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How long can baby formula sit out before it goes bad?


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If we heat up a bottle for him and he takes half of it, how long can it sit out before it goes bad. Can it sit out for 4 or 5 hours? Should we refrigerate it? If so, is it ok to reheat it? How many times can it be reheated? I was trying to find answers on the Similac website and I couldnt find any.

 

Anyone know??

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Not long. Once the baby takes part of the bottle you have bacteria in there from his mouth. I would not re-use the formula once the baby has started on the bottle. Now if you just take a 10-15 minute break during the feeding that's fine, but once the feeding is done then throw away the unused formula.

 

This is from link removed

 

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Should I Reheat A Bottle After Feeding Part Of It To My Baby?

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No. Once a baby has nursed from a bottle, microorganisms from the baby's mouth are introduced into the formula. If any unused portion of formula is refrigerated and reheated, these microorganisms will have the opportunity to multiply. Neither refrigeration nor reheating will prevent this growth. Therefore, you should fill each bottle with only the amount of formula needed for one feeding. After feeding, if any formula remains unused in the bottle, it should be discarded.

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Eeeek! Wow....good thing I asked. We will give him an 8 ounce bottle and when he stops after 5 to 6 ounces, we leave it out and then give him the rest 4 or 5 hours later. We havent had any problems but sometimes, he wont take it. Yet if we heat up a fresh bottle he will take that. It just got me wondering if we were doing something wrong. I guess we are! lol

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Eeeek! Wow....good thing I asked. We will give him an 8 ounce bottle and when he stops after 5 to 6 ounces, we leave it out and then give him the rest 4 or 5 hours later. We havent had any problems but sometimes, he wont take it. Yet if we heat up a fresh bottle he will take that. It just got me wondering if we were doing something wrong. I guess we are! lol

 

If he refuses to take the bottle then yes it might be a sign you need a new one. If you haven't reheated the bottle, it's possible he just doesn't want to drink it cold either.

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I really would not give him the remainder 4-5 hours later. That's a whole new feeding. Just start making 6 ounce bottles for the first feeding and then make up a nice fresh one of 4-6 ounces for the feeding in 4-5 hours.

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I really would not give him the remainder 4-5 hours later. That's a whole new feeding. Just start making 6 ounce bottles for the first feeding and then make up a nice fresh one of 4-6 ounces for the feeding in 4-5 hours.

 

Yeah I think that's what we'll have to start doing. I switched bottles from the playtex nursers with the liners to the Playtex Vent Air. He wont take any nipples other than the big playtex ones, and we're trying to stop him from spitting up so much. He doesnt spit up a whole lot, but I got two of the Vent Air bottles and used them while using the nursers and he spits up less with them. I got the 9 ounce bottles as he is taking 5 to 6 ounces at a time now and using the 4 ounce bottles isnt enough, but using the 9 ouncers is too much! Ugh! I guess instead of filling the bottles up, we can make 6 ounces at a time so that we dont waste so much formula. That stuff is expensive. I got to breastfeed for his first week, but then I had some complications from my c-section and had to take meds that would have hurt him thru my milk. So now we are stuck with expensive formula. He and I both miss breastfeeding. He still latches on through my shirts!

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Awww. Yeah my wife breastfed all 3 of ours for about the first three months. It was very nice bonding time for them.

 

The formula is just outrageous isn't it? Just fill the 9 oz bottles to the 6 oz line and mix accordingly. You know best how much your baby will eat so you don't always have to make up full bottles if it doesn't make sense.

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Well, I work at a child care center... And the rule is after an hour it HAS to be thrown out. Like someone mentioned, the bacteria multiplying and all. And another rule there also is that once they feed from a bottle it can not be returned to the fridge even after just a few minutes, what they don't drink has to stay out and if they haven't drunken it it gets thrown out... The bacteria thing again.

 

And also, have you ever drunken milk an hour after it's sat out?? It tastes nasty! I think so at least.

 

But, yes, I'd say an hour tops, and try the smaller feedings.

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Think about it would you drink milk after it has been sitting out at room temperature for 5 hours? Probably not. Gross.

 

Bacteria CAN begin growing soon after bottles start to sit with formula.. YOu're also not supposed to refrigerate a bottle that the baby has already been drinking out of (since bacteria can still grow while in the refrigerator).

 

If he isn't drinking a full bottle maybe you should try make less oz. and just making up more if he needs it instead of wasting it.

 

When my son was smaller he'd drink 4-6 ounces at a feeding and if I was using powder i'd make up only 4 ounces and then another 2 ounces if he needed it. Ready to feed formula is so much easier.

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When my son was smaller he'd drink 4-6 ounces at a feeding and if I was using powder i'd make up only 4 ounces and then another 2 ounces if he needed it. Ready to feed formula is so much easier.

 

We have tried this and by the time you make up 2 more ounces he is alseep and then 2 hours later awake again. If he takes 6 straight ounces, he usually sleeps for 5 to 6 hours. So, we need to make at least 6 ounces.

 

At first we used the liquid ready to feed formula. But it is ALOT more expensive than the canned powder. I'll look into it again, but money is tight!! lol

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Is it possible that it's drastically different for breast milk and formula?

I've heard many many times that it was ok to let it out for up to 4 hours.

 

Leave my freshly-expressed milk at room temperature?

Up to four hours at 80 degrees F (27 degrees C)

 

Up to 10 hours at 70 degrees F (21 degrees C)

 

Up to 24 hours at 60 degrees F (16 degrees C) e.g. in a cooler with ice packs

 

 

I guess it might have properties that the formula does not have.

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Leave my freshly-expressed milk at room temperature?

Up to four hours at 80 degrees F (27 degrees C)

 

Up to 10 hours at 70 degrees F (21 degrees C)

 

Up to 24 hours at 60 degrees F (16 degrees C) e.g. in a cooler with ice packs

 

This is breast milk that an infant has not started to feed on though. That's where the difference comes in.

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my hospital told me that sitting out after an hour, formula is no longer good. it did not matter if it was ready to feed or powder.

 

also, the similac can says that formula in the fridge [that a baby hasnt already fed from] should be used within 24 hours "immediately store prepared individual feeding bottles in the refrigerator and use within 24 hours" so formula is obviously not as well at keeping since breast milk can stay in the fridge for 5 days or something.

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This is breast milk that an infant has not started to feed on though. That's where the difference comes in.

 

Yeah, I think that it also has properties which make it anti-bacteria forming though that the formula does not provide. It's been a while since I've fed formula or breast milk.. lol

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Yeah, I think that it also has properties which make it anti-bacteria forming though that the formula does not provide. It's been a while since I've fed formula or breast milk.. lol

 

 

There are antibodies from the mother in breast milk (another reason why breast milk is such good stuff!). But still flooding it with bacteria from a feeding and letting it sit isn't something I would recommend. We're basically on the same page here - I'm just urging more caution. I have a soft spot for babies.

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We have tried this and by the time you make up 2 more ounces he is alseep and then 2 hours later awake again. If he takes 6 straight ounces, he usually sleeps for 5 to 6 hours. So, we need to make at least 6 ounces.

 

At first we used the liquid ready to feed formula. But it is ALOT more expensive than the canned powder. I'll look into it again, but money is tight!! lol

 

 

If he falls asleep after that many ounces then it is all he really needs. Even if he does wake every 2 hours for feedings then maybe that is what he should be doing. Making up a bottle doesn't take THAT long, have the water already prepared and just add in the formula and feed.

 

Even if you don't do that, it's just as simple to make up 6 ounces at a time.. Not sure why you were making up the full 9 ounces in the bottle?

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Even if you don't do that, it's just as simple to make up 6 ounces at a time.. Not sure why you were making up the full 9 ounces in the bottle?

 

I have no idea why I was either! lol I'm a new mom and I still have no idea what I'm doing! So bear with me. I will probably be asking alot of dumb questions on here for a while. regardless of my inexperience though, my son is such a good baby!! He laughs at us and smiles and tries to belly laugh. he hasnt quite gotten the full belly laugh out yet, but it's coming! He only fusses when he's fighting sleep and very tired. Everyone remarks at how good he is. We are soooo blessed with him! And he doesnt seem to mind my inexperience. He just laughs at me! lol

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