r/FormulaFeeders • u/Wild-Shoulder7787 • 18h ago
Easiest method for newbie
I am in the process of adopting a newborn so we will obviously be formula feeding from birth.
I want to make it as easy & simple as possible and I’m wondering which gadgets / products are worth it. I’m fine with paying for things if they make it significantly easier.
Ex: I was going to get the baby brezza formula maker but then I read you have to clean it every 4 bottles, deep clean once a month, potential mold…no thanks. I am planning on getting the baby brezza bottle washer & sterilizer though.
Is a warm water dispenser worth it? Or would a bottle warmer be better? I’ve heard of the pitcher method which seems nice but I would prefer a glass pitcher which doesn’t seem to exist with the cool mixing lid thing.
Just looking for the laziest easiest way to do this lol thank you!
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u/New_Floor_5834 18h ago
I have the baby brezza and it’s really not that bad. By “cleaning” every 4 bottles, it means to just wipe the dispenser piece down. At first I really didn’t want to do all that work but it really is worth it and becomes routine. Having the bottles dispense at body temp is awesome and kept us from having to get a bottle warmer. Some babies do t need a warmed bottle but I’ve found my little guy burps better when it’s warmed.
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u/caitalice88 16h ago
Yes use distilled water to cut down on cleaning/mold and buy a second funnel so you always have a clean one available. Easy. We love our Brezza.
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u/Wild-Shoulder7787 18h ago
Oh ok that’s good to know! I’ll reconsider that then. :)
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u/No-Championship4921 17h ago
Yes, once we accepted breastfeeding wasn’t going to be an option for us I immediately got the brezza. It’s wonderful and such a lifesaver at 2am(really any time) with a screaming baby. It’s so easy to clean and if you use distilled water(which is recommended) it makes the cleaning process much easier and less often
Edit to add : they sell extra funnels too
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u/RoosterRoni420 16h ago
Baby Brezza is a life saver and seconding that it’s easy to clean the funnel - they’re like ~$12 for extra funnels on Amazon so we have a few extras that we can pop in and out.
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u/hardly_werking 9h ago
We bought 4 funnels, which are about $12 each. The machine tells you when it is time to swap. You pull the funnel out, use a dry paper towel to wipe the part the formula comes out of, and pop a new funnel in. It is super quick. By default the water comes out room temperature, so you don't have to heat it if you don't want to. I highly recommend you reconsider the brezza. Some people like the pitcher method but if your baby hates cold formula, as mine did, you will end up having to heat it up to room temp or higher anyway.
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u/Gillingsworth 15h ago
I also have the baby brezza. We got it when my LO was 5 weeks after having to switch to formula and my husband had been prompting me to order it but I kept putting it off - I wish I should’ve done it sooner!!!
Cleaning it is def not difficult. I actually put the funnel in the momcozy bottle washer and sterilizer and it cleans it no problem. My rec is to order a 2nd funnel so you have a clean one to rotate while the other gets washed.
I have seen other posts about measurements being off after about 4 months of use so I’m wary of that - still looking into it further. But so far it’s been a lifesaver.
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u/New_Floor_5834 14h ago
I’ve seen things about measurements being off too but as long as you use the website to check the powder setting, it really isn’t an issue. lol even when I make by hand I always spill a little !
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u/StrawberryFew7489 18h ago
I have the Dr. brown glass insta prep water warmer dispenser it’s about $35 + tax from Amazon when I bought it. WE LOVE IT! It has 3 temps, a night light, and is glass so it stays warm. It’s super convenient for the night feeds especially because we had a bottle warmer and it would take longer when baby was hangry.
I believe they sell it at target but bought ours from Amazon due to it being out of stock at target. It’s overall one of the best purchases we’ve made!
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u/magicinthetrees 14h ago
The baby brezza was too much for me, plus I didn’t like that you can’t confirm the ratios are right. We have a 5 gallon water cooler that puts out hot water! We refilled the 5 gallon jug with distilled water. Love not having to use a bottle warmer!
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u/itstheavocado 18h ago
I don't have any of the gadgets. Turn on the tap to warm water, fill the bottle, add the scoops. I did consider the pitcher method with a quart mason jar and a pouring lid (from Mason jar lifestyle website) but my baby doesn't like cold milk, and I didn't want to buy a bottle warmer. The bottle warmer takes longer than warming up the tap water. I didn't want a warm water dispenser because I have no room on my countertops. I don't think any of the gadgets would make it easier or more convenient for me!
For the quart jar method, measure the precise amount of water with a bottle, pour the water into the jar, and add the scoops into the jar. You can use a whisk to break up any clumps. Tighten the lid and store in the fridge!
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u/Wild-Shoulder7787 18h ago
So helpful, thank you! That is def the most minimalist option, I just don’t know if I should use our tap water when the baby is super tiny? I read you have to use distilled at first, but maybe that’s wrong
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u/RealisticAnxiety4330 18h ago
They say you shouldn't use bottled water but filtered water from the fridge. I personally use tap water because my baby wasn't a preemie etc and he's been fine. As for method it's a bit different in the UK as we have to use cooled boiled water and we have electric kettles. I find the pitcher method easy, just pre make in bulk as per the formula instructions in a large pitcher and refrigerate. Then when you need a bottle just pop it out and sit in some warm water or a bottle warmer. Some babies like cold milk, some like it tepid, some body temperature and some warm. You'll figure out which your little one likes quickly enough!
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u/JollyOleReddit 17h ago
I mean the easiest would be feeding your baby ready to feed (pre mixed) formula cold if they will tolerate the temp. My 1 month old drinks cold formula so I do the pitcher method now and pour it as needed.
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u/Wild-Shoulder7787 14h ago
I hope he / she will tolerate cold because that would make life so much easier haha
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u/gringafalsa 17h ago
I prep the bottles in advance by measuring out the distilled water from the jug into the bottle. When he needs to eat, I add the powder and he takes it room temp. Never had an issue myself with my 3 month old. My sister has adopted 2 children at birth and both used the same exact method without issue. Not having to worry about warming is amazing.
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u/Wild-Shoulder7787 15h ago
I agree it would be amazing if we could just not worry about warming at all! Haha I see some people say their babies had gas etc when they weren’t warm so I’m not sure if I should have one on hand just in case
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u/gringafalsa 15h ago
You can always get it last minute if you end up needing it, but most babies have gas in the first couple of months anyway. I would try not to worry about it too much. My mistake as a FTM was buying so many gadgets that I didn’t end up using out of practicality
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u/Wild-Shoulder7787 14h ago
That’s great advice. I try to be minimalistic if I can because I get overwhelmed by too much stuff!
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u/gringafalsa 14h ago
Same and I went overboard for baby as if I couldn’t just get next day on Amazon! 😵💫
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u/lucy1011 16h ago
I don’t have any of the gadgets. I have a gallon of distilled water upstairs and a can of formula. Same for downstairs. We mainly do room temp bottles. When she first came home from nicu, we were mixing it to 24 calories so I had to make it in bulk. But an 8 oz bottle in the fridge lasted most of the day. Now that we just make it like the can says, it’s so much easier. My biggest problem is remembering to take our dirty empty bottles downstairs in the morning to wash them and take them back upstairs before bedtime
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u/Pizza_Lvr 13h ago
Honestly, I have a dr. Browns pitcher and I love it. We make formula in it and then just pour into a bottle as needed. Sometimes I’ll use it to pre fill bottles for the day so we can just grab and go. It’s about $10 on Amazon
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u/KnopeSwanson16 12h ago
Kettle to warm water to kill potential pathogens in formula (hospital told us to do this), mix with powder in mason jar with pour spout lid. Pour out as needed. Don’t warm, they don’t care! Baby brezza formula maker doesn’t reach high enough temps to kill pathogens. We make 24oz at a time.
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u/megabyte31 9h ago
We are on our second baby (she is 5 weeks) and we have lots of gadgets! We had a Brezza before but basically used it as a warm water dispenser. This time we purchased two Dr. Browns warm water dispensers (chose this one because it's glass but there's lots of options), one for upstairs and one for down. We actually brought one with us to my parents' house for Christmas because it's so convenient. With the Brezza, we could choose how many oz of water to dispense but you can't with the cheaper options. We just put an empty bottle under the spout and use that to measure, then add it to pre-filled bottles of powder. It means it's super fast for us to make a warm bottle for her. We don't worry about getting her used to cold formula because she definitely has a preference (we DID try the cold) and when we go out and about, we bring a bottle of cold water and a thermos of boiled water and just mix them to the right temp. We also have a portable water heater that works great too but is just slower than our mixing strategy, so we prefer it.
The other gadget we LOVE is our countertop dishwasher (which is separate from our main one). It's essentially the same as the Brezza bottle washer or the Momcozy one but it fits way more. Ours is a Comfee dishwasher, with an Oxo tot dishwasher basket, and a bottle holder that was originally intended for drying bottles but we run it through to hold the bottles. We typically wash 5-8 at a time and run it once or twice a day. Ours is set up in our laundry room. We don't have it hard plumbed but you can. I just use a watering can to fill the tank and we have a bucket for the drain. We figure for a year it's not a big deal. My husband wanted to bring our dishwasher to Christmas with us we love it so much (and it WAS super annoying to wash bottles while we were there). You CAN wash them in a regular dishwasher, but ours weren't getting clean enough with our first so we just do this. Plus, on the days we do two loads, it's nice to have the smaller, baby-only washer.
We're the same as you in that we will spend money to make our lives easier. Plus we will try to re-sell things when we're done with them, otherwise give them to someone who needs them with Buy Nothing.
Other things we use regularly: waterproof terry cloth bibs (the snap kind because Velcro catches on everything in the laundry), extra nipples and bottles, thermos, portable water warmer (we used to use it but not anymore), small container for formula on the go and upstairs
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u/hotdog738 9h ago
We fed cold milk early on and did the pitcher method. Ours took it cold and it was super easy. I worry about plastic as well and we used glass bottles with cold milk so I felt okay about it.
You could probably use a glass pitcher and just stir with a wooden spoon
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u/CharmingAssumption63 8h ago
I have the brezza and do not use it bc I swear the ratios aren’t accurate. We use the dr brown pitcher, (I do wish it was glass) but we use that, and use glass bottles instead of plastic ones. (You can use the pitcher to mix then prefill bottles and keep them in the fridge until you need to use them (they’re good for up to 24 hours if refrigerated and not drank from, from when it’s mixed) and we use a bottle warmer which takes about 3 minutes to warm to a proper temp. If we’re out, we ask for a cup of boiling water and sit the bottle in that a few minutes before its time to eat. Most bottle fed babies are on a schedule- every 2/4 hours depending on their age so if you plan accordingly they never have to “wait” for the bottle… and when it’s warming you can be changing the baby etc.
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u/laladxo 18h ago
Cleaning baby brezza formula maker is not that bad, especially if you also get the sterilizer. I hand wash the bottles and the formula maker nozzle then put everything in the sterilizer. In one hour, everything is done and ready for the next feed. Also, I use purified water bottles, and my baby has not had any stomach upset yet.
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u/Own-Introduction6830 16h ago
I have a bottle warmer and a warm water dispenser. The water dispenser is awesome. I highly recommend getting one. I didn't get the brezza one specifically. I got like a $30 (US dollars) one off Amazon, and it's lasted a year now and still going strong. It's so worth it.
How old will the newborn be when you get them? Brand new?
There are a few things to consider in case the baby is premature or potentially has any health issues. You may want/need to sterilize the formula in this case. I, personally, would just sterilize the formula the first few months anyway. There are different methods, but basically, the water needs to be heated to 163* F/73* C (someone correct me if I have the temps wrong). Then add the formula and let it come back down to drinking temperature. You could use the pitcher method if you want to sterilize a big batch. Then you can just reheat what you need in a bottle warmer
For me, personally, I wouldn't want to deal with that hassle, and I would buy ready to feed formula (just for the first few months) because it comes already sterilized. I would use the bottle warmer to heat it up in this case. Rtf formula is more expensive, though. So that is something to consider.
Overall, my recommendation is to use rtf (if that's plausible for you) or sterilize powdered formula for the first few months and then switch using the warm water dispenser with powdered formula.
A bottle warmer can be as cheap as $20, and like I said, I found my water dispenser for $30.
Lmk if you need any clarification! Happy to help!
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u/Own-Introduction6830 16h ago edited 15h ago
BTW I use distilled water for the water dispenser. Some people's risk tolerance is higher and will use tap water. It really is dependent on if your water in your area is clean and how you feel about it along with your baby's needs.
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u/Wild-Shoulder7787 16h ago
Ok super helpful, thank you! I was planning on getting the ready to feed for when we get him / her from the hospital (it will be out of state). Sounds like I will probably need to get both a warmer and dispenser then. Thanks for your help
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u/DublinGARealtor 12h ago
I use the Dr browns manual formula pitcher (costs around $15 I think) and make a batch each morning big enough for the whole day. I pour the milk into bottles first thing and keep them in the fridge all day. When it is feeding time I pull a bottle out, put it in a bowl in my sink, and let warm water run over it to warm it. We use Kendamil formula and I have found it mixes better in the pitcher than in the bottle shaken. We had a brezza bottle warmer and it only lasted a couple months before glitching. Of course if we are out and about I just mix individual bottles. I use a formula container to pre measure the formula and bring a bottle of water and give it to baby at room temp. A friend of mine will boil water and put it in a yeti cup to keep it as warm as possible when they are away from home at bottle time.
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u/LilacPenny 10h ago
If money really isn’t an issue then liquid concentrate is way easier than powder formula imo. You just need the pitcher and distilled water. I get 5L bottles for $1 at Walmart. You could also used boiled tap water but buying it costs basically nothing and takes out another step. Prep is literally just measuring your water and opening the can and pouring it in the pitcher. Takes 30 seconds.
And if you want to use a glass pitcher you can always make it in the Dr Browns pitcher then transfer to a glass one. The liquid concentrate doesn’t need to be remixed like powder. Just make sure it has a lid.
Optional is a bottle warmer but you might luck out with a baby who will take it cold. I find putting the bottle in a thermos filled with hot water works just as well as a bottle warmer though and it basically the same thing. Now that my baby has a consistent eating schedule I’ll just take her next bottle and set it on the counter half an hour before she eats so it’s room temp but she’ll take it cold too.
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u/Kooshamaad 8h ago
I love our baby brother are despite the having to clean it every four bottles thing. It’s so easy perfect temperature for baby and we also keep about 12 bottles, We use the Dr. Brown anticolic glass bottles, on hand. That way we have about 24 hours worth of bottles ready to go in case of a really hectic day. We also a kid to wash the bottles of little tub that we keep the dirty bottles in to collect them throughout the day as well as the baby Brezza sterilizer and dryer. I am thinking about getting the baby brother a portable bottle warmer but on the fence for that one. For portability I also have the doctor Brown formula storage holder. It’s a little circle thing that has different compartments for formula on the go.
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u/Plastic-Intern3492 8h ago
I have found that just having 6 or 7 bottles on hand works best. I prefill with room temperature distilled water all the bottles I will need at night and for the formula I have two portable formula dispenser that has the formula pre measured already. Super easy!
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u/UpInDaNort 5h ago
Baby brezza warm water dispenser is worth its weight in gold!! FTM on month 2 with it
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u/Inner_Wrongdoer_2820 1h ago
Get baby used to room temp milk so you don’t have to buy a warmer. Makes it easier
Buy formula containers and water bottles for the night time feedings.
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u/TinyTinyViking 16h ago
I have the baby brezza bottle washer and sterilizer and I love it. It’s awesome.
I also have the baby brezza formula maker and also have always loved that. You don’t clean every four bottles, just pop the funnel of and put a new one in. It’s like a 8 second ordeal and I can do it in the dark in the middle of the night. I have three funnels so one is always clean while the other is run through the dishwasher.
Sadly can’t use the brezza right now because kiddo can only handle ready to feed alimentum 😭 I miss the brezza so much 🤣
For on the go, if you use a formula that has rtf option obviously that’s the best but otherwise a water warmer like momcozy, baby brezza etc and powder dispenser is the way to go. I have the little tommee tippee ones. They were great.
But yeah in my experience the brezza setup is 12/10 recommend
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u/Wild-Shoulder7787 15h ago
Good to know! I saw every 4 bottles and thought it was a bigger cleaning ordeal than than haha thank you!
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u/TinyTinyViking 15h ago
Not at all. Super quick and no big deal. I do a clean of the whole thing like once a month and it’s not a big deal either. Hand wash the parts, dry thoroughly, reassemble. Easy peasy. I usually dry the parts and then let them sit a bit to make sure they’re totally dry
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u/jamesfn7 18h ago
Get the baby breeza bottle washer and sterilizer. It will save you countless hours. It’s the best thing I have. Baby breeza and dr brown have water dispensers for about $50. You can get 3 temperatures of water and all you do is add formula. I’d argue it can be faster and more efficient than the formula mixer. Also note that many reviews of the bottle maker state inconsistent formula ratios. I avoided and enjoy my water station.
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u/Wild-Shoulder7787 18h ago
That’s what I was considering - glad to hear that makes it easy! I wonder if those water dispensers require a lot of cleaning
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u/zettainmi 17h ago
My soon to be adopted little guy was born in October. We had to stay out of state while ICPC was going through. I used the pitcher method and ran the bottles under warm water. Once home, I got a Bottle warmer. While it warms to about room temp, about 4 mins, baby gets a diaper change, and then the bottle is ready. I thought about the Brezza but didn't want baby to get used to warm formula - I was afraid he wouldn't drink it cool or room temp if we were out without a way to warm it. (Turns out my baby would drink it frozen if I'd let him, but I didn't know ) Unsolicited advice:, a bottle sterilizer is great to have if you're stuck living out of a hotel, so you don't have to worry about how clean the bottles and pacifiers gets in a bathroom sink. Just extra peace of mind. Good luck!!