FF when out for the day

[Mitsouko]

Hi, I'm sure this has been done before so apologies...

My DD is 10 months old next week and has been pretty much EBF from birth, bar the odd bottle every few weeks when I've had to take medication and am not able to BF for 8 hours. She is allergic to cow's milk and soya so is on Nutramigen for her bottles. Oddly, she doesn't mind the taste and fortunately isn't a bottle refuser.

Now that she is older I am getting more self-conscious about feeding in public. Some situations I'm ok in, others I struggle with. Quiet pub, alright - noisy bus - not so much! DD is very distracted now when feeding and pulls on and off the breast a lot, looks around, etc. There's no way to keep covered up, even with vest down, top up. Can't use a muslin or a scarf anymore as she will just want to play with it!

Can anyone advise on the best way to make up bottles when out and about. I am thinking that I need to pre sterilise everything, measure the powder out into a sterile container, then add hot water from a flask. But will the water stay at least 70 degrees that way?

I am so clueless about FF. Wish I could just rely on expressed milk, but even with a good pump I'm hopeless. Spent 90 minutes on my medela swing yesterday over 3 sessions and got all of 2 ounces. Premade cartons of regular formula are do good due to DD's allergies.

Please don't flame me for FF. I am not planning on stopping BF anytime soon, it is just getting trickier some public situations with an older, active, distracted baby. I just need a little advice re the guidelines and safety, thanks.

[Lyftiduft]

FFer here, well done for BF and no judgement from me, wish it'd worked for us :)

if you are not going to FF often, perhaps buy the ready made cartons, they are a bit more expensive but a lot less faff and youy just need a carton and clean bottle

If we were only out for a bit, I used to make up formula, cool it down very quickly, pop in the back of fridge and take it out chilled (cool bag, ice pack). Stays very cold, then you can ask for hot water somewhere or take out a flask to warm up the bottle if you need to.

[VisualiseAHorse]

I would buy the ready made cartons. Always have a sterilsed bottle and a carton in your nappy bag.

[scampidoodle]

Hi. My son was on Nutramigen from about 7 months when he finally took a bottle. I used to sterilise the bottles and make up the feeds then cool them and put them in the fridge asap. I then used to take them out in a cool bag designed for bottles (got it from Mothercare but can't remember what make it was - one of the main milk or bottle manufacturers I think). I think when it got warmer I used an ice pack that came with the bag. I wouldn't have used the milk if it had been out of the fridge for hours and hours but it was fine to use say the same morning or afternoon. It was a couple of years ago now but I seem to remember making up three bottles every evening, which would have lasted till at least midday (ie, maybe one needed at night, one first thing, one later in the morning/lunch time). He survived and was never ill, so the milk was obviously ok being made in advance and taken out in the cool bag. I definitely never had to bother taking out powder or hot water separately.

[Mitsouko]

Thanks! Unfortunately we can't use the pre-made cartons as DD is on prescription formula (Nutramigen) which is only available in powdered form. I've considered making bottles in advance (and think that most people probably do this) but feel a little uneasy about it given current guidelines.

[Mitsouko]

Thanks! Unfortunately we can't use the pre-made cartons as DD is on prescription formula (Nutramigen) which is only available in powdered form. I've considered making a bottle in advance to take out (and think that most people probably do this) but feel a little uneasy about it given current guidelines.

[Mitsouko]

Not sure why that posted twice, sorry!