Formula Feeding and Bottles

[loti]

Hi All,

How did you do with bottles and formula feedings on the cruise? How did you sterilize the bottles?

[PattyW]

I used powdered formula and brought along a gallon or two of nursery water.

 

My everyday bottles were Playtex nursers with the disposable liners - so I brought those - they are sterile every time.

 

I washed the nipples, caps and rings in the bathroom sink with hot water and dish soap - same as at home (except I used the kitchen sink at home of course).

 

It worked out just fine.

[decoste45]

I just used bottled or tap water to make formula. I brought a little container of dish soap and just washed the bottles, lids, nipples and lids in the sink in the bathroom. We used the Greber bottles. I made bottles frequently as I didn't think the fridge was cold enough. I also brought along a bottle bag that held about 4 bottles that kept them cold. This worked out really well. One other thing is that I brought along canned formula to take when we went on excursions. It was the kind that didn't need any water added. This was really helpful. My baby was 5 months old on our last cruise so I didn't really worry about sterilizing.

Happy cruising!

[tricialee]

Not to be rude or know it all or anything, but I thought you were not cruising until your baby was about 1 yr old. Do you expect them to be still using formula at that point? My ped had us switched to whole milk at 12 months, and a sippy cup by then too (unless of course there are different circumstances)

[loti]

Your not being rude. Since we haven't been told by our Ped or know how our baby will be. I am just going on the assumption that we will need bottles and firmula. My son is just starting on learning a sippy cup now and he is 8 months and just got his 3rd tooth. I guess I haven't been reading far enough ahead in our books and info to see what he should be drinking and how he should be doing it at 1 yr. All babies are different so we don't know. I guess I can assume he will be drinking whole milk and drinking froma sippy cup by then.

 

Brian

[tricialee]

Good, cause if you can switch to whole milk and a sippy cup by that point it makes it a whole lot easier. Also, if you can introduce lots of standard adult food by then that also makes it easier. I mean things like plain pasta, veggies, chicken, potatoes (all cut up small and even eaten with their fingers).

 

My boys were just about feeding themselves their dinners by the age of 10 months. things had to be cut up small, fairly bland and they ate with their fingers from a divided bowl with the suction cup to keep it on the highchair tray.

 

You will be amazed at how fast they learn things over the next few months.

[sharktums]

I also used bottled water to make the formula, but then washed everything out in the sink with dish soap that I brought.

 

As for the formula vs. milk thing, it really depends on the individual baby and family. Since we do a lot of travelling and won't always be able to get safe milk, we're keeping our 12 month old on the Next Step Formula for now. Since that we can bring along with us and not have to worry about milk.

[Kerry's Girls]

At 13 months, my twins were on whole milk but still using bottles (I waited until right after our trip to break the bottle habit). I just washed the bottles in the sink (though to be honest, I never sterilized their bottles at home either). I brought powdered formula along so they could have milk when we went off the ship (filled the bottles with tap water, which is perfectly safe, and put powdered formula in my bag to mix together off the ship).

 

Best,

Mia

[GaTechCruiser]

My DD is going to be just under 13 months when we cruise in 3 weeks. I have started her on whole milk, but as another poster said, I am going to give her formula too when we are on excursions. It will be easier to just add tap or bottled water and not worry about keeping milk cold.

She is not using a sippy cup full time yet. She loves it for water, but not really crazy about drinking mild out of it yet.

I use the Playtex drop ins, we travel a lot and that is the easiest bottle to use. Just have to wash the nipples with dish soap that we bring. I put the dish soap in a travel size shampoo bottle.

[Baxter]

Just a caution...don't assume you will be able to get whole milk on the ship. We were surprised to find out that the Carnival Glory no longer stocks whole milk...just 2% and skim. Not sure if this is a ship-wide changeover, but you will definitely want to ask the questions. That said, we had no issues getting whole milk on Princess in December.

 

Our daughter is 18 months, and still has her milk from a bottle (only gets milk at nap time and before bed). She loves her sippy cup, but only has water and juice in it. Kids move at their own pace, and different peds make different recommendations. Our advice is to do your research with the cruiseline in terms of what they offer about a month before leaving, and judge from that.

[kasil]

Check with your pediatrician for their recommendations, but mine recommends whole or 2% milk after one year of age, so a week or so of 2% rather than whole milk shouldn't be a problem. As for bottles after a year and milk at sleep times, both are the most common cause of cavities in toddlers. Milk contains natural sugar (lactose) and since you produce less saliva when you sleep, the sugar sits on the teeth while you sleep. Every child does progress at their own pace, but as a parent, you need to do what's best for the future, not just today. Just something to think about.

[JohannaM]

 

Our daughter is 18 months, and still has her milk from a bottle (only gets milk at nap time and before bed). She loves her sippy cup, but only has water and juice in it. Kids move at their own pace, and different peds make different recommendations. Our advice is to do your research with the cruiseline in terms of what they offer about a month before leaving, and judge from that.

 

 

This is our son too. Loves his sippy cup - for water. But refuses to drink milk from a sippy. He's 16 mos old. But you know, all things considered, this is a small concern of mine. We're cruising in August on Celebrity to Alaska, and I know we'll have him totally on sippys by then. I just plan on bringing a small bottle of dish soap to wash the cups in the sink, and if 2% is all that there is, then that's what he'll drink. Does anyone know if Celebrity has whole milk available?

[Ashelleigh]

I asked our pedi about switching our 11 month old to whole milk before our cruise to make it easier. he mentioned there is nothing magical about the 11th month, and in our case, whole milk will be fine. I personally find it as hard or harder to wash some of the sippy cups than I do our Playtex drop-ins bottles and nipples.