Bottle feeding question?

[sukicorn]

Could someone help me with a question about bottle feeding babies in your care? Do you ask the parent to bring all the bottles made up and ready to use in the morning (and I would then store them in the fridge) or do you have your own bottles and steriliser and make them up yourself for the baby? Any suggestions appreciated!

[rosebud]

Current advice is that bottles should be made up as needed. Parents shouldn't really be bringing them made up for the whole day. I ask parents to bring sterilised bottles and the powder measured out (there are special dispensing pots for this) I then make them up as I need them.

[Kirsty90]

I have a lo who has just gone 6 months old. During February he only came to me a couple of hours a day and his mum brought the bottles made up with hot water and the formula measured in to small tubs for me to make up as and when I needed.

He now comes to me full days and so mum has given me a box of formula and has also given me a couple of bottles to leave at my house as she said she no longer sterilises his bottles.

Is this wrong?

Thanks

Kirsty

[rickysmiths]

I have a lo who has just gone 6 months old. During February he only came to me a couple of hours a day and his mum brought the bottles made up with hot water and the formula measured in to small tubs for me to make up as and when I needed.

He now comes to me full days and so mum has given me a box of formula and has also given me a couple of bottles to leave at my house as she said she no longer sterilises his bottles.

Is this wrong?

Thanks

Kirsty

When you have a box of Formula you have to be careful it is used within a month and if not the surplus thrown away.

[Kirsty90]

Yeah I have written the date when opening in order for me to know when the four weeks is coming up so I can let mum know I will need a fresh box.

Thanks though x

[Kirsty90]

Is it wrong for me to not be sterilising mindees bottles though if he is only 6 months old?

Thanks

[rickysmiths]

Is it wrong for me to not be sterilising mindees bottles though if he is only 6 months old?

Thanks

NO because thew parents should provide the bottles already sterilzed. However I kepp a packey of milton tablets in the cupboard just in case.

[rosebud]

I would check when to stop sterilising with a health visitor if you can. (Unless someone else on here can advise) My current mums stopped around 8 months when the babies started crawling as they were putting so many objects in their mouths they said there was really no point in sterilising but I'm not sure that this is the "official" advice.

[moggy]

The Food Standards Agency Child minder folder does give instructions for storing made up bottles provided by parents, it is allowed and I do it. I also described this method in my Level 3 assignment and passed!

[kat27]

My daughter is 15months old. My health visitor said sterilize bottles etc untill 12 months I also got told bottles are to be made up as and when needed with fresh boiled water as the powder isn't sterile once opened. ( if I'm honest though I did make all mine in the morning and store in the fridge as my older 2 boys never fell ill off it and they change the way bottles should be made every year it seems!) I also used to give my old childminder all the bottles inn the morn to be put in fridge.. do we have to follow the guidlines that are set for bottles or is it purely what the parents preference is?
Xx

[rickysmiths]

The Food Standards Agency Child minder folder does give instructions for storing made up bottles provided by parents, it is allowed and I do it. I also described this method in my Level 3 assignment and passed!

It is not allowed according to the instructions on the Formula Boxes though and you should be following these instructions. If you don't and something were to go wrong then you may find your Pub Lib Insurance would not cover you.

[rickysmiths]

My daughter is 15months old. My health visitor said sterilize bottles etc untill 12 months I also got told bottles are to be made up as and when needed with fresh boiled water as the powder isn't sterile once opened. ( if I'm honest though I did make all mine in the morning and store in the fridge as my older 2 boys never fell ill off it and they change the way bottles should be made every year it seems!) I also used to give my old childminder all the bottles inn the morn to be put in fridge.. do we have to follow the guidlines that are set for bottles or is it purely what the parents preference is?
Xx

You have to follow the instructions on the Formula Box.

[Kirsty90]

NO because thew parents should provide the bottles already sterilzed. However I kepp a packey of milton tablets in the cupboard just in case.

She has given me two bottles to keep here so they wont be going home for mum to sterilise them for me? She doesnt sterilise his any of his bottles at home and would rather leave the bottles for me instead of having to bring them everyday.

[rickysmiths]

She has given me two bottles to keep here so they wont be going home for mum to sterilise them for me? She doesnt sterilise his any of his bottles at home and would rather leave the bottles for me instead of having to bring them everyday.

If this is the case then you should be sterilizing them even if mum doesn't because the current recommendation is they should be sterilized until the child is a year old. You have to be very careful because if you don't follow current guidelines and the instructions on the formula box and something happens you would probably find that your Public Liability Insurance wouldn't cover you. It is frustrating but we have to do it this way.

[sukicorn]

I've just had a look on the Food Standards Agency website (as someone mentioned on here) and the information states that bottles can be made up in advance and stored in the fridge. This is certainly what I was told to do with my first child but with my second and third it was bottles of cooled water and then adding in the powder as you need them.
I am still confused so will have to read the back of the formula tin and see what the parents want to do! Thanks for all the advice - this site is fantastic!!!

[kat27]

thanks rickysmiths

[LauraS]

Even though mum doesn't sterilise, I would. It's a very minor safety precaution (in terms of the time and effort involved) when weighed against the (admittedly very small) risk of very severe consequences should the child get food poisoning.

[kat27]

I've just had a look on the Food Standards Agency website (as someone mentioned on here) and the information states that bottles can be made up in advance and stored in the fridge. This is certainly what I was told to do with my first child but with my second and third it was bottles of cooled water and then adding in the powder as you need them.
I am still confused so will have to read the back of the formula tin and see what the parents want to do! Thanks for all the advice - this site is fantastic!!!

does it say that on there again now?? when my little girl was born jan 11 it had been changed to make up as required. (as i said in my previous comment i never did i made all mine up) I would do as others have said though and follow the box. Better to be safe and covered than sorry I guess