J.G. asks from Canton, OH on April 05, 2008
Sterilize Bottles Still?
I have that AWESOME microwave sterilizer that is SO stinkin' easy to use. My son is 6 1/2 months old. Should I still be sterilizing his bottles? He's probably to the age where he doesn't need it done, but like I said, it's so easy to pop them in the microwave for 4 minutes that I've continued doing it. I'm sure it doesn't hurt. But I was just curious as to when bottles no longer need to be sterilized.
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D.I. answers from South Bend on April 07, 2008
You only have to sterilize the bottles once. When you buy them you sterilize them then after that you just wash in hot soap and water. There is no need to sterilize any more.
D.
I am 31 and have been married almost 12 yrs. My husband and I have 3 boys ages 10,7 and 4.
S.F. answers from Indianapolis on April 07, 2008
With all the issue with the chemicals in plastic leaching out and affecting children, I wouldn't be putting ANY plastic products in the micro.
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J.F. answers from Toledo on April 05, 2008
J.--
Not sure if I can help you with your question, but I did want to address the issue of sterilizing the bottles.
I'm not sure what type of sterilizer you have, I have never used one, but I do know what I learned while I was in medical school. The only way to truely sterilize anything is to use steam under pressure. That means to put something into a dry chamber, fill it with steam until it reaches a certain temperature, and fill the chamber with so many pounds of pressure. Many people are falsely led to believe that simply boiling water or that of a dishwasher is all that is needed to sterilize something. Obviously, hot water cleans better than cold water, but it does only that, it does not sterilize. By boiling something, you are not removing anymore germs and bacteria than you would if you just washed it in your normal hot dish water.
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J.S. answers from Columbus on April 05, 2008
II Starilized my sons bottles clear up he was 1 . Then I took him off of the bottle. I always starilized my bottles by the dishwasher or boiled them in hot water. Sometimes if you stop starilizing bottles your child could develope thresh mouth. Which is infection in the mouth. The doctor can treat it. Actually it is a very common case in childern
S.K. answers from Cleveland on April 06, 2008
hey J., I have to say that I can't believe half of these responses!I always sterile bottles, paci's and any toys that I can put in that microwave sterilizer. I just don't want soap residue left within the bottles. I say just keep sterilizing. It's worth the well-being of your lil one.
J.S. answers from Cleveland on April 06, 2008
J.,
My mother, like everyone else's, always used to say that you can never be too careful. Having said that I will tell you that as long as my two girls were drinking from bottles I continued to use my microwave sterilizer. I was not so worried about what they were drinking but I actually spent a day counting how many times my daughter dropped her bottles on the floor, I stopped counting at 40! I just could not get over that fact so I decided it would be better to just sterilize them before they got used again! I'm all for exposing to boost the immune system but Lord only knows what they would have picked up and that was a bit much for me, so don't feel like you are the only one out there. It's quick, it's easy and it's a bit of peace-of-mind which will be in short supply in your future :)
D.I. answers from South Bend on April 07, 2008
You only have to sterilize the bottles once. When you buy them you sterilize them then after that you just wash in hot soap and water. There is no need to sterilize any more.
D.
I am 31 and have been married almost 12 yrs. My husband and I have 3 boys ages 10,7 and 4.
K.S. answers from Columbus on April 05, 2008
The only time that I ever actually sterilzed either of my babies bottles was when I first got them. After that, I only used hot water & soap. But, it certainly isn't hurting anything if you want to continue.
K.P. answers from Cleveland on April 06, 2008
J.:
Technically The bottles Only needed to be sterilized Once and Just washed In hot Soapy water afterwards..It's actually the water You are supposed to sterilize. But anyways there is no time limit on how long to sterilize bottles..Just do it as long as you feel comfortable.
S.E. answers from Cleveland on April 06, 2008
I nursed exclusively for the first 3 months, so I never really thought about it before then. I did try to get him to take a bottle early on and never sterilized. When I finally got him to take a bottle regularly, I must admit I never sterilized. I did wash in the dishwasher, which does get very hot. My older son never took a bottle but started on a sippy cup when he was 5-1/2 months. Those were just washed in the dishwasher too.
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