Preparing formula feeds in advance

There’s so much to think about when you’re taking your baby out and about. Do you have enough nappies? Wipes? And what about formula? No one wants to get caught out with a hungry baby, but how do you ensure you are safely prepared for the day?

Ready to feed is not the only way you can formula feed your little one when you’re out and about. To use powdered formula, you’ll need:

• A clean vacuum flask filled with freshly boiled water, straight from the kettle. (The flask doesn’t need to be sterilised, but should be clean and dry and only used for feeds)
• A pre-measured amount of formula powder in a small, clean, dry container
• An empty sterilised bottle, with teat and lid in place
• When you need to prepare the feed on the go, find a clean spot to do so and wash your hands, then:
• Carefully pour the required amount of hot water from the flask into the sterilised bottle. (The flask will keep the water above 70C for several hours.)
• Add the pre-measured powder into the bottle, put the teat and lid back on and shake until the powder is dissolved (about 15 seconds).
• Cool the bottle under cold running water, or in a bowl of cold water
• Check the feed is at the right temperature by testing on your wrist before feeding

If it’s not possible to do the above, for example, if you need to take a pre-prepared feed into nursery, the advice is to:

• Prepare the feed at home, cool it under cold running water or in a bowl of cold water and then cool it for at least one hour in the back of the fridge.
• Take it out of the fridge just before you leave and carry it in a cool bag with an ice pack, and use it within four hours. If you don't have an ice pack, or access to a fridge, the made-up formula must be used within two hours.

If made-up formula is stored:

• In a fridge – use within 24 hours
• In a cool bag with an ice pack – use within four hours
• At room temperature – use within two hours

This advice works for nursery days, or days out. But what if you’re going further afield?

Flying with a bottle-fed baby

There are a few things to keep in mind when planning your first adventure with your little one. Here are our top travel tips for formula feeders.

If you're flying, there's some good news: the 100ml carry-on limit for liquids doesn't apply to formula milk or baby foods. This means you can bring a reasonable amount of each to meet your baby's needs for the journey. There’s no legal limit to how much baby milk and sterilised water you can take however check with your airport before you travel.

We'd suggest packing either travel-size ready-made formula bottles, or for powdered feed several feeding bottles in addition to pre-measured amounts of formula powder in clean containers, so you make with boiled water at the airport or on the flight.

Alternatively, you can wait until you've gone through security and purchase ready-to-drink baby formula at an airport chemist. Most UK airports, including Gatwick and Heathrow, will even let you reserve some in advance for your journey. This is a far more convenient option.

Remember to pack or buy enough formula to cope with any flight delays you might encounter – they're bad enough without adding a hungry baby to the mix!

During your flight, you might want to also offer your baby occasional drinks of cooled, boiled water; the dry atmosphere on an airplane is very dehydrating, and it can affect babies much more quickly than adults.

Things to remember when on holiday with a formula-fed baby

Once you've arrived, there are a few things to remember before you and your baby hit the beach or the pool.

Tap or bottled water?

First, the tap water abroad may not be suitable for drinking, and even if you boil it, it might well have different levels of minerals than your baby is used to at home. To avoid a tummy upset, you'll probably want to make up formula using bottled water instead (and yes, it still needs to be boiled and cooled first!) Look for a brand with less than 200 mg of sodium (Na) and less than 250 mg of sulphate (SO or SO4) per litre. (Most bottled waters have significantly less sodium than 200mg/litre.)

Sterilising abroad

Bottles and teats still need to be sterilised, too if your baby is under 6 months old, but this needn't mean lugging along your electric steriliser; try using cold-water sterilising tablets instead, or if you'll have access to a microwave, bring along a compact microwave steriliser. If you're into more minimalist travel, you could always opt for disposable, pre-sterilised bottle liners and teats.

Finding your formula brand

If you're travelling in Europe, you might see your brand of formula in the local shop, but there may be some slight compositional differences compared to the formula you buy in the UK. Your safest bet is to pack enough formula powder for your entire trip in your hold baggage, plus a bit extra. (This isn't a bad thing; remember you can use the extra space on the way home to fit in all your holiday shopping bargains!).

If you're heading off for the day, pack several empty sterilised bottles, alongside pre-measured formula powder in small clean, dry containers, and a vacuum flask of just-boiled water. The water should stay above 70C for several hours in a flask that is full and sealed. Make up a fresh feed only when your baby needs it, and remember to cool the feed to drinking temperature (approx 37°C) by holding the bottle under cold running water. Feed immediately, and ALWAYS test the temperature of the milk before feeding.

Stay hydrated

If it's going to be hot where you're going, keep in mind that babies can become dehydrated much more quickly than adults. Offering a bottle or cup of cooled, boiled water in between feeds will help keep your little one happy and healthy.