pre-mixing formula or shake every feeding?

Hey everyone,
just a little background, I recently stopped breastfeeding b/c my milk just dried right up on its own. Little disappointed but i'm moving past it, no use crying over "dried up" milk, right?

Anyway, now the twins are eating formula at every feeding. They have four bottles during the day and one at night. They drink between four-six ounces, often leaving between 1-2 oz. Before it was not such a big deal, but now that we are buying so much more, I want to conserve as much as possible.

The nutr. told us not to mix odd oz. bottles (5oz, 7oz), so I was wondering if pre-mixing seemed to save formula and time for anyone else? If so, could you explain how you do it?

 

I would usually make about 60 oz of forumla at a time. I would use a juice jug, add the water and then count how many scoops of powder to add and add it in, stir it up with a hand wisk and then put it in the fridge. When it was time for them to eat I would pour the premixed formula in a glass measuring cup, heat it up in the microwave then pour it into their bottles.

 

About how many seconds?

 

We always pre-mixed formula. We had two pitchers that I think were 32 oz each (?) and we would make them both up and fill bottles to whatever oz. we were at at the time. We mixed up 2 days worth of bottles at a time and put them in the fridge (and yes, I know that you are only supposed to mix up one day at a time but I thought that was silly and ignored it). Then, when it was time to eat, we just took the bottles out and put them in a cup of hot water until they were room temp.

The pitchers we got at BRU, and they had like an insert thing at the top that looked like a grate, so when you shook them to mix it up it was getting banged around on the grate and mixed up quicker - less than a minute.

 

Like Katie, I make 60 oz. at a time, well, 30 for each baby because they are on different formulas. I do mine in a big glass pitcher and use a hand blender to mix it up before I pour into the jugs. We microwave just long enough to take off the chill, about 15 seconds per 4 oz bottle. Length of time depends on the strength of your particular micro. Don't forget to shake to ensure contents are evenly heated throughout and always test on your wrist before giving to baby.

Premixing, for us, saves formula. As a rule, they each start off w/ 4 oz, then they get 2 extra as a "top off." If they're still hungry, then we pour another ounce. The most we waste is only a half ounce every once in awhile.

 

We've always made pre-mixed batches of formula and poured them into bottles. We started making batches using 32 oz BPA free water bottles with a wide mouth, and would usually make up 2 of those. At first we counted out 15 scoops of formula and mixed with 30 oz of water and that made right at 32 oz combined. But then we got smart and put our digital scale to use (had it for years and rarely ever used it). We determined how many grams 15 scoops weighed, plus the ziploc tupperware bowl thingy, and now we quickly measure out ziploc containers that have the exact amount of powdered formula. Now that the boys take 6 oz per feeding we make batches using a 2 quart Rubbermaid pitcher. So when it comes time to mix up formula, I use an Oxo 2 quart mixing bowl and dump 2 pre-measured containers of the formula powder in there (equivalent of 30 scoops) and add 60 oz of water, then use a wisk to mix it up. Then we pour that in the 2 qt pitcher and pour into bottles (we don't usually pour out the full 2 quarts right away, hence storing the rest in the pitcher). It sounds complicated but DH and I have a pretty smooth system. Every evening as soon as the boys get put to bed we make a quick batch of formula and pour up bottles. Works great for us.

If we didn't add gel thickener to our formula to thicken it up a wisk alone would work just fine with our formula (Enfamil Premium). But some formulas clump really bad, like Enfamil AR, and our hand mixer/immersion blender comes in real handy, especially when mixing in the thickener.

When its time to feed the babies we just grab 2 bottles from the fridge and heat in hot water. Takes less than 5 minutes to get it near room temp. I never shook up formula because 1) it seemed too clumpy (at least Gentlease and Enfamil AR were), and 2) I didn't want my babies taking in any more air bubbles (because they had horrible gas when newborns!)

That's odd that your nutritionist said not to make bottles containing odd number of ounces....why??

 

I've always pre-measured formula into dispensers. And I have done 5 oz. - in fact, that's what we're doing right now with the twins. I eyeball half of a scoop. Sounds like it's against the rules, but I know for a fact that I have many, many friends who are not particularly careful about getting full scoops exactly full ... I just try to be as accurate as possible. I, too, will offer an additional 2 oz. if we've blown through the first 5 oz. Another dispenser dedicated to 2 oz. pre-measured formula - and several of the 4 oz. Dr. Brown's, with 2 oz. of water in them, standing by. Or sometimes I just re-fill the bottle we've already been using with an additional 2 oz. Whatever suits my fancy. Just kidding - it really depends on how many of my 11,000 children are demanding my attention at that very moment. Usually all of them. Simultaneously. It's awesome.

My second child was on increased calorie formula for quite a while - an odd ratio of scoops to water that couldn't really be done in a single bottle format. I would make a batch in a plastic pitcher and store it in the fridge (the kind of pitcher with a lid that you shake). I would serve it up cold. My mother thought that was cruel and unusual, but DS didn't seem to mind a bit. I have not BF with any of my children, so they were never accustomed to warm milk - just room temp.

 

I never pre-made formula. Instead I would pre-measure the powder and add water as needed.

What is the reasoning behind not mixing an odd # of ozs? :huh: Inaccuracy? I always mixed a little more than I thought they would drink, and sometimes that meant an odd #.

 

I also premix the formula usually for a day for the boys.

And I couldn't agree more! It takes only 5 min to get them ready. My boys are different size (more than 2 lbs apart) so one takes 6 oz at a time the other takes 5 oz. Never thought it should not be an odd number?

 

I always premixed formula in a rubbermaid pitcher. I just mixed up however much they were eating for the day and then could make extra if needed. I also am a mean Mama and just gave it to them straight from the fridge...I also did this when I was pumping with my BM bc I felt I was dumping too much of it. They drank it fine and never had more gas or anything from it being cold

 

I'm the odd one, and mix the formula on demand. We have a brita water pitcher that sits at room temp, and I just make the bottles as needed. To me it seems to take less time than to heat up formula from the fridge(of course, I was told NOT to use the microwave, so the alternative is hot water-which seems to take forever for the water to get hot, then forever to warm up the bottle).

 

Becky5,
The WIC Nutritionist said that my making three oz's (when they were newborns) was a mistake. That mixing odd amounts was a problem b/c you have to eyeball the half scoop of powder. As a first time mom my confidence was shaky, as they are getting older, I am learning that EVERY health professional has a different opinion.

 

I would usually warm it up for 6 seconds/oz of formula. Also if you premix a jug than it's very easy to make them odd oz bottles!

 

I do 1/2 a scoop and I mix as needed. We still aren't on a consistent amount of formula or bottles a day. I pre-measure water into bottles (5oz water right now) and add the amount of scoops (2.5). To me, that always brings the formula up to the 6oz line. So does anyone want to tell me if they are taking 5oz or 6oz? I've always wondered. Mine drain their bottles but are full so it is a waste to make bigger bottles.

 

I premixed a jug at a time too. I found on a can of kirklands brand formula (costco ~ the equivalent of either enfamil or similac, I can't remember), that a cup of formula is equivalent to 11 scoops. At the height of the twins eating, they were eating about 70 oz of formula a day combined. I would put 60 oz of water in a jug, add the equivalent amt of scoops (using 2 measuring cups full plus a few), and then using an electric mixer to mix it up. Then I put it in a rubbermaid jug and in the fridge.

Now that they eat less (about 20oz each a day), i pour 14 oz of water in my big measuring cup, add 6 scoops of water, and blend. Makes 2 8oz bottles. I also add the little bit of extra water to alleviate constipation.

 

We always make it by the pitcher.

We use Similac and the container states 27 oz of water and 1 cup of powder...much easier than using the little scoop.

We bought the Dr. Brown's pitcher at BRU and it does a great job.

My twins (as did my son) take the formula cold right out of the fridge. This has been a huge time saver and makes life easier when we go out. We even put a small dorm fridge in our room so we wouldn't need to go downstairs in the wee hours.

 

I've recently discovered that even our boys will drink formula straight out of the fridge, if they are hungry enough. Otherwise they tend to make a grimace which is why we usually try to heat it up, but only long enough to knock the chill off and probably not quite to room temperature. At night we pack up a small cooler before bed to keep us from running to the kitchen, and that cooler isn't quite as cold as the fridge. Well this morning Colin was getting loud and feisty as soon as he woke up, so rather than warm it up briefly I popped the cold bottle in his mouth to shush him up before waking his brother, and he sucked it down no problem. If we have time and the boys aren't fussy I do heat it up to be "nice", heh, otherwise I let them take it cold.

 

Couple things-
Get a glass pitcher if possible-i had plastic but realized I had BPA free bottles but was mixing in a chemical ridden container. Also the milk imo seems to stay "fresher" in the glass-also make sure opening is wide enough to mix in-seems silly but I almost got one w/ a small opening when we switched to glass-luckily my husband came in handy and said something to me on the cell while I was browsing at walmart. I know some ladies microwave the formula-i do this if my little drama queen Ava is screaming her head off or in the middle of the night if they are getting riled up, but I try not to do this since I read the micrwave kills a lot of the good added vitamins in the formula. Also I only stir not shake as the shaking gives my babes gas from the bubbles. We also mix about 60 ounces at a time. Just my thoughts. Good luck

 

Thanks guys, I'll try this today, and let you all know how it works for us. You have given me lots of ideas, and advice. I now feel confident enough to give it a go

 

I just made bottles as I went, even do odd ounces and just eyeball it. I guess since they are my second (& 3rd) I don't sweat the small stuff. But I don't use the microwave.