Preparing for the pitcher method as a FTM

[sarnmere]

Hello! This is my first time posting, but I've been lurking throughout my pregnancy. I plan on EFF from the start, and my LO is due at the end of the month. I'm trying to prepare myself mentally for what sort of feeding routine I'll need once he's here. I'd like to use the pitcher method. When I originally asked about the pitcher method in another sub, I was met with a lot "why is that necessary" and "seems like an extra step," so I've been feeling better seeing more and more people talking about it over here. I don't want to have to fully prepare a bottle for each feed unless I've run out of prepared bottles already.

Here is what I'm envisioning, but please help me fill in the blanks or eliminate possible extra steps:

1. Wash bottles
2. Place bottles in sterilizer/dryer (I just purchased this one)
3. Prepare a day's worth of formula in a pitcher
4. Pour out formula in individual bottles with correct measurement for single feeding*
5. Place prepared bottles in refrigerator for the day/night
6. Place bottle in warmer before single feeding
7. If LO doesn't finish full bottle within one hour of refrigerator removal, dispose of remaining formula
8. Repeat each day

* For #4, I think this is the part where I'm wondering if this should be changed. Do I measure out individual bottles ahead of time? I like the idea of just grabbing a bottle quickly from the fridge so there's less waiting time for LO. Or do I keep the formula in the pitcher and only pour into a bottle when it's time for that feed?

I'll probably also have RTF options on hand for either to-go options or "mom brain" moments.

Other questions:

• Should I even bother with a bottle warmer? It was gifted to me at my baby shower, and I'd hate for it to go to waste. I like the idea of being able to just feed him cold bottles, though, so we never have the inconvenience of needing to warm a bottle when we're not home.
• How many bottles do you prep for a day? I understand he'll likely only be eating a couple ounces at a time when he's first born, but does that mean I should prep more bottles with smaller amounts or is that where I make a pitcher and only pour in bottles when it's time to feed?
• How often do you sterilize the bottles? My OBGYN said they should be sterilized between every use, but I've seen moms say they do it every few days, once a week, etc.

Part of my routine inspiration comes from a good friend who formula feeds, and I've seen what she does. She doesn't use the pitcher, though. She measures the scoops in each bottle and shakes them up before putting them in the fridge. I feel like it'd be easier doing everything in a pitcher and then just measuring out the bottles.

Any help, insight, and adjustment suggestions would be most appreciated! I can't wait for LO to be here and to be in the hospital where I can get instructions from the nurse and later the pediatrician. I'm just a visual person who likes to have an idea of what to expect, so thank you for the help!

TL;DR: What is your formula feeding routine using the pitcher method? My idea of a routine is listed at the top, but I'm still pregnant and haven't utilized it yet.

 

[doug9694]

@sarnmere The pitcher was a game changer for us and really helped our feeding routines. In the morning we made around 24/28 ounces for the day. Sometimes had to make more if he ate a lot that particular day. Our LO was premie so he had trouble eating at first so we never knew exactly how much to give him at any one feed so when we knew he was hungry we poured a bottle from the pitcher and guessed how much he wanted. Therefore we didn’t make bottles ahead of time.

The pitcher helped mix the formula really well. We noticed if we just put it in the bottles and shook it, it didn’t mix completely and there was all ways chunks of formula. But that might just of been the type of formula we used.

Overtime as he got older and more predictable we could make bottles ahead.

From the start try not to warm bottles. If your LO drinks cold or room temp there is no need to warm and it saves a lot of time.

In the beginning we sterilized once a day, usually at the end of the night when we also washed the pitcher. Again our son was premie so I was paranoid about it and sterilized a lot. Over time it became once a week. Around 3/4 months we stopped sterilizing, but there is no harm on it so do what works for you!

 

[sarnmere]

@doug9694 Thank you for this! That helps, especially the insight on sterilizing. I had heard to maybe do it more often as a newborn, but as they age and build up their immune system, it may be able to be stretched out.

 

[om7]

@sarnmere We started out without a pitcher and it was an absolute pain. The pitcher is 100% worth it!

We plan roughly how much LO will consume in a day and make a little extra just in case. Definitely pour individual bottles and store them in the fridge. Things get hectic fast and the last thing you want to do is try to pour a bottle… just grab and go. Keep the extra formula in the pitcher and pour some extra into the bottle if LO is still hungry.

Heating the bottle is dependent on LO. Ours doesn’t like cold formula so we definitely put our bottle warmer to good use. We dispose of any extra milk after one hour and dispose of unused formula in the fridge after 24 hours. We typically go through 8 bottles a day but we’re at 11 weeks now and we’re trying to have her take larger amounts vs frequent feedings. When you first start out you’ll be feeding every 2-3 hours.

As far as sterilizing goes, daily is best but we haven’t done that. We wash with super hot water daily and sterilize every few days. We don’t have the counter space for a sterilizer so I boil them in a large pot.

To sum up, the pitcher saves you a lot of time and is a great investment!

 

[markeita]

@sarnmere My girl will drink her milk ice cold and it is a huge blessing !! So I’d say try to skip the warmer if you can unless your baby requires warm milk. Pitcher is great but i just pour a new bottle each time she’s hungry rather than pre-make bottles unless I’m prepping for overnight

 

[elb]

@markeita Agreed! Cold bottles are amazing bc you can pack them in a lunchbox with ice packs and bring them anywhere.

 

[heegar]

@sarnmere For starters, the pitcher method probably does seem unnecessary to people that don’t EFF. When your baby only has formula, it’s a lot more convenient AND it has the added benefit of limiting the amount of times the formula container is opened throughout the day.

For point #4, we prefer pouring as we go (although full bottles do need to be prepped ahead of time for daycare). This helps eliminate waste, and it saves me from having to wash bottles that may not have been used otherwise. We usually start with an amount we’re confident she’d eat based on the last feeding time and amount. If she completely finishes that, we offer another ounce and repeat until she leaves a little bit in the bottle.

For the bottle warmer—I’d let your baby take the lead on this one, but if you’re hoping for LO to be able to take bottles cold I’d try it out from the beginning and adjust from there (if needed).

Sterilization—before the first use, absolutely yes. After that, I think the “official” recommendation is to sterilize between each use but I personally didn’t. I wash bottles in the dishwasher, so the extra step doesn’t seem necessary to me. I only sterilize when we’re traveling and I don’t 100% trust the tap water. That said, if your baby is born premature or otherwise immunocompromised, you should definitely sterilize every time until your pediatrician says otherwise. You also would need to use RTF for at least the first few months in this case.

 

[elb]

@heegar The CDC website says “Note: If you use a dishwasher with hot water and a heated drying cycle (or sanitizing setting) to clean infant feeding items, a separate sanitizing step is not necessary.” So you may be sanitizing just by using the dishwasher anyway.

 

[katrina2017]

@sarnmere I would personally not portion it out in servings in the beginning because that can lead to a lot of waste. I would usually pour the estimated amount she would eat (say, 2 oz) then if she acted like she wanted more I’d add about a 1/2oz more and go from there. Once you know about how much they’ll take per feeding, you could probably portion it out, BUT every time I thought I knew how much my baby would take she’d throw me for a loop wanting more or less.

I also didn’t warm bottles. I didn’t want her to only take warm bottles because that’s inconvenient for us. I would run the bottle under hot water at the sink for a minute or less and give it a shake to take the fridge chill off, but I never had a bottle warmer.

In the US, you don’t need to hand wash and sterilize if your baby is born at term. Get a dishwasher basket and disassemble bottles and run that dishwasher. Clean and sanitized! Save yourself some grief! I also had an extra pitcher and extra bottles (don’t buy a bunch until you know what your baby will take) so that if I got behind on washing we weren’t in a bind.

ETA: also, this seems silly, but make sure you read the directions on your formula can thoroughly and follow the guidelines for your country’s formula preparation and bottle care.

 

[defender]

@katrina2017 Just a note to OP that I don’t use the dishwasher for bottles and parts because in it I also wash cutting boards that I prepped raw chicken on, etc., and also, our dishwasher cycle takes over 3 hours to run. The Papablic cycle is 72 minutes or less.

I totally agree with you re warming bottles, and I wish we never habituated our LO to prefer warm formula!

 

[brokenroad]

@sarnmere I was gifted a bottle warmer too and ended up not needing it. My baby was fine with room temp and I actually prefer just warming up the bottle under hot tap water if i did put a bottle in the fridge. I don't mind making a bottle every time though, it takes all of one minute and like I said, my baby likes room temp so I preferred making it right then rather than warming something up because that is just creating another step for myself. Room temp is great because I don't have to worry about bringing anything in the diaper bag to control the formula temp during trips. Just throw in a RTF and a bottle and we are good. Hopefully your baby isn't picky about the temp but if it is you'll be prepared!

 

[sarnmere]

@brokenroad Crossing my fingers he won’t be picky! Does RTF need to be refrigerated?

 

[brokenroad]

@sarnmere If the rtf is not opened it does not need to be refrigerated. If you aren't sure if you want to do the pitcher method, I recommend introducing your baby to room temp formula first. It's the easiest if you aren't planning on pitcher method. No warming up or keeping things cold especially for trips out. It honestly takes 40 extra seconds to put the scoops in the bottle and mix it up.

 

[amphibalus]

@sarnmere If they do end up being picky running hot water does work well, however if you do decide to get a bottle warmer I would check Facebook marketplace! Ours won't drink cold formula and prefers it warmed but I paid $5 for her bottle warmer on marketplace and it works just fine. Honestly I don't find it much faster than warming it under the tap but it does use less water this way

 

[sarnmere]

@amphibalus My conflict was I was gifted a bottle warmer at the baby shower, but I would hate to waste it if I can have a LO who isn’t picky about their bottle being warmed up. Thanks for the tap water tip, though! That’ll be good for when we’re not home.

 

[amphibalus]

@sarnmere Ah yeah, I'd just hold onto it and sell it or give away later on if it ends up being something you don't need! We ordered the baby brezza water warmer originally but decided not to use it and ended up just selling it on marketplace. Personally our town has a baby group for each year for pregnant moms so I got rid of stuff on there most often so it would just be other new moms seeing it

 

[sarnmere]

@amphibalus Great idea, thank you!

 

[trasea]

@sarnmere Heres what I do for my 10 week old:

1. Wash bottles in dishwasher (I don’t bother with any extra washing steps. I’m on baby #2 and have 2 under 2. I’ve found that any special sterilizers are just a waste of time tbh)
2. Make 24 hours worth of formula via pitcher
3. Measure out bottles and place them in fridge
4. When he’s hungry I take out a bottle, pop it in the warmer, and feed.

 

[sarnmere]

@trasea Perfect! That's essentially what I'd like to get to. I can see doing the sterilizing at the very beginning when he's first born, but I'll likely drop it later on unless I'm feeling froggy.

 

[highlyfavoured]

@sarnmere Yeah, the pitcher method is great. Painstakingly measure out powder and water once a day or many multiple times a day? The pitcher saves steps not adds them. Your instincts are good.

The only change I'd make is skipping the full day individual bottle prep until your newborn has a better routine going and their needs are more predictable. At least for our baby, he was all over the place in terms of how much formula he'd drink in a sitting. The beauty of the pitcher method for us was having extra formula always on hand to give him a little more if he finished a bottle. Newborns can cluster feed so, so much in the early days. Desperately crying for milk only 30 minutes after a bottle, to then only drink 10ml and pass out haha.

If you have a regular old electric water kettle, you can quickly warm bottles by placing them in a mug with hot water. Then you can gently transition your baby to cold bottles without buying a dedicated warmer. Our baby refused cold bottles at first but we just lowered the temp slightly over a few days and now he'll gladly take 'em chilly.

**edit: I see you have the warmer already, so may as well use it! Like you said though, it's more convenient to train your LO to take milk at any temperature.

As for sterilization- we used a microwave sterilizer after every bottle use for the first month, but now only do it every few days. My sister raised five kids on formula and only sterilized her bottles before the first use. She increased the dishwasher temperature instead. That's a little lackadaisical to me, but those kids are all healthy and well. So really it's what you're comfortable with.