Timing rules for using formula

New mom, with questions about mixing formula. I use powdered formula that gets mixed with water and want to make sure I understand the timing/shelf life rules on using the formula. Here is my understanding, correct me if I am wrong....

Once the canister of powder is open it should be used within 1 month (not a problem

Once I make up formula and stick in fridge it is only good for 24 hours

I can't save milk leftover from a feeding, only good for 1hr from start of feeding then I need to discard (one of my girls can take this long to eat)

Here is my question. If I mix a bottle of formula (don't put it in the fridge), do I still only have an hour to use it? On the instructions it stated from time of feeding starting you have an hour so I wanted to clarify. An example, what if I made a bottle left it out for an hour (not yet started feeding) would I still have to throw out at one hour mark?

Am I missing anything?

 

QUOTE(ca2pa2005 @ Jan 27 2008, 01:24 AM) [snapback]591189[/snapback]
Here is my question. If I mix a bottle of formula (don't put it in the fridge), do I still only have an hour to use it? On the instructions it stated from time of feeding starting you have an hour so I wanted to clarify. An example, what if I made a bottle left it out for an hour (not yet started feeding) would I still have to throw out at one hour mark?


Yep, you would have to throw it out at the one hour mark.

 

You should throw it out at the one hour mark.....but I think if you left it out for longer then that (within reason) it would be ok. I am NOT saying do this but my SIL would feed my nephew bottles that had been mixed together and sitting out for like 6 hours and he never got sick....so going a little past the one hour mark isn't that bad!

 

I had the same mind-set you have about it all. And yes, I too would throw out anything that did not make it into the fridge in an hour. I never took any chances because my girls had enough belly issues as it was.

 

I asked the girl's pediatrician about this and he basically said that as long as the formula isn't full of germs (ie - make sure you wash your hands before you make it and use clean bottles), it should be fine sitting out for an hour and then for another hour while they're eating. (of course, he didn't officially recommend this, and I'm no doctor myself, so this is just my opinion!) Remember, those "rules" are meant for the worst case scenario, and there's no magic one hour mark, like the formula is great at 55 minutes and suddenly becomes toxic at 62 minutes.

I don't deliberately leave formula out for more than an hour, but if I take a bottle out of the fridge at 11:30 to feed the girls and they don't start eating until 11:45, I'm not really worried if they don't finish until 12:45. I don't let the bottle go more than one hour after they start eating, though... since they introduce bacteria through their saliva.

 

I thought it was 1 hour if the baby actually ate out of the bottle- and 2 if you are mixing it and baby hasn't eaten out of it yet (not refridgerated)?

 

QUOTE(camdensmommy @ Jan 27 2008, 01:40 PM) [snapback]591935[/snapback]
I thought it was 1 hour if the baby actually ate out of the bottle- and 2 if you are mixing it and baby hasn't eaten out of it yet (not refridgerated)?


This is what I thought as well. ardon: Oops!

 

My Pediatrician says if it's mixed, but the baby hasn't drank from it, it's good for 2 hrs outside of the refridgerator. If you premix it & put it in the fridge, it lasts 24 hrs. I know you aren't SUPPOSED to, but if my boys don't finish bottles, we save the remainder in the fridge & use those within 24 hrs too. They haven't died & our Ped says he thinks it's fine too. We even have daycare save the remainders for us to pick up (sometimes we get almost 8 oz at the end of the day) since they legally cannot reuse formula already been drank from. When feeding 2 mouths, I find it EXCEPTIONALLY hard to dump perfectly good formula.....