Ways of simultaneously forming and filling a container include and/or use a mold (14), a pressure source (20), a blow nozzle (22), and one or more dampening means. The mold (14) has a cavity defining an internal surface and is configured to accept a preform (12). The pressure source (20) is configured to provide a pressurized liquid (18). The blow nozzle (22) is configured to receive the pressurized liquid (18) from the pressure source (20) and transfer the pressurized liquid (18) into the preform (12) to urge the preform (12) to expand toward the internal surface of the mold cavity (16) and form a resultant container, where the liquid (86, 96) remains within the container as an end product. The one or more dampening means is/are configured to reduce water hammer, for example, by coupling such dampening means to one of the blow nozzle (22) and the mold (14).