Probably an obvious question, but my midwife in japan put the fear of god in me about making up bottles in advance, so i never did it and nearly died of stress as a result from making them up as I went along! So, how do you do it? Ideally I'll be breastfeeding, but i'll probably want to/need to supplement at least one bottle before bedtime at first, but i found with Milo that as he got bigger I was giving him up to 3 bottles a day plus breastfeeds, just in case i wasn't making enough milk. I really want to avoid doing that again and trust my boobs, but thought I'd better be prepared just in case.

OK, so if I want to make up 3 bottles in the morning as one days supply - obviously I'd need to sterilise the bottles, but then what? milk powder in? water? in fridge? I'm so confused! Help me pandas!!

I never pre made the milk but i used to pre make the water for the following day. Id boil kettle let it cool then pur the water in bottles and leave em in fridge for the next 24 hours then when the time came i would microwave the water (you didnt hear that), add the powder and give it a damned good shake. So much easier. For one feed a day is it worth getting the heat treated ready made 500ml bottles i think its something like 1-2 quid and they can stay in fridge for 3 to save you thre hassle

Im 95% BFing but awen has one bottle a day i either express milk for following day or once in a blue moon she has a carton of ready made

Ooh those ready made ones sound good! I'm hoping my boobs will work better this time as I'll be so much more relaxed being home, and eating a heck of a lot more!

Do you have a link or name for those ready made ones? I will definitely have to do some research!

We had ready made cartons for Aimee as they were on prescription. For Lily, I do this: 1. Sterilise bottles2. Boil Kettle3. Add boiled water to bottles4. Pop tops on and leave them on the side too cool.5. As and when I need them, I pop them for 30 seconds in the microwave and add the formula. I dont put them in the fridge, just leave them until I need them. I make up 6 at a time. x

The ready made ones are in the forumula aisles in the supermarkets hun. They are everywhere, you cant miss them xx

With Caitlin at the start I drove myself demented boiling kettles every bloody time and then cooling the bottle in a saucepan of cold water and then adding powder. Was such a faff and I think you need to be on another planet to be able to keep that up lol!

After a few weeks I got a good wee routine going. In evening boil kettle, wash all bottles, run steriliser, pour water into btls and leave on the counter sealed (eg 6 bottles of water with teat and lid on), then as I needed them I would add the powder. I did microwave the water for the 1st few months but eventually Caitlin just took it at room temp. She never had tummy upsets from this.

I didn't keep the water in the fridge and the btls of water were never kept for more than 24 hrs. I really cant see how sterile boiled water can do any harm being kept for 24hrs. I think the current advice is crazy!

I do the same as Laura. At tip for night feeds if using bottles. Get an insulated bottle holder and put a bottle of just boiled water in and measure powder into a powder dispenser and take to bed. Keep the bottle holder in bed with you and your body heat will keep warm till you need it, then add powder give a good shake and ready to go. You can also keep a carton of ready made stuff in bed with you as well to warm up for when you need it x

The little cartons are about 55p or the big ones are 1-2 pound. I use C&G personally

there is also this: http://www.boots.com/en/SMA-First-Infant-Milk-Starter-Pack-12-x-100ml_955186/

This post has just answered a question I was going to ask, I make my bottles up the same way as Laura...but was beginning to wonder if I should be keeping the water in the fridge, but it must be ok not to, so will stick to what I'm doing xx

I made the bottles up 6 at a time and put them fridge. I them microwaved them as I needed them. I know this isn't recommended but it was the norm when I had my other two. All of my kids are fine and healthy.

The microwaving is cos of the hot spots. Just shake it well lol

i did the same as baby milly. i made up 6 bottles a day and kept them in the fridge then when he needed one i would warm it up. I used a bottle warmer at first but eventaully just used the microwabve and gave it a good shake.

I know its not recommended but all of my friends didn this with their babies and they are all fine and it was so much easier. I will do it like this next time too x

I use the ready made milk in the cartons callum wudnt drink the powered one would make him sick x
Even tho the cartoons cost about £8-9 a week was worth it for us x

ok i'm mad, i'm making bottle as he needs it, which is driving me crazy,
hv and mw told me that since 2006 its not recommended to make the bottles up first.

i do the following.
boil kettle, leave to cool for 30 mins, put water in bottle, cool water a bit more in jug of water.

add powder, then cool a bit more.

i then put steriliser on again after each feed for all the bottles.

think i might start making the water each morning, that makes so much more sense to me, than my faffing way.

with rich i made 6 in a morning and they stayed in fridge till needed and then i would use bottle warm then

yeah its probably best to have a jug of cooled boiled water, 6 or so sterilised bottles with powder already measured then you just need to shake and heat