r/FormulaFeeders • u/No_Cardiologist_6944 • 14d ago
Advice / Question 💡 Daycare says bottles are good for 2 hours
Today I dropped off my 5 month old at daycare and mentioned he's been snacky because he's getting over a cold, so he may not take full bottles. One of his teachers says "that's ok! Bottles are good for 2 hours, so he can snack for 2 hours". Am I crazy? I thought once they start drinking it, they're only good for 1 hour after that. Should I talk to management?
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u/vtEB 14d ago
“Bacterial burden in leftover infant milk remained stable below concerning thresholds for 8 hours when refrigerated and 4-8 hours at room temperature, challenging current guidelines that mandate immediate disposal. Evidence-based guideline revision could reduce financial burden and milk waste for families around the globe without compromising infant safety.”
Leftover Infant Milk After Bottle Feeding: Parental Practices and Microbiological Findings
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u/cheetoisgreat 14d ago
This is fascinating (and makes me feel so much better about playing pretty fast and loose with the one hour rule). Thank you for sharing!
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u/PermanentTrainDamage 14d ago
That doesn't really matter in childcare though, food rules are subject to licensing and health department regulations. I know in IL breastmilk bottles are fine for 2 hours after the start of a feed but formula is only 1 hour
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u/No_Cardiologist_6944 14d ago
I’m in OH and there are no hard and fast rules with timing. The only rule is that milk cannot be reheated or refrigerated again once the bottle has been drank from. They don’t state a time limit.
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u/PermanentTrainDamage 14d ago
If there's no state policy then it would be up to center polocy, which seems to be 2 hours at your center. You could most likely request they toss after an hour and think about sending more but smaller bottles during a snacky phase.
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u/brandy-ncs 13d ago
That’s because it’s regulated by the CDC not by states.
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u/No_Cardiologist_6944 12d ago
The CDC doesn’t regulate it. It’s their guidance. Should daycares follow that guidance? Probably. States do have daycare regulations though that are guided by CDC or AAP.
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u/Aggressive_Day_6574 14d ago
I’m just gonna say right now that I always thought it was two hours and my kids were great eaters and thriving. They’re 1 and almost 3 now so off formula, but we never had any issues whatsoever. Whoops.
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u/mustardonmyuniform 14d ago
It's easy to confuse, it's 2 hours for breastmilk and 1 hour for formula once they've started drinking, officially (CDC). It's also 2 hours for formula sitting at room temperature before baby has started drinking, so extra easy to mix up.
I likewise have gotten it twisted when sleep-deprived, and I've let it ride when using a bottle that's combo milk and formula when my LO decided he was going to take his sweet time (I used to throw it out, but I'm a bit less cautious now that he's getting older). Obviously OP should do whatever they're most comfortable with though.
Edit: Apparently Canadian guidelines are 2 hours for formula once started drinking, so we definitely shouldn't feel guilty lol.
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u/Penny0813 14d ago
I’m in the US (where the guideline is definitely 1 hour once started), but once I found out here the Canadian guideline is up to 2 hours, I became a lot less concerned about sticking to 1 hour. I definitely think it’s worth asking about assuming you’re in the US and they should know what the guidelines are here (and what YOU are comfortable with) but I also wouldn’t be too freaked out about it harming your baby.
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u/QtestMofoInDaWorld 14d ago
I'm Canadian and have always followed the two hour rule. But I do think OP should have a conversation with them regardless and offer to bring more bottles like someone else suggests.
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u/DumbbellDiva92 14d ago
That’s interesting that the Canadian guidance is less strict on this! I know a lot of the other formula guidelines are stricter outside the US (eg, I think Canada really pushes using ready to feed or preparing powder with hot water to sterilize for the first two months?).
I guess for me my concern would be less not following the rule in and of itself. But more, is that a sign that they might not be following the rules as they should for other things (like safe sleep)?
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u/No_Cardiologist_6944 14d ago
Agreed! I don't like that there is a guideline in place and they don't follow it. I'm not super concerned that he's going to get sick. Luckily, I know they follow safe sleep because they've told me their rules and I've seen them putting the babies to bed.
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u/FluffyBat16 14d ago
Canada recommends the sterilization of formula or RTF for premature/low birth weight/ immunocompromised infants
For full term healthy infants its powdered formula and boiled and cooled water, 2 hour limit for bottles once feeding has started started
Although, our doctor okayd us not to boil water. We just used the same water we drank
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u/Aggravating-Yak-2712 14d ago
I’m in Canada and yes the hospital where I gave birth told us the formula bottle was good for 2h after baby starts drinking from it. I was surprised to then read everywhere online it’s actually only 1h.
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u/FluffyBat16 14d ago
Canada's guidelines is 2 hours from when baby started feeding (for healthy full term infants)
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u/SlayBay1 14d ago
I'm grand with that. I'm pretty sure a study showed it wasn't until after 8 hours that it was a problem. I go by "would I drink this?" My cut off is around 2 hours.
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u/Automatic_Mixture463 14d ago
Formula good for 1 hour after touching babys lips or 2 hours after being warmed... Whichever comes first. Breast milk good for 2 hours after warmed. That is my understanding!
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u/No_Cardiologist_6944 14d ago
That was my understanding too! He’s been going here since he was 3 months old and been fine so far. I’m just not sure if I should talk with them about it. Maybe the teachers are confusing the rule.
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u/Automatic_Mixture463 14d ago
You could tell them that you just had an appointment with the pediatrician they reminded you of this guideline. Blame on the doctor!
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u/No_Judgment_7812 14d ago
I’m fairly relaxed, as in I don’t boil water or heathy eh formula and then let it cool etc, but I follow the 1 hour rule. It was really enforced to me in the hospital with my first, and I know she was little then so maybe that’s why the nurses beat it into me, but formula breeds bacteria so once it’s touched their mouth I really don’t like to go past the hour mark. I like the suggestion of just letting them know you like to discard after 1 hour since it’s formula and will bring extra bottles to accommodate
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u/SlayBay1 14d ago
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u/No_Judgment_7812 14d ago
What’s the conclusion, please don’t make me read it
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u/SlayBay1 14d ago
Conclusions and Relevance: Bacterial burden in leftover infant milk remained stable below concerning thresholds for 8 hours when refrigerated and 4-8 hours at room temperature, challenging current guidelines that mandate immediate disposal. Evidence-based guideline revision could reduce financial burden and milk waste for families around the globe without compromising infant safety.
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u/No_Judgment_7812 14d ago
Is infant milk formula or breastmilk? I’m alway way more lax with breastmilk than formula.
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u/SlayBay1 14d ago
Findings: The number of bacteria in leftover human milk or formula did not significantly increase from 0 to 8h post-feeding in milk bottles sampled from 44 infants, regardless of whether the milk was kept at room temperature or refrigerated.
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u/DefineSugar 14d ago
US. My daycare also uses two hours instead of one hour. It’s fine with me, we also go by two hours at home. My baby takes formula cold from the fridge, never warmed, and we put it back in the fridge in between if she doesn’t finish it immediately, so I feel that gives some leeway
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u/No_Cardiologist_6944 14d ago
Not that there is an issue with going 2 hours, but putting it back in the fridge won’t stop the bacteria from forming. I would only do that if baby prefers cold milk. It’s not pushing anything back unfortunately.
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u/CupcakeDoctor 14d ago
Putting things in the fridge absolutely significantly slows bacterial growth… thats why we refrigerate things
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u/No_Cardiologist_6944 14d ago
I understand why we refrigerate things lol. If you’re still going to use it within 2 hours, that’s not going to cause a significant impact. You also shouldn’t reheat a bottle, so baby would have to drink it cold.
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u/Difficult-Lunch7333 14d ago
I followed the 1 hr rule for my son. But my mom apparently just kept popping it back in the fridge and gave us the same bottle for how many ever hours it took for us to finish it when me and my siblings were babies. We turned out fine and no issues.
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u/Holiday-Ad4343 14d ago
2 hours for breastmilk and 1 for formula is what I’ve always heard. We personally are ok with further IF the bottle is kept in the fridge between uses.
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u/Loveloveloveee30 14d ago
As newborns I followed the 1 hr rule, my twins are 6 months and we do 2 hours.
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u/Ranessin 14d ago
Yes, thar's how we did it and how it was recommended - 2h at room temp, 24h in the fridge.
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u/violadrath 14d ago
Our daycare in the US was also 2 hours, if it makes you feel any better. This was from 2022-2024.
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u/TiredMotherOfChaos 14d ago
My Dr always told me 2 if room temp and said 8 if popped into the fridge
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u/delgmadi 14d ago
My baby was in the NICU for four weeks, and for the fortified bottles (breast milk + formula) the nurses said 2 hours!
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u/Alternative-Tea-39 14d ago
Breastmilk is good for 2 hours, but formula is only good for 1 hour. At least that’s what I’ve been told.
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u/Apart-Hyena7382 14d ago
Oh no my formula says in the back that it’s only good for one hour once is prepared. I would never go over the instructions it can be okay but personally won’t risk it. I will suggest check what your formula suggests and then let the people at daycare know? Is your kid and that’s all that matters. Plus he is still so young!
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u/ellipses21 14d ago
Maybe that’s the state licensing guidance? I’m completely fine with two hours tho
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u/Designer_Abroad_1196 14d ago
My uncle is a retired pediatrician and said after 7 months old 2 hours is fine
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u/PowerfulAd9816 14d ago
I currently have a 5mo old and I’m pretty strict on the 1hr rule just because her nurses instilled it right after giving birth. She was born full term and healthy. Most I’ve gone past an hour was 10min. If this is important to you then you should definitely let them know. Most formula states on it to discard it an hour after baby drinks from it. In my opinion they should be following that or at least asking your preference. I am a FTM so I could be too strict on it but it’s not worth it in my opinion 🤷🏻♀️
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u/Heartless-otaku07 14d ago
My formula can instructions say 2 hours after it’s made and if not used by then refrigerate and use within 24 hours
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u/Clear_Ganache6609 14d ago
It says it on the tin. The formula we use says it’s good for two hours. What does your tin say?
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u/JustPeachy1220 13d ago
So maybe im a bad mom, but more than once ive given my son a bottle that he drank from that was several hours old. No more than 3 (estimation). Id be more concerned about the daycare keeping it clean in the in between time, but my son is almost 11 months old and mid 90 percentile. Never had a stomach issue other than constipation when he first starts purees and I didnt know that I should have been adding water in his daily intake 💀
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u/Odd-Champion-4713 13d ago
I work in daycare—the daycare vs. actual guidelines currently DO NOT match in most places. In my state this is rumored to be resolved soon after parents and caregivers have complained about the inconsistency. Tell your caregivers you do not want bottles offered after an hour.
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u/brandy-ncs 13d ago
Technically they should not be doing this. The CDC says 1 hour and they have to follow strict guidelines as a childcare facility. New research has shown it is safe longer but the official guidelines have not been updated. 1 hour after it’s touched their mouth. 2 hours at room temp if not used yet for formula and 4 hours for breastmilk.
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u/Vegetable_Yam_7436 12d ago
I have twins, who knows how long some of their bottles be chillin out 😂 barely surviving over here haha
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u/every_wednesday 12d ago
I learned 4-4-4 (sometimes 3-3-3 or 5-5-5): good at room temp for 4 hours, fridge for 4 days, freezer for 4 months. This is breast milk though it could be different for formula since there’s water in it I suppose but I can’t imagine it would be that different
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u/quirkylala 11d ago
Instead of talking to management, I think the first step would be to talk to the teachers and go to management only if they don’t listen. I’m not sure why it would be necessary to go to management immediately.
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u/Equal-Bunch-544 14d ago
When I'm at home and my daughter doesn't eat the whole bottle I'll usually discard it pretty soon after, I was told one hour after baby started eating from it. It's your kid so honestly it's up to your discretion though
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u/PermanentTrainDamage 14d ago
Check your state's licensing rules, they may be confused on breastmilk vs formula and touched vs untouched rules.
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u/mama0215 14d ago
Absolutely not.
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u/No_Cardiologist_6944 14d ago
Absolutely not, what? You wouldn't say anything, or you wouldn't be ok with this?
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u/thegirlandglobe 14d ago
I'm personally okay with 2 hours, but if you aren't, it's a simple as saying: "We're a little more cautious and would prefer if you discarded any formula after 1 hour. We're happy to bring extra bottles in to accomodate!"