A ? for those who give formula....

I BF but have no stored breast milk (had to throw it all away cause of a food allergy). And I have no time to pump these days so if I want a break she needs to get formula (alimentum...gross). My question is about during the night. I want my DH to take over an entire night with Sidney. She usually wakes anywhere from 2x to 5x. I try to give her the pacifier or rock her etc but usually end up nurising her a little to get her back to sleep. So...when he hears her cry should he immediately warm up a bottle of formula (which takes a few minutes) and try to give it to her if all other efforts to put her to sleep fail? And what if she does fall asleep and he didn't need the formula...can he use it the next time she wakes?

And how do you all heat up your bottles? Do you hold the baby while it sits in warm warm water or do you try to do it before you go to her? As you can tell I'm kinda clueless about this cause we have never even given her a bottle of BM at night...its always been just me.
Mommy needs a break!
TIA

Re: A ? for those who give formula....

Hmmm... I never give Ryan a formula bottle thats been heated and out for over an hour ( I worked in daycare and that was a rule there...so I just stuck with that) Ryan wakes 1-2x during the night...but it is just to eat...sometimes its just an ounce...sometimes its 4...

So I usually fill up the bottle with all 4 ounces ( I heat it while hes in his bassinett...sometimes he's crying sometimes he's just fussing- usually his binky occupys him by the time his bottles done)

I always try to see if his binky will soothe him back to sleep first....if not to the kitchen I go!

Re: A ? for those who give formula....

Well, I don't get up during the night anymore with Jake but when I did, I started the bottle on the bottle warmer before I even went to him. It takes about 5 minutes so while I changed him, it was warming up.

I agree about 1 hr tops after it's been warmed. I don't think you're supposed to put it back in the fridge then use it again.

Re: A ? for those who give formula....

I don't think you are supposed to reuse heated formula. As much as it stinks with the Alimentum because its so expensive we throw out anything unused.

ETA: We only put and ounce or two in the bottle though since we can always go back for more. I would rather do that than make a larger bottle and waste a bunch.

Message edited 11/13/2005 2:20:05 PM.