Pre-preparing formula
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Printed Date: 29 August 2025 at 8:07pm
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Topic: Pre-preparing formula
Posted By: Brenna
Subject: Pre-preparing formula
Date Posted: 29 January 2010 at 9:34pm
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Can formula be made up using cooled boiled water then kept in the fridge until it needs to be used?? And if so, then what time frame must it be used within..12/24 hours?
Thanks  -------------  My beautiful 2 girls...nearly 4 and 13 months
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Replies:
Posted By: monkey33
Date Posted: 29 January 2010 at 9:39pm
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That's what we do - I make up enough bottles needed for the day and ensure they are used within 24 hours max. I also don't add the formula until needed. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: mumzrule
Date Posted: 29 January 2010 at 9:41pm
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I personally just make up night time bottles so I'm not have to try and do it early hours of the morning. The first night I did a FF it got split all over the bench.
I am interest as to want others do. As I have been given mixed messagers about this. -------------  
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Posted By: Brenna
Date Posted: 29 January 2010 at 9:42pm
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I have bottles ready with the water and also add the formula when needed, but I mean about mixing it up then putting it in the fridge... ------------- My beautiful 2 girls...nearly 4 and 13 months
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Posted By: monkey33
Date Posted: 29 January 2010 at 9:46pm
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Oh right, sorry I didn't read that properly I have also been given mixed messages about this, so seeing that DS is still so young I thought I better err on the side of caution. Sorry I haven't helped at all there - hopefully someone has some info on it ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: mumzrule
Date Posted: 29 January 2010 at 9:50pm
I did a little bit of reading on this when I was changing over and in one paragraph it said that formula could be made and kept in the fridge for 24 hours and in the very next paragraph said no longer than 4hours
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Posted By: MissAngel
Date Posted: 29 January 2010 at 9:53pm
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We did it for 12 hours in the BACK of the fridge. It needs to be kept at the coldest point. I had a jug made up with enough for the day so if Thomas was hungrier we could top up easier. ------------- Alex, Thomas and Lily http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: hannibal
Date Posted: 29 January 2010 at 9:57pm
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Hi, I used to boil up my water and fill the bottles up the water when it had cooled. I only tried premixing it once and bubs didn't like it. Also I really didn't like the idea of doing it for some reason. When she started daycare at 6 months they used to make them up in the morning and have them in the fridge - which I wasn't really that happy about. On babycentre.com.au there is a bit of info re making up bottles and storage - I just typed in formula and storage. I hope this info helps.
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Posted By: lisa85
Date Posted: 29 January 2010 at 10:40pm
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In the first few months we were super paranoid so we would pre boil the water and keep it in the fridge but only add the formula when needed. Pretty soon we took the easy road and prepared it with formula as well lol. I don;t think it hurts as long as it's used within 24hours and your still using boiling water :) -------------  
TTC #3 since Jan 2010 - PCOS MC April 2010 |
Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 29 January 2010 at 10:58pm
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24 hours pre-prepared in the fridge is fine :)
This may sound like a dumb question - why would you need to keep water in the fridge? 'Cooled' boiled water means not hot, not to cool it when you just have to heat it again. I asked a nurse and she didn't get why people did that : Enlighten me please
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Posted By: Tigerish
Date Posted: 30 January 2010 at 12:55am
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Good question Emz!
We're not FF but at the hospital when we had DS, those girls using formula were given the ready made jars of formula (like you can buy) to use. It had to be used within an hour of opening or thrown out. Is it different with powered formula? ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Manda08
Date Posted: 30 January 2010 at 9:18am
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When DS was younger i would only make it up as we needed, the odd time when he was waking up at night i would make it up before i went to bed. Now for daycare i make up the bottles and they go in the fridge at daycare. Always used in 12 hours though.
With keeping the bottles in the fridge i have around 12 bottles so i fill them up and put them all in the fridge, simply because it seems easier to just grab a bottle out and make it up. ------------- 
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Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 30 January 2010 at 9:56am
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Emz, I just leave mine in the pantry with the water in them too!
I only premix when going out as can't be bothered mixing formula when out. Otherwise I boil the jug, leave to cool, fill bottles with water and chuck in the the pantry and use from there. I don't like the idea of making up earlier and using as most formulas and websites don't recommend it but like anything to do with formula its totally your personal preference on what you do. I still sterilise all my bottles and still do my 2 years old night bottle in the steriliser as its habit and somewhere to keep it  -------------  
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Posted By: RoSee
Date Posted: 30 January 2010 at 11:31am
I think it depends what formula you use as to how long you can leave it made up in the fridge for? There's always an info line number on the tins... it'd be best to call them direct as they would know the guidelines for their product 
When I was using cooled boiled water I would fill the bottles then leave them on the bench... don't see why they need to be in the fridge either?  ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
 September '11
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Posted By: LeahandJoel
Date Posted: 30 January 2010 at 12:19pm
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I was a nanny in the states for twins and we used to make up a jug of formula each day and pour it into the bottles and have it ready in the fridge waiting. It would all be used (and normally more lol) within 24hrs. With my kids I did both just boiled water ready to go and pre made bottles. Again made sure I used it within 24hrs. -------------  
 
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 30 January 2010 at 12:22pm
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Hmm OK glad I'm not nuts then, so many people think they have to keep the water in the fridge because it says 'cooled' boiled water!
Most guidelines say up to 24 hours is fine but you do find that some babies have more wind etc if you do it that way. Don't know why, it's just what I've found and heard from other mums. I take water and a formula dispenser when going out, and do the same for DC. I hate waste (am cheap) so would hate to make bottles for DC that don't get used (as at our one their policy is to discard everything if not consumed). |
Posted By: shadowfeet
Date Posted: 30 January 2010 at 12:23pm
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We fill with boiled water then leave on the bench and add powder when ready. Even when going out and for nights. ------------- 
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Posted By: oscarboo
Date Posted: 30 January 2010 at 2:38pm
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We always just had the water ready for the bottles and added the formula when needed. Most say on the back of the tin whether they can be kept for 12 or 24 hours. The formula we have just finished using had to be made with warm water (not heated after the formula was put in) and then consumed within 1 hour! At least now we can make it with cold water again and this one can be kept in the fridge for 24 hours ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: Jaxnz1
Date Posted: 30 January 2010 at 8:33pm
We make up enough bottles in the morning for the day, then once DD has gone to bed I do two bottles, one for early morning wake up and the next feed, usually around 9am. So the bottles are only ever in the fridge for 12 hours max. We make up the bottles with formula in and just heat it. Although I quite like the idea of just putting the water in the bottles and leaving them on the bench until you're ready to use them! Probably makes more sense  ------------- 
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Posted By: sarahm
Date Posted: 30 January 2010 at 9:44pm
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I still use bolied water most of the time even though Floyd is 10 months! When he was waking for night feeds I always made up a bottle before I went to bed. We put the water in the fridge as DP reckons its harder for bacteria to grow at a low temp, even if the water has been pre boiled there is still a chance of it or something (hes a nurse so guess I believed it when he first said it so have kept doing it!) ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com">  
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Posted By: babyg
Date Posted: 30 January 2010 at 10:01pm
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Until C was 6mths I would only add the formula when it was needed to the bottles of boiled water. After 6mths I just made bottles up and left them in the fridge for that day/night. We kept our boiled water in a jug on the bench, tho the jug I used had a full seal - if it hadn't I probably would've kept it in the fridge.
When C was little I would take a couple of sterilised bottles, the formula dispenser (with a few formula sections filled) and a thermos of boiled water into the bedroom with me and left them by the bed. That way I didn't even need to leave the bed to bottle feed her in the night, I'd just quickly make up a bottle with water and formula in bed. The first feed would often be a little too warm so I'd just let it sit for a few minutes and the second feed was normally the perfect temp. Can you tell I'm not a night person??  ------------- Ev, Mum to: Carys Ruby - 4 October 2007 Spencer James - 2 July 2010 |
Posted By: Manda08
Date Posted: 31 January 2010 at 7:52am
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I only put the bottles in the fridge because of space dont have alot of bench space here. There is usually a couple of bottles on the bench otherwise its just all in the fridge.
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Posted By: mummymonster
Date Posted: 31 January 2010 at 4:03pm
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We stored the pre-boiled water on the bench. Then we'd heat the water in the microwave, then add the formula. Seemed to mix better in the warm water, and also ment there was a bigger gap between the mwave & feeding.
------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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