https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 21 Aug 2026 20:12:52 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1259763 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 15:03:21 +0000 mrs. bird 1259763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: i wouldn't feel the least bit bad about feeding her milk that had been outside in the cold all night! if it makes you feel better, i was a breastfeeding conference (NMC) a few years ago &amp; when they were going over the 'rules', we were told that the reason it's 'ten hours at room temp' is because when they were testing the breast milk, it was done when the lab opened, then it was left all day and at the end of the ten hour day, it had less bacteria than it had when it was first pumped in the morning! they made the cut off ten hours because the lab was closing, no one was there to test past that. if it can last that long at room temp (up to 72 degrees) and have less bacteria, i'm sure 12hrs in the cold was perfectly safe! at 60 degrees, it is still considered good for 24hrs. human milk is so cool! (yea, i'm a dork, but nature is pure genius)</p> <p>@Anagram: i love that you donated your extra milk! what a beautiful gift you've given! my mom was a nurse in the nursery when my brother &amp; i were babies &amp; would letdown every time the babies cried (poor mama!), luckily they had pumps she could use &amp; she donated what she pumped while she was at work. i love to hear about women helping others by donating their breast milk! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1259680 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 14:35:38 +0000 deerylou 1259680@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter drains her bottles, so I never have to store leftovers. I don't really let the bottles sit out, but rather, just prepare at feeding times. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1259660 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 14:32:23 +0000 littlebug 1259660@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm pretty lax on the BM rules. The only thing I really adhere to is using thawed within 24 hours. I also don't add frozen milk to fresh milk (is that even a thing?). But yeah.... </p> <p>I transfer BM from fridge to freezer after 3-4 days.<br /> I pump directly into chilled milk.<br /> I leave BM sit out at room temp for 6-8 hours. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1259620 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 14:23:48 +0000 Charm54 1259620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I throw uneaten formula out, but will save BM for the next feeding. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1259600 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 14:18:09 +0000 swurlygurl 1259600@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kjpugs: Ugh - I feel ya about the low supply. At 5 months I was pumping 4 oz total after pumping for 6 hours a day - that's not even a full bottle for her!!! I have nightmares about pumping now...</p> <p>I was pretty much lax on all the BM rules, but really strict about the formula rules. If formula has been sitting out for even just 30 minutes, it starts to smell a little funky to me </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1259570 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 14:09:57 +0000 Foodnerd81 1259570@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kjpugs: I just lol-ed at pumping into a big gulp! I have never gotten more than 6 oz in a session, my norm is 3 oz, but she primarily drinks from the tap. </p> <p>So question in these rules- if she starts a bottle of bm and doesn't finish it, it's better to leave it out at room temp for a few hours than putting it in the fridge? I don't warm it that much, just enough to take the chill off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258606 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 10:35:52 +0000 kjpugs 1258606@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: that's awesome! What a great gift!!!!!!!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258600 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 10:34:40 +0000 Anagram 1258600@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kjpugs: I hear you. I think you should only BF/pump as long as it works for you, you know? After doing a cost/benefit analysis. (Cost being mental and emotional costs!) That's why I'm just trying to make it to 6 months. This MSPI diet is for the birds and I just don't want to do it until LO is a year old.</p> <p>I've ended up donated over 1000 oz of BM to other moms I know locally who have supply issues but really want their LOs to have BM. I had extra and couldn't give my LO the frozen stuff that was from before I started the MSPI diet and I didn't want it to go to waste. Donating was wierd at first, but now I'm used to the idea. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258569 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 10:25:51 +0000 kjpugs 1258569@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: I was about to ETA that I know that comes along with it's own issues :( I hear you on the pain. I'm trying to make it to 3 months myself, my supply just went down a bit due to AF arriving, it's so exhausting! My nightly pumps I get like 20-30 ML, it seems like such a waste of a half hour!!! I'm ready to be done. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258561 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 10:24:09 +0000 Anagram 1258561@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kjpugs: If I go all night without a pump, I get 15 oz in the morning. That's NOW after cutting down to 5 pumps a day so my supply has gone down a bit.</p> <p>However, along with the big supply has come a big problem with clogged ducts and blocked nipple pores. There was a month I had one almost every single day. So many tears, so much pain. I'm super looking forward to transitioning to an elemental formula at 6 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258538 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 10:18:02 +0000 kjpugs 1258538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: I'm so with you- sometimes something is just right for your LO!</p> <p>And 45 oz a day... I am now in the fetal position crying and sucking my thumb muttering about my puny supply. LOL. I did the same when my aunt's sister told me she stopped pumping overnight and waited til the AM because she "still got the same 17 oz in the AM" 17 in one session blows my mind. Like do you pump into 7-11 big gulps? But again, since I'm getting 6-8 oz a day that jsut seems crazy to me! VERY jealous. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258526 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 10:15:08 +0000 Anagram 1258526@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kjpugs: One of the major "rules" my husband and I both break are the whole paced feedings rule. It seems to be standard advice that all babies should have paced feedings, sitting upright and being burped after like..every ounce.</p> <p>I used to be a rule follower and try to do that, while my husband would ignore it and feed her lying at an angle with no burp stops. Both my LC and my LO's physical therapist (who works excluvesly with issues related to BFing) said I HAVE to do paced feedings. </p> <p>But we had weight gain problems (Lo has reflux and MSPI which wasn't diagnosed yet) and my pediatrician was like. YOU don't need to worry about pacing out your feedings. You need to worry about getting all the ounces in her you can.</p> <p>It was a "duh" moment for me. I guess if your LO is a huge chunkster who tends to eat whatever is given and you are a pumping mom who can't keep up with demand, paced feedings are necessary. But I was a mom pumping 45 ounces a day with a LO eating 12-19 oz.</p> <p>Anyway, so now we feed her laying at an angle, and don't interrupt her feeding AT ALL to burp until she is finished. And now she eats more (not a big surprise. Hindsight and all that). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258507 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 10:10:39 +0000 LuLu Mom 1258507@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I followed the rules, I'm a crazy person when it comes to expiration dates on everything so I'm not going to risk it with my child's formula/milk! (disclaimer, she also had vast stomach issues and vomitted a lot so I was always very careful of what she ingested!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258502 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 10:10:08 +0000 Anagram 1258502@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: I wouldn't flame you! In an insulated bag, I think it's fine. I think BM rules are pretty lax, actually. </p> <p>I rewarm twice before throwing, will leave it out (in a cool house) for up to 8 hours room temp before throwing...that's specifically for at night. I keep two bottles on my bedside table for overnight feeds. I routinely let her drink from the same bottle more than once (because my LO never, ever finishes a bottle in one go).</p> <p>I always smell first, and I toss milk if she drinks 3 out of 4 oz or something, rather than adding fresh milk on top of the old milk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258487 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 10:05:07 +0000 MapleMoose 1258487@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For some reason I trust BM more than formula so I will let M finish bottles of BM over a few hours whereas I am strict with the 1 hour limit of half-finished formula. I also don't have a problem with letting BM sit out at room temp for 8 hours (although it has never lasted that long with my hungry girl). But with formula I follow the rule of not letting an untouched bottle sit out warm for more than 2 hours. I never reheat BM or formula or put either back in the fridge. I add fresh pumped milk to already cold fridge milk. I freeze after a few days in the fridge. Haven't used any freezer stash yet but BM is liquid gold in this house so assuming it passed the sniff test I'd probably use thawed (refrigerated) milk a little longer than 24 hours if she hadn't finished yet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258435 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:55:49 +0000 autumnlove 1258435@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I reheat BM. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258426 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:53:32 +0000 kjpugs 1258426@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: I would have probably done the same. That stuff is too precious to waste! Whenever LO leaves like 5 ML at the bottom of a bottle it hurts my heart a little bit to dump it (since I am getting 6-8 oz a DAY only and supplementing the rest, I REALLY like her to finish those BM bottles!!!!!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258347 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:32:22 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1258347@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think another factor in this is age. By the time my LO was 8-9 months I wasn't worried about BM sitting out. </p> <p>I will share a story as long as you guys don't flame me. I pumped at work and refrigerated it. When I left work I put it in my pump bag and drove home but forgot to put it back in the fridge until the next day when I realized we were missing the milk from the day prior. It was out in our house overnight (about 12 hours) during the winter (house was cool) and in a insulated bag. I smelled it and tasted it and it looked fine so I sent it to school with her. </p> <p>I would use any milk that has been drank from within 12 hours. I would worry about bacteria from the mouth growing in the BM. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258334 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:28:13 +0000 danda 1258334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're entirely BM. I'm very strict but only because I had a good oversupply going for a few months that gave me a large freezer stash - so if in doubt I don't feel too sad about throwing out. The only rule I'm somewhat lax on is rewarming since I'm not really clear on the rules there - I'll rewarm within an hour or so of initial warming if I jumped the gun on bottle prep or if baby barely drank any. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258330 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:26:52 +0000 littlebittyhouse 1258330@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am ok leaving breastmilk out for up to 6 hours. It has been in the fridge for 6-8 days before I give it to him as long as it passes the sniff test. I don't wash my pump parts btwn sessions - I keep them in a ziplock in my cooler bag - I am pretty lax about it... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258317 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:24:06 +0000 Foodnerd81 1258317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't give her a lot of bottles, but when we do, if she starts a bottle if breastmilk and doesn't finish, I will save it for the next feeding (like, 5 hours max I guess). I do put it back in the fridge- wonder if I shouldn't? </p> <p>I use or freeze within four days of pumping, don't pump into refrigerated milk (never pump more than once a day, otherwise I probably would). I keep the milk in the bak and bottom of the freezer, but we don't go through it quickly so I feel it's more important than if we cycled through it faster. An I rarely sterilize the pump parts and bottles- just wash with hot soapy water. </p> <p>But she gets maybe a couple of bottles a week so I might be different if it was more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258308 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:22:15 +0000 prettylizy 1258308@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We never fed formula, but with BM I'd let it sit out at room temp for 6-8 hours without worry. I wouln't re-fridge and re-heat bm though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258304 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:21:03 +0000 Mrs. Polish 1258304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We go two hours on formula and then dump or refrigerate.</p> <p>When we used bm I didn't know I wasn't supposed to reuse it, so we did because supply was limited. He's fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258300 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:19:29 +0000 looch 1258300@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son always drained his bottles of formula, so there was no worry about having to save it. I made each bottle as needed though, I didn't bother mixing a large amount. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258299 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:19:27 +0000 Revel 1258299@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We haven't fed formula but I would say I'm relatively lax about breast milk so long as it passes the sniff test. I do try to freeze as soon as possible if I know I'm going to be freezing the milk, and use any thawed frozen within 24 hours. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258294 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:17:31 +0000 blackbird 1258294@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do follow the one hour rule....what other rules are there?! </p> <p>I just am concerned with bacteria growth and the like. No need to give her an upset tummy or diarrhea over a few cents worth of formula. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258287 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:15:59 +0000 Adira 1258287@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>haha, this is great! Xander drinks BM, so here are the rules that we follow (that I can remember off the top of my head)</p> <p>- If baby started a bottle and didn't finish it, we leave it out (room temp) and offer at next feeding or toss it. We don't re-refrigerate/rewarm.<br /> - Only store in fridge for up to 8 days (then use or toss (or transfer to the freezer, muahaha))<br /> - Use thawed milk within 24 hours (or 48 if baby didn't drink it when he was supposed to!!)</p> <p>Not sure about these "rules" but I do these:</p> <p>- Pump directly into already refrigerated milk<br /> - Transfer milk that's been in the fridge for 6 days to the freezer (haha, I know, so bad, but hasn't hurt Xander yet!)<br /> - Give thawed milk more than 24 hours after thawing (If Xander doesn't drink it the day it's thawed, I'll give it the next day)<br /> - Store frozen milk in freezer door (I know, so bad, but I do this) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-follow-milkformula-bottle-feeding-rules#post-1258254 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 09:01:41 +0000 kjpugs 1258254@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband and I are on opposite sides about some of this (I won't say who believes what, haha!) and wanted to see what HB thought!</p> <p>There are so many "rules" about bottle feeding, whether it's breastmilk or formula. Do you follow them? Like, formula has to be discarded within an hour? If your LO starts a bottle and doesn't finish, do you throw it out? Save it? Would you re-heat a bottle?</p> <p>Etc etc... share what bottle feeding rules you follow and which you are "meh" about! </p>