https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:20:17 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/formula-that-your-lo-didnt-finish#post-453452 Tue, 18 Dec 2012 11:48:12 +0000 winniebee 453452@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@irene: Yes, on occasion my LO will eat 2-3 oz of a bottle and not finish it. I put it in the fridge for up to 2 hours for him to finish it, but if he does not finish it then, I discard it. That's what the ped said was ok to do. Hope your little guy is feeling better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/formula-that-your-lo-didnt-finish#post-451840 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:06:16 +0000 irene 451840@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: so within 2 hours in the fridge on formula that LO did have a sip on, right? Thanks for the information! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/formula-that-your-lo-didnt-finish#post-451652 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 12:31:17 +0000 winniebee 451652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had always heard 1 hour - so I asked my pediatrician and he said up to 2 hours in the fridge is OK for formula, but no longer. I never heat the formula (make it room temp and serve it that way or cold from the fridge). I stick to that rule pretty religiously. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/formula-that-your-lo-didnt-finish#post-451556 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:50:37 +0000 irene 451556@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MerryC: No we didn't heat up the bottles when we first mix it...</p> <p>@BabyBoecksMom: @Mrsbells: So annoying because LO doesn't do well when we offer different bottles in small amounts.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/formula-that-your-lo-didnt-finish#post-451521 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:31:36 +0000 autumnlove 451521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have always reused formula for the next feeding. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/formula-that-your-lo-didnt-finish#post-451508 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:22:02 +0000 Mrsbells 451508@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah I would not keep formula longer than hour after they have started drinking it. If you are worried about her wasting it maybe mix two small bottles rather than one full bottle </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/formula-that-your-lo-didnt-finish#post-451505 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:19:41 +0000 Andrea 451505@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The instructions say to toss after an hour if they do not finish so I always did that bc I was worried that it would make her ill. Hope he feels better!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/formula-that-your-lo-didnt-finish#post-451496 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:15:07 +0000 Mrs. Bee 451496@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i would save breastmilk until the next feeding, but formula I threw away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/formula-that-your-lo-didnt-finish#post-451492 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:12:42 +0000 twinmama 451492@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We always put unfinished formula back in the fridge. We reheat once with the bottle warmer. I know some disagree, but our kids have never had a problem with it and the bottle isn't heated to begin with.</p> <p>Did you heat the bottle the first time? If so, I definitely wouldn't reuse.</p> <p>Did you heat the bottle the second time? My kids definitely spit up a lot when we have given them cold formula. </p> <p>Hope he's feeling better soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/formula-that-your-lo-didnt-finish#post-451449 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 10:46:16 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 451449@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh no - poor guy :-( </p> <p>I've always read/heard that if you should toss any unused formula if your LO has drank from the bottle. Otherwise bacteria will get in there and they can get a form of food poisoning. </p> <p>Like @runsyellowlites said, maybe you can just mix 2 oz at a time and see if he finishes that. If he's still hungry, have the backup ready. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/formula-that-your-lo-didnt-finish#post-451447 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 10:42:49 +0000 runsyellowlites 451447@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Formula always got trashed. Breastmilk is different since it has living antibodies in it that help reduce bacteria growth. Maybe try just making a couple ounces at a time? Better to have to make more than waste it. :-/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/formula-that-your-lo-didnt-finish#post-451446 Mon, 17 Dec 2012 10:38:25 +0000 irene 451446@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We started doing formula when LO was 7-8 months (now he's 10.5 months). </p> <p>These days after making a 5.5 oz bottle, LO would drink only 1-2 oz, and I found myself throwing bottles of bottles (of expensive formula) away! So on Friday, after he drank only 1 oz before bedtime, I put the bottle back in the fridge, and gave it to him when he cried on and off at 12-1am. In fact that's what I did with breastmilk and it's always been fine back then. I am not sure if that's the reason why but he start throwing up in the morning. That was yesterday. He threw up this morning too. </p> <p>This is the 2nd time we have vomiting ever with LO. The first time was 2 weeks ago and I really don't know why / what triggered this. I wonder if it were the formula or if it were just some other food poisoning / allergy? I know the box says throw away formula within an hour after feeding has begun, but do you ever save formula that your LO didn't finish? </p>