formula & feeding question

I'm still getting down the whole rhythm of how much the kids eat and how much to prepare in bottles.

For formula, what is the best thing to do? Pre make a large amount, store in the fridge and then pour 2-4 oz into bottles as needed for feeding? I always seem to waste 1 or more ounces and I just hate to do that. My kids only take formula at a few feeds at day - they get breast milk the rest of the day.

Any tips?

thanks in advance,
miriam

 

I'm still getting down the whole rhythm of how much the kids eat and how much to prepare in bottles.

For formula, what is the best thing to do? Pre make a large amount, store in the fridge and then pour 2-4 oz into bottles as needed for feeding? I always seem to waste 1 or more ounces and I just hate to do that. My kids only take formula at a few feeds at day - they get breast milk the rest of the day.

Any tips?

thanks in advance,
miriam

 

I have never pre-made the formula, because I hate to heat it up!! I always pre-measure the formula into the bottles and then add the water when they are ready to eat. When they were little, I would add a couple of drops of Mylicon also, to get rid of the bubbles caused by mixing. I have given all of my kids room temp bottles.

 

We make a large pitcher ahead of time so the bubbles can settle. Then we pour into individual bottles. We do use bottle warmers.

 

I preferred to mix the bottles as needed. I had the bottles and container of formula on the counter. I'd pour in the water, add a scoop or two of formula, stir, and feed.

 

OMG...we wasted sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much formula in the beginning. We use the ready to feed so it has to be refridgerated after opening so we would make about 16 bottles at a time to keep in fridge. It finally dawned on us that we could re-refridgerate the left over. I know they say to discard but it's more money in THIER pockets for us to dump and buy. So since they were about 4 months old, we have put back into the fridge whatever is left over and used it for their next feeding either by combining the bottles or adding a little more to each. NOTHING has ever happened to them by us doing it and we have not wasted any more formula (except for the occasional times when we leave it out for over an hour and forget to put it in fridge, then it goes down the drain). Formula for twins is just too dang expensive and I'm not about to waste ANY of it.

 

When my twins first came home, I used filtered room temp water & mixed as needed. Like pp, I would throw out any leftovers. I tried pre-mixing the formula, but waiting for bottles to warm while babies are crying was no fun. I would fill a bunch of bottles with the water & then just add the formula when it was time to feed them. Now, I use warm tap water & refrigerate any leftovers. Then I can just add warmer water to make a new full bottle. My ped said that's fine & the babies don't mind a bit!

 

I just got a great pitcher from Pamperd Chef (the one with the plunger mixer in the lid)--- I can mix a whole can of formula in it in about 1 minute. It is great b/c I only have to wash one item (used to mix in the blender then transfer). I usually pre-make several bottles (10+) for the day. We go through about a can of formula each day.
I leave them out for 1.5 hours in the winter but then pitch. I also share bottles on occasion (when they aren't sick). I figure they drool on eachother all day....sharing a bottle can't be much different (bad mom!!)!

 

quote:
Now, I use warm tap water & refrigerate any leftovers. Then I can just add warmer water to make a new full bottle. My ped said that's fine & the babies don't mind a bit!


When you say you add warm water to make a new bottle, is that the existing formula? Does that water down the formula?

Thanks to everyone for their replies. It's so hard to know which is tougher - waiting for a bottle to heat up or stumbling around to fill bottles...for now I think I'll pre "pour" the water, then just add the formula.

Miriam