Out & about with bottles

[wattle]

I'm relatively new to the bottle thing and am wondering what you find is the best way to organise bottle feeding when you go out.

Do you make up the formula before you go out? Do you keep it warm? What if you're going somewhere that doesn't have a microwave? :confused:

Thanks

[jamb]

I make it up before I go. With heating its a bit of pot luck, warm if i can otherwise room temp. I offer bottles at home not warmed and bub loves it. I figure I dont always want a warm drink and it gets him used to unheated bottles. I live in an area where mothers rooms are AWFUL and even if there was a microwave i probably wouldnt put a babies bottle in it- eeeewwwww.

[Harmony83]

You can get these nifty little containers where you can put in the corrent amount of formula and enough for 3 bottles and you just pour it into a warmed bottle of water and hey presto fresh milk. We warm the bottles of water up to room temp and keep them in a bottler warmer bag thing, and it usually stays at the right temp! Hope this helps a bit?! ;)

[Chickadee]

If I knew I was going to be giving the bottle within an hour or two I'd take it premixed, cold out of the fridge, and it would warm up to room temp. As mummajack said it helps if you get them used to room temp or even slightly cold bottles at home sometimes.

For longer trips I'd take bottles of water already measured out, and separate dry formula. You can either buy commercial sachets pre-measured out, or measure your own into one of the purpose built containers. I found the containers too bulky and since I had dozens of Avent disposable bags left over from when I was expressing, I used those to hold the measured formula powder, twist tied closed and placed inside a regular ziplock bag.

If you're absolutely stuck with needing to warm a bottle, most cafe's will happily pop one into the microwave for you, but you need to tell them how long for and to remove the top since they may not know. I've popped into sandwich shops and bought a coffee just to get bottles warmed sometimes :rolleyes:

[rynosmum]

I take bottles full with cooled boiled water plus a pigeon formula canister that the other girls have already mentioned. It makes it so easy as you've already put the right amount of formula into the plastic canister and it has a spout so it's no-mess and it's so quick and easy to use. When bubs gets a little older, you can use the sections for snacks like sultanas etc.

Ry has always had his formula at room temp (since he started having it at 5 months) which makes it easy. I found that some cafes in our area wouldn't heat up the bottles as it was against their Health practices.

[xkwzit]

Hi
I never made up bottles and bottles of formula, I would mix it as I went. So I did this when we went out too. This makes it very safe, as you can take hot water in the bottle without risking any kind of nasties growing in it (unlike warm formula). I would just heat the bottle of water a bit more than normal (at home before going out), I heated it to different temps depending on how long it was going to be before the bottle was needed. It was always cooled sufficently by the time I needed it, so no heating required, but nice warm formula for bub. I would guess that most cafes could heat a bottle of water, or give you some boiling water if you needed to adjust the temp. I also have the pigeon formula container, that was way cool :cool: .

Enjoy the outings

[JenNT]

I bought a 500 ml flask, i put boiling water in this before i go out and i take a litre bottle of cooled boiled water and then mix it to the right temp and then add formula from one of those triple sectioned containers. I use the avent disposible bottle holder and bags and just rinse the teat in the boiling water when done ready for the next bottle. Bacteria does grow in premade warm milk and shouldn't be left or used after half an hour since heating ( I could be wrong,but was told this from my midwife) I find the whole process quite easy and don'y have to rely on anyone else to heat the bottle. My bub won't take lukewarm milk :-(

[jasminesmum]

If I am going in the car or out to park etc where there are no shops I take a thermos of boiling water and when bubs wants a feed I just pour the boiling water into a cup and put bottle in it. It only takes a few minutes to warm up.I find the thermos can stay hot for at least 4hrs.I too have one of those containers that holds formula.They are really easy to use and at least you know bubs is getting a fresh bottle every time.
Hope this helps.
Michelle

[flower]

I'm the same...I make the bottle if I'll be feeding bb in half an hour inside a cooler bag........sometimes I make it and put it with an ice brick in a cooler bag and feed bb the bottle cold if I cant heat it up.
Its like having a cold milkshake I figure. He doesnt seem to mind it.
And when I need several feeds...I carry those containers that multi-stack with formula ready to go and buy a bottle of water...add the powder and voila!
Try it all......
O's mom.

[onabreak]

I make the bottles up before I go and keep it in a bottle cooler bag and if I know there will be a place to hear up the bottle I keep it cool. But if there is no place to heat it I will heat it before I go out, usually a bit warmer than normally and keep it in a bottle bag where it will stay warm for atleast an hour. But I have found if you go to a shopping centre some people in coffee shops will heat it up for you in their microwave or I ask for a pot of boiling water and a cup to heat it up in. Or if all else fails, when we drove to Sydney, we fill up a thermos with boiling hot water and made the bottles up as we went.

[ThomasMum]

Hi as Max is much older preparing bottle on the go should be much easier.
With Thomas it depends whether its going to be a short trip/long one, like driving to F&MIL, for longer trip we just brings the tin and its “gadgets”, and make them up when you need them.
For short one (2 hrs at least) we use the cooler and away we go.

Hope this helps! :D

[HoopDeeDoo]

I NEVER pre mix my bottles before I go out, it's just not worth the risk of germies growing in my son's food! I just heat the water before I go, depending on when it needs to be given. Too cold is better than too hot. I use the formula dispenser with three compartments, where you can measure out the right amounts. It's works really well and there's no risk of tummy bugs!

[Sarie]

Hi as Max is much older preparing bottle on the go should be much easier.
With Thomas it depends whether its going to be a short trip/long one, like driving to F&MIL, for longer trip we just brings the tin and its “gadgets”, and make them up when you need them.
For short one (2 hrs at least) we use the cooler and away we go.

Hope this helps! :D


I'm glad I'm not the only one who takes the whole lot on big trips, I thought I was just lazy!

[ThomasMum]

He he Sarie :D its called well-prepared! LOL

[Sarie]

I like that!!

[ThomasMum]

I like that!!

*still laughing*

:D

[sugar n spice]

I have all my bottles made up with cooled boiled water in the fridge that way they don't go off. When going out i take a bottle with me + formula and heat it. Im usually at a friends or mums if im out for awhile so they have microwaves. When travelling long distances i take a cold drink for bub + cooled boiled water measured out and then i use a bottle warmer that plugs into the cars ciggarette spot. It takes about 1/2 and hr so i do it when i know he will be due soon otherwise petrol stations etc are happy to heat it but like someone else said tell them how long and to remove the top. However some microwaves heat quicker so sometimes ive had to let it cool down. Hope this helps. :o

[JessandKirra]

A girlfriend of mine premakes, heats, wraps in alfoil and paper towel and she says it works a treat.

I premake, heat and pack in a heat bag from Bilo $5.95, looks groovy, handle and all. Its like a kids lunch box bag that keeps hot or cold.

If i need three bottles I heat one for 30 seconds the next for 40 seconds and the next for 50 seconds, so the heat lasts through.

Each to his/her own.

Jess

[wattle]

I bought a great Big Bird formula dispenser today - only $2 from the reject shop and it's perfect. Better than $9 at Kmart for a tommee tippee one.

Thanks for all your suggestions girls, they have been very helpful.

[jaydensmum]

With the bottles when i go out i boil the water and make them up before i go. My bag seems to act like an insulator and keep them warm for about 2.5 hours!

jaydensmum