Bottles and Formula

I have a 13 month old little boy, he is currently on formula.
What she does now is she leaves one bottle here and a can of dry formula. I make him 2 bottles a day before his naps.
I have to obviously wash the bottle between uses to, as I normally do all my dishes at the end of the day.
Would you tell the mother to bring made-up bottles every day and take them home dirty each day? Or just ask her to leave 2 bottles so I can make them up the night before and not wash them myself here? Am I being snippity? She tells me he is only on formula for another couple weeks and then transitioning to cows milk only. So then I think, its only a little while longer.... WWYD?

I'd ask for 2 bottles of pre mixed formula. Formula's a funny thing and needs to be exact. I would let her know that you're finding it challenging with the other kids, and until the little ones on cows milk it would be helpful if she brought 2 bottles pre made for you per day. I send bottles home rinsed out. If I'm handwashing dishes at some point I'll wash them to, but not as a rule.

I would definitely ask her to send them pre-filled and send them home for washing at the end of the day. And if he is still having 2 bottles of whole milk when he switches, I would have her fill those and send them too. I have parents fill and prepare all bottles until the child is using cups.

I would have asked at the beginning that the bottles be pre made as well, then just keep them in the fridge until it's time to warm them up. Then I would rinse and send home.
Being as he's only going to be on formula for another 2 weeks though, I think I would just let it go and deal with it :)

I agree I ask for the bottles to come prepared and ready to go ~ when you have a full house every little bit of things to make it 'easier' is helpful for sure.

Clients are asked to keep 'emergency formula' here if something happened and they needed more than the 2-3 they normally drink in a day ~ but outside of that I am busy enough without having to clean and prep bottles for the kiddies!

I get two bottles with the formula already in it I just add the water. I then rinse out the bottle (to not stink) and pack it away. I tell the parents I do not wash your bottles "because I know you want to make sure its clean your way" lol When milk/homo starts unless it's in a sippy cup the parents provide the bottles.

I wouldn't say anything now if it's only a few more weeks to go.

Okay, ill stick it out, being there is only a couple more weeks to go.
Just out of curiousity, how would you all warm up a formula bottle?

I do the hot/boiling water for 5-7min (depending) because the one's baby DCg has are the drop-in-liner bottles and the thin plastic of the "bags" heat up very quickly.

Now when my daugher was on bottles her's were the Born Free ones and it's a thicker plastic that took over 15min to heat up! When a baby is hungry 15min seems like 4hrs! At that point I'd try to time it so it's ready before but 80% of the time I microwaved it...25sec! I'd make sure that the only thing going in was the bottle and shake it up very well.

I warm bottles with hot water as well..the recommendation now is not to use the microwave for babies bottles. However, that said, I try to get them used to unwarmed bottles as soon as possible and it usually doesn't take long...they don't need it warmed at the age of 13 months!

This is one area where I do not have a 'policy' I do whatever the parent does at home ... so either the microwave or the boiling water in a glass container or a bottle warmer they supply.

I always thought microwaving a baby's bottle was not recommended too, until my son's check up one time and my husband brought a cold bottle. The doctor took it and popped it in the microwave for him.
So I usually use my pre-boiled water from my coffee kettle (its always warm as I drink instant coffee ALL DAY, but if its the middle of the night or I dont have any hot water in kettle, then I will pop it in the mic for 25-30 seconds too.

Ya ~ I personally try avoid using a microwave as much as possible .... just cause their is such 'doubt' over the effects they might have on the health and safety and no one can agree.

I don't have any kiddos in the dayhome on formula but when my son was still on formula and going to a dayhome I prepared a container of formula every morning and brought it to the provider but she kept bottles at her house and dispensed as needed. That was the system myself and the provider worked out and she never mentioned it to me if cleaning the bottles was an issue. I do have one child that drinks milks from a bottle and I asked that the parent supply the bottles. He only uses one a day though so I pop it in the dishwasher like everything else when he's done with it.

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Originally Posted by Inspired by Reggio

Ya ~ I personally try avoid using a microwave as much as possible .... just cause their is such 'doubt' over the effects they might have on the health and safety and no one can agree.

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For me, the hot spots that micros create concern me. I ask that parents send the dry formula already in the bottles. I keep a thermos of boiled water (up high on a shelf) in my playroom...I first add the hot water to the bottles to dilute the formula then add cold to the desired temp. (I used this technique for my own, so am a pro at it now).

Okay, am I the only person here who has never made a bottle of formula in her life? I thought the stuff came in cans and you just put it in a bottle... obviously I nursed my own babies, and my granddaughter was breastfed as well, and so far, the babies I am getting into my daycare nurse morning and night and will drink water out of a sippy cup while here. I'm beginning to think I might have to learn how to make a bottle though. I'm not sure it will inspire confidence if I have to tell a potential daycare family that I have never made a bottle before....

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Originally Posted by treeholm

Okay, am I the only person here who has never made a bottle of formula in her life? I thought the stuff came in cans and you just put it in a bottle... obviously I nursed my own babies, and my granddaughter was breastfed as well, and so far, the babies I am getting into my daycare nurse morning and night and will drink water out of a sippy cup while here. I'm beginning to think I might have to learn how to make a bottle though. I'm not sure it will inspire confidence if I have to tell a potential daycare family that I have never made a bottle before....

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HAHA Treeholm it's really not that hard. It's a certian number of scoops (scoop comes in the can) to a certian level of water. Or if you really don't want to ask any parents that require formula to either prepare it at home and bring it to you or purchase cans of prepared to leave at your house. You can buy the type that is just open a can, heat, and serve it's just bloody expensive so most parents choose to buy powdered and mix it themselves.

Thanks Toregone, I had this moment of feeling like an idiot. I hope that a family that loved me wouldn't change their minds once they found out I have no idea how to make a bottle. I have fed some of my little friends at church a bottle, but the Moms have always just handed it to me. One handed me a bottle with the nipple facing into the bottle (I guess it transports that way) and she took pity on me when I gave her a blank stare and asked how the baby was supposed to suck THAT... so she took the nipple out of the bottle, flipped it around and screwed it on with the lid. I think I might have figured that out eventually... yes, you may all laugh at me.

HAHAHA! Ok that made me laugh so much! It reminds me of when I've handed cloth diapers to people that offered to change my son and they look at me with the same look.

Really formula is just water, scoop, shake and feed. Daunting at first but after 1 or 2 bottles it becomes like a second nature.

I always microwaved my bottles I just made sure I shook them so there were no hot spots. But my kids were off formula at 9-10 months ..... As soon as they ate all four food groups and a substantial amount and I switched to homo and put it in a sippy cup .... I never allowed my kids to have a bottle after 1 year. I had one baby start at 9.5 months and I made the formula here with a supplied bottle which I washed but I switched her over to a sippy cup by 1 year and to be honest I think they still give get a bottle at home but she hasn't had one here in 4 months. Next time I am faced with formula and bottles I will have the parent send them full and I will just return them at night

I've done this two different ways, one Mom sent the bottles all mixed and I had them in my fridge then warmed them in a pan of hot water which I found kind of scary in case there were any hot spots in the milk. I shook them well though, make sure you do that if you use this method. I do not microwave baby formula.

The best method was the Mom who sent measured water only in the bottle and gave me a big can of the powdered formula. Then all I had to do was measure the scoops into the bottles and the baby drank the bottles at room temp.


*I forgot to say that I have enough dishes after feeding 5 children all day and there's no way I would wash their bottles. I sent them all home to be washed. Also, if they are switching to cow's milk can't they switch to sippy cups? I always have children on sippy cups by a year of age, but it depends on the type that works best for the child.

I have a little one who uses formula. The parents send two empty bottles and a contained of dry formula. I just rinse the bottles out for them and they wash them at home.

As for heating up a bottle, I don't and I think it's much easier if you don't. The majority of kids will drink a bottle that isn't warm! I just keep my water on the counter so it's at room temperature--this way they aren't getting a cold bottle, but it doesn't need to be heated either.

Hi! I agree with starshine, bottles do not need to be warmed...all my kids have it at room temperature. Also, pre made formula has a limited shelf life, even in the fridge so having mom send it pre made won't work. If you are short on time, or lazy like me, make the parents bring nursery water so you don't have to boil/cool water!!! It's 97 cents at Walmart so no big deal and saves lots of prep time!

I dont do bottles. As far as Im concerned, a 13 month old shouldnt be using one. Neither of my children ever had one and none of my DCK do either. At this stage, I deem them unncessary.

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Originally Posted by akpayne

I dont do bottles. As far as Im concerned, a 13 month old shouldnt be using one. Neither of my children ever had one and none of my DCK do either. At this stage, I deem them unncessary.

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I agree with this. My son was off them before 1 year. Just the way some people do things. she also asked that I send him to bed with the bottles for his naps. Nope. wont do that, sorry!!

I breastfed my children then they went to sippy cups, but we can't dictate to daycare parents when to stop giving their babies bottles. We have to respect the differences in opinions for the different families, it's nothing personal. That's just my opinion. I've had families stop the bottles at a year and some stop it closer to age 2.

My pet peeve are soothers and I get them weaned off of them at daycare shortly after a year of age. I just had a boy start at almost age 2 1/2 and he still had his soother 24/7!!! Thanks to me, after one month he is soother free. The Dad was on my side, it was the Mom who was enabling the little guy and once I was on the Dad's side he finally managed to make the Mom listen to reason. Surprise, after one day he never mentioned it again. Parents!

Every parent seems to be so different, I have to say though...I have only had one parent who was quite picky about it being a glass bottle and she wanted to take the bottle home every night and wash herself (bring back every am) that was ok with me, thats what she wanted. Personally though, I ask the parents to bring extra formula or breast milk frozen and I prepare it as the child needs it then I keep the bottles at my house. I find that easier, there have been times the parent has forgotten things in the am such as food, bottle...that is not a good situation to be in when you have a screaming hungry baby and no food. I always store extras of everything (clothes, diapers, wipes...baby food, formula and bottles) when I need more I give the parent about a week advance notice in time to restock. (my motto is to do what makes it easier on the parent) when they come through my door in the am they bring ONLY their child, not a plethera of things. :)

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Originally Posted by Starshine

As for heating up a bottle, I don't and I think it's much easier if you don't. The majority of kids will drink a bottle that isn't warm! I just keep my water on the counter so it's at room temperature--this way they aren't getting a cold bottle, but it doesn't need to be heated either.

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No offence but I cound not disagree with you more!

I can say that my daughter as a newborn up until 15months had her bottles warmed up. She would NOT drink it any other way. Room temp was not a option. Her daycare provider at the time told me afterwards that she didn't 'believe' me and would not heat up my daughters bottles...well she wondered why she wasn't eating and would leave behind more than half the bottle EVERYTIME for two weeks!!!! I told her it HAS to be warmed! She did it and the bottles were empty down to the last drop! Some things are on-average with kids but others need things their own way.

I've had children who want their bottle cold, and some who like it room temp, and some who like it hotter than I knew babies could drink them until I asked the Mom what I was doing wrong because she didn't like her bottle here. Every single child is different and all the parents have different methods and beliefs.

Our job is to meet in the middle with the families and find a method that works for our busy days.

Agree with Momof4, although this is our business and we can choose contracts and rules, we should not try and tell parents how to raise their kids or change the way a parent takes care of their child.(however, we can choose not to take a child because we dont agree with the way they take care of or raise their child) I always make sure every parent knows, I am here to fill their shoes as best I possibly can. That includes many bottles at dif temps, or holding babies in dif positions I am willing!!! especially babies. Now as the kids get older they do learn, I do things dif than home sometimes, i.e I do not cut crust or take the peel off the apple, they adapt when they are old enough to understand, but you cant expect a baby to take a bottle at a dif temp than they are used to, they just dont understand yet.
naturally: children drink breast milk @ body temperature, It is easier on their system to put in the same temp as their body. :)