This may sound like a stupid question, but read below: This will be my first!! I hear people talk about sterilizing bottles after each use, but the problem is- I hear that you should definitely do it and that you don't really have to do it. It seems people on each side of the fence are adament(sp?) about doing it or not doing it. I would assume that it is best to sterilize bottles, but can also see that it would take a lot of time to do it every day. Any thought? Just wondering.
Thanks for the heads up ladies!
It is recommended you sterlize them when you first buy them but after that it is not necessary. Washing the bottles in warm soapy water and allowing them to dry is fine.
If you use well water the water you use to prepare formula with and bottles should be sterilized.
http://parenting.ivillage.com/newborn/nformula/0,,3qd9,00...
It depends if you are putting breastmilk in the bottle or formula. Breastmilk itself is sterile, so the bottles only need to be washed with hot water and soap. I've heard that you should sterilize formula bottles though.
I wondered about that same thing when I was a first time mother. First of all, you will be plenty busy with a number of other things that sterlizing everything will soon be a distant concern (in my humble opinion). Also, I'm a biology teacher, and I think we are so clean that our children are getting more sick because they aren't exposed to the mircoorganisms that develop their immune system.
I only sterilized my bottles at the first use and then used soapy hot water or the dishwasher to clean. I had very healthy children with only the normal illnesses, but we all have to find what works for us. If your baby keeps getting sick, maybe try the sterilization, it might make a difference.
I got these great bags at Target that I would use to sterilize the bottles. You put a little water in them, and then put them in your microwave and it steam cleans them. And the bags are reusable! It saved so much time and was great for traveling. I would put all the bottle parts as well as the breast pump parts in there.
i sterlized when i first got them, i think in the pamphlet that comes with the bottles says don't do it every time b/c it breaks them down.secondly, that is not a stupid question! how could you possibly know this stuff if you've never done itbefore,my dear.... God bless. M. F
I sterilized the bottles, nipples, pacifiers, etc. for the first use only. After that I just threw them in the dishwasher or washed them by hand. I really don't think it's necessary to sterilize EVERY time, unless, of course, your baby has a compromised immune system. If you're breastfeeding and will be pumping milk you might have to scrub the bottle and parts frequently because the fat in the milk can really build up and create an icky residue. However, I did sterilize my pump parts every time I pumped.
I am a believer in treating our kids the same way we treat ourselves. That means I don't over or under dress them. I don't use those annoying little onsies under the clothes because I don't wear t-shirts myself. I don't sterilize per se but I do use antibacterial dish soap. I rinse well and I did install a Culligan reverse osmosis water system for myself and the kids recently.
I think you will find that unless your child has some sort of autoimmune disease, that they will not be nearly as fragile as you think. I would definitely be more careful the first 6 weeks or so. I learned with my 3rd child that a baby that young can not consume tylenol. Tylenol in newborns can damage their liver. So if they get sick the first few weeks of their lives they would have to go back in the hospital. So if it makes you feel better sterilize the first couple of months. Keep them away from shopping centers and avoid family as hard as it is to do that! Tell them all that you aren't trying to be overly paranoid. Just tell them what I just told you. In fact, this is why licensed caregivers are not to take care of babies before 6 weeks of age. But rest assured if you did have to go back to work before that, your child would get through it. I have been both licensed and unlicensed and I've started many babies at 2-3 weeks of age and they did ok.
I guess I haven't helped a lot. Just use your own judgment. I did start out by sterilizing my babies bottles when they were little and gave it up by the time they were past the first month or two and well.
Suzi
Honey no question is ever stupid. I agree with some the others I sterilized when I first bought them, and stored in a seal tight tupperware container to help keep clean after every wash, I used very hot soapy water, until I got the dishwasher with its temps will sterilize for you. If you sterilize to often it can cause the nipples to break down with cracks. But doing so once a wk is good, due to the bacteria that can form which can cause "thrush" in babys' mouth. Good luck and congrads with the baby to be.
Hi M.,
Well I am a mother of 4 and a home child care provider, so when the kids I watch now were babies and my youngest was a baby I sterilized the bottles the 1st initial time and then once a month after that. I would just wash them in hot soapy water.
Now that they are all 1 1/2 yrs old and they are all on sippy cups, I still do those once a month. And wash them by hand with hot soapy water. By the way for future reference, if you have a bottle or sippy cup that is clean but has an odor to it, you can pour baking soda in there and then put some water in there and let it soak for a few hours. Then wash like normal and go on. It sometimes is caused by juice and coninually putting milk in them. Samething with formula.
I have a new baby starting Monday, and I will be sterilizing all bottles that mom brings me and pacifiers. And then once a month from here on out.
Hope this helps, W.
I have 15 month old twins and we have sterilized their bottles and pacifiers since day 1. We bought a sterilizer from Babies R Us and it worked wonderful. Now we just throw them in the dishwasher. Our doctor recommended that we sterilize for the first 3 months, but didn't have to continue to do so after that. However, my husband and I chose to continue. Since it's the flu season, we use the sterilize feature on the dishwasher. I would ask your doctor what he/she recommends and then make your choice. Good luck and enjoy every minute of your baby. It all goes by way too quickly!
i always used the dishwasher (it's much hotter, for much longer, than i could do by hand) and once she's here you'll soon get REAL tired of washing bottles! i would say sterilize the first time and then relax. you'll have plenty to do with laundry, diapers, and etc, without sterilizing ten bottles a day! (besides, if we protect them from any and ALL germs, they'll never build up resistance to anything). our bodies are wonderful things. like another response said, they're not as fragile as you think. she'll be fine, and you'll be a great mom. congratulations and good luck!
