiest for all if I get K used to cold water formula - but only if it were safe.


Most things I've come across online just say follow the instructions on your milk tin which would be fine if I read cantonese!


Sorry for the hairbrained question

Thanks Cara, just needed the reassurance.



And yes, every thing has gone in his mouth since around 6 mos. His latest obsession - the wheels of his buggy or mummy's toes. Shoes are always a fave too


The issue was moreso what we'd do when we went out. Hope all is well with you and yours :)

Cool boiled water can stay in the fridge for 24 hours. We boil all our water, measure them into bottles and place them in the fridge. We just take the chill off the bottled water (usually 20 sec in microwave) when feed time is due and add the formula, give it a shake and off you go.


We have the formula put into formula separators (buy these anywhere). When we are out and about we carry the bottles with water and add the formula as needed.


One great tip I got from a friend, don't give warm milk, you build a rod for your back when you are out and can't warm the milk. As I said, we simply take the chill off.


As cara said, 10 months old now, there i a lot worse going into his mouth. His immume system would be nice a strong now, no need to be so stringent. If he is using sippy cups, I would just make up the formula and put it into the sippy cup, makes sense when he is used to that.


I wouldn't bother sterlising bottles though (if you really want to use bottles) if he is already using cups that aren't sterlised, doesn't make sense. Go with the easier option of washing thoroughly and continue with cups.

i have 2 kids, 2.5 years and almost 9 months. We do:

every morning, once the morning bottle is given, all the bottles needed for the day are washed and go into the steriliser. Then they are filled up with freshly boiled water, sealed and formula added only just before each feed. I keep the bottles in a big tupperware because we have some ants and geckos and i don't want gecko poop on the bottles, yucks!

the water we use is boiled but not warmed up before the feed....alot of people do or they add 50 50 like cara describes, especially for the comfort factor but a wise mummy friend once told me not to make life difficult for myself, room temperature is the most convenient, esp. when you are out and about!

we stopped sterilising and bottles once our first turned one, he went straight to cow's milk and straw cups and we plan to do the same for our second.

Much simpler solution is to mix the formula with cold water (cold boiled tap water or bottled water) and heat the bottle a bath of boiling water. When you're out and about you can ask for a large cup or small pitcher of hot water at a cafe. Just plop the formula bottle in there. It only takes 2-3 minutes to heat up.


"I wouldn't bother sterlising bottles though (if you really want to use bottles) if he is already using cups that aren't sterlised, doesn't make sense. Go with the easier option of washing thoroughly and continue with cups."


Yepp.