How do you warm YOUR formula?

[lizharrell1]

All of the talk on another thread led me to want to start THIS thread: How do you heat your formula? I usually heat up a container of water (usually a custard cup) and then "float" another, smaller container in it to warm formula. The problem is, it cools very quickly and I have to reheat the water between babies; not so much of a problem with only a few babies, but last summer when I had 12 babies, feedings took forever. I purchased a baby bottle warmer, but found it made the formula too hot and it did not provide a consistent heat. So, for now, I am back to the microwave/float method. Anyone else have any words of wisdom on this? I am sure I am not the only one who is looking for a better way to heat formula!!!:jump

[muffinsquirrel]

I have two ways to keep the formula warm, depending on how many pups I am feeding. For a few, I have a wide mouth 'lunch box' type thermos. I fill it with really really hot water while I get the formula ready. Then I dump the really hot water out of the thermos and put in enough 'formula temperature' water to hit a little higher up the glass than the formula. (I put the formula in a shot glass and set it in the thermos.) By using the really hot water to preheat the thermos, it doesn't take any heat away from the water that is the correct temp. I can just place the thermos lid over the top of it all if I need to.

For a whole bunch of pups, I use a little round, flat electric coffee cup warmer - they are also used for candles or scented oil. That usually keeps the pre-warmed formula about the right temp. If it gets too warm, it's easy to move the glass of formula off the heater for a while.

muffinsquirrel

[Sissy]

.

For a whole bunch of pups, I use a little round, flat electric coffee cup warmer - they are also used for candles or scented oil. That usually keeps the pre-warmed formula about the right temp. If it gets too warm, it's easy to move the glass of formula off the heater for a while.

muffinsquirrel


This is what I use all the time. Works like a charm.:D

[island rehabber]

I have this microwaveable tile, embedded in thick plastic, that I nuke for 2 minutes. It gets pretty hot, so then I set a coffee mug of very warm water on top of that and put the little glass beaker full of formula INTO the coffee mug so it floats. This keeps the formula nice and warm for quite a long time without risk of burning or scalding the bottom of the beaker. If I have a LOT of babies I will often have to re-nuke the tile and replace the water in the mug, but it's a good system. Just another quirk of mine: after I draw the formula out of the beaker with my syringe, I dip the end of the syringe into the warm water in the mug to rinse it off. This helps prevent "milk burn" on your babies' faces. since they tend to get formula from the sides of the syringe all over them. :thumbsup

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

I microwave the formula :tilt. I know everyone is against that, but that is what I learned and it is so convenient, when you work full time and have 20+ babies all the time, there really isn't time to rig something up to keep the formula warm. My guys never have any issues from it.

When I visited Gabe, it was so hard to get used to no microwave, I was close to going to the house and microwaving mine. She boils water and puts it in a cup and then floats the formula in the cup. Problem is it is TOO hot and makes the formula too hot, so you have to take it out and let it cool a little and then it gets too cold and you have to put it back in to warm up. It works, but takes a lot of getting used to (Gabe has no issues doing it her way).

When my mom brings babies up for me to feed at lunch, she boils some water early and puts it in an on the go coffee mug with heater thing that you plug into the cigarette lighter. So far though, we haven't needed to plug it in. It stays warm for at least 40 minutes. I microwave the formula inside and bring it out and put it in the thermos. The cup I use for fomula is a tupperware container with a lip the makes it so it doesn't go into the thermos. It rests inside just above the boiling water and stays just right. If it gets too hot, I take it out a couple minutes.

[Jackie in Tampa]

I am a floater too...A coffee mug of hot water, with formula in a baby food jar floating in the mug!:peace
8 years and I will continue to do it this way!
Many many happy babies!:Love_Icon

[Pnerissa]

I also use the float method. I put very hot water in a condiment bowl and float the formula. I only have to heat it twice to get the formula to temperature and then it's off to feed my two piglets who eat their formula at least fast enough for it not to go cold.

[Jackie in Tampa]

looks like most of us are floaters!:thumbsup :D

[pamela lee]

I'm a floater also...except I don't use a shot glass any more. Last Spring I apparently got the water tooo warm and the formula in the shot glass was cold and my favorite shot glass from Germany....cracked. But I'm still a floater.

[island rehabber]

SR&B2, I microwave my formula too sometimes. My BF (environmental engineer 34 years) insists there is NO WAY that a few seconds in a microwave is going to "change the molecular structure" of ANYTHING. In other words, it can't hurt the formula, nomatter what some hospitals (and rehabbers :D) say.

[momma2boo]

I used a cup warmer. I used a small pyrex bowl, the ones for custard, to set on the cup warmer. You can even do a double broiler type thing so the formula doesn't get too hot. It keeps it warm until you're done feeding the brood.

[Legomom]

Yep, I'm a floater, too! :D I use a soup mug full of hot water, set it on a candle/tea cup warmer & float the formula in either a shot glass or small baby food jar. Keeps a perfect temp all the way through. :peace

[amylou]

Floater here!

[Ardilla]

I float it.

[Anne]

Floater:D

[jacey]

Floating a stainless or glass jigger of formula in a ramikin of hot water on a candle warmer.

[momma2boo]

Floating a stainless or glass jigger of formula in a ramikin of hot water on a candle warmer.
Yes ... a candle warmer (alot like my cup warmer). It keeps the water warm the entire time. I liked the way it worked.