Author Topic: sterilizing bottles  (Read 3802 times)

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Offline dingemans

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sterilizing bottles
« on: September 12, 2005, 13:59:34 pm »
Hello there,
When do we stop sterilizing bottles for formula feeding? As my lo is >8months and he puts everything that he picks up from the floors, his toys, ect... in his mouth.  It does not make sense when i have to sterilize his bottles all the times :) Do you have any ideas?
Thanks alot.
D.

Offline evanskimberley

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sterilizing bottles
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2005, 15:56:20 pm »
Tricky one this, I think official line is 12mo, that's what we get told in the UK, but here are a few pointers, I would say, speak to as many people as you can and then do what you think is sensible for your household and your LO, oh and your sanity!!!!

-i didn't sterilise dummies once she started putting everything in her mounth.
-BUT i sterlised bottles till 12 mo - because I would have lots of bottles cleaned ready to go but some would sit on the side for over 2 days, so I setrilised them in case they got dirty sitting around. ( some may think this is crazy logic, but it worked for me)
-by 10 mo if i was using it immediatey I woouldn't sterilse
-a lot of people stop a lot earlier, especially if they are being put in the dishwasher
- how easy does your LO pick up infections? if they are robust they not pick up any germs but if they are a delicate little thing then maybe it's worth hanging on for a few more months

Anyway, that's my experience, hopefully some other people will post theirs as well. What I love about this site is that you get an international view, other countries do things differently and sometimes that's a good thing!!!!
Kimberley


Offline Tammy: Ethan & Kaden's Mom

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sterilizing bottles
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2005, 16:11:11 pm »
Maybe I'm just a lazy mom, but I do not sterilize my ds's bottles.  I sterilize everything when I first buy it (paci's, teethers, etc.) in the dishwasher before I give it to him.  I sterilized all his bottles at first too.

Then I've read numerous places, and also asked my ped about this.  She said it's not necessary to sterilize the bottles after the first use.  Just when you wash them, do it in very hot soapy water (or you can put in the dishwasher on sterilize if you don't do them by hand). 

I hope I'm not the only one that does this! 
BTW, my ds has not yet picked up a cold or virus or whatever.  Knock on wood!   :D



Offline evanskimberley

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« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2005, 21:16:50 pm »
hey Tammy don't feel bad, one of the reasons i replied to this post was cos I know what different advice you guys get in America/Canada  compared to us in UK. As the question was from Belgium i was hoping we could give a truly international view point and let people make up their own mind. I have to say, there were countless times I stood at the microwave asking myself, why am I doing this still!!! I think sometimes its a habit that's hard to break!!!!
Kimberley


Offline ry,cait&alex

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« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2005, 21:55:53 pm »
lazy mommy here.....I stopped at 1 month.  Cait had no problems adjusting to nonsterilized bottle parts and hasn't suffered from it....so.....


Plus...do b/f mom's sterilize theirs?  That's gotta hurt!   :lol:


bj




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Offline Tammy: Ethan & Kaden's Mom

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sterilizing bottles
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2005, 22:24:17 pm »
Quote from: bj&ry
Plus...do b/f mom's sterilize theirs?  That's gotta hurt!   :lol:

LOL!!!   :lol:



Offline Mum to Ella Rose

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« Reply #6 on: September 12, 2005, 23:39:38 pm »
We just stopped steralizing once we got our fancy new dishwasher... :lol:  They say to wait until 12 months mainly here too but I stopped at six months the first time, then promptly freaked out when I read another thread here about it so I started again. I talked to our paediatrician two months ago about it and he wasn't concerned about it but I kept up until we got the new dishwasher. Our paediatrician is the head of our children's hospital too and has been looking after dd since she was one month old and terribly sick. We consider him to be the one who got her healthy again so we trust him implicitly!

I think the reason they worry more about bottles is baby's saliva can cause bacteria in the bottle and if it's not rinsed right away, at least, then cleaned super well, there is a greater chance of bacteria still being in the bottle that can make baby sick. And gastro problems...especially with WEE ones are not good news.

Sharon
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Offline Mum to Ella Rose

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sterilizing bottles
« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2005, 23:40:26 pm »
oops. excuse the spelling mistakes... I'm trying to hurry... :lol:

Sharon
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Offline dingemans

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sterilizing bottles
« Reply #8 on: September 14, 2005, 11:34:48 am »
Hello All,
Thanks so much for all your messages. My lo is survived from all the stupid things he picked up from the floor that went straight in his mouth, so i think my job of sterilizing his bottles "is just a habit i could not break" at the moment :) I have asked my Ped. about this issue, was told that i should stop at his 1 year birthday  :?:   LOL  :) It is just a paranoid feeling that maybe if i do not sterilize his bottles , his tommy will have problem.. so on... i know it s stupid thinking but anyway it has to be stopped at some point
Cheers to all
Thanks again.
Dingemans

Offline Deb_in_oz

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sterilizing bottles
« Reply #9 on: September 14, 2005, 11:59:49 am »
the key reason why sterilizing bottles (more so than dummies and other bits)  is considered important in the first 12 months is due to milk residue (if you don't get every drop off it after a feed...) acting as a breeding ground for the bacteria that causes gastroenteritis.  babies catch this so easily (i had one friend whose daughter had it 4 times in 3 months before she was 9 mo old :shock: ) and that was with sterilizing so it shows how strong a bacteria it is.

most dishwashers these days can clean it well enough but if you are doing it by hand in hot soapy water you shoudl really scrub thoroughly especially around the teat and neck of the bottle if you are not going to sterilize.  HTH
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Offline Poppy & Lily

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« Reply #10 on: September 14, 2005, 16:02:47 pm »
Hi,

I stopped sterilizing when DD was 12mths old only because that is waht my health visitor told me to do due to bacteria etc...but my SIL stopped at 3mths and her DS was fine... :D


HTH
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Offline fiona1973

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Re: sterilizing bottles
« Reply #11 on: September 15, 2005, 19:41:01 pm »
Quote from: dingemans
Hello there,
When do we stop sterilizing bottles for formula feeding? As my lo is >8months and he puts everything that he picks up from the floors, his toys, ect... in his mouth.  It does not make sense when i have to sterilize his bottles all the times :) Do you have any ideas?
Thanks alot.
D.

you can stop sterilizing at bottles at 12 months.

Offline annb

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sterilizing bottles
« Reply #12 on: September 16, 2005, 11:24:00 am »
just thought i would add my two pennorth....the hospital i had DS runs a fantastic parenting group for 1 year after babies are born, its  run by the midwives...their advice based on the latest research is that it is not necessary to sterlise bottles, their advice is rinse in cold water, hot soapy water and then hot water and make sure they dry thoroughly, more bacteria grow in the water droplets if you put the bottles away when they are still wet...ive been doing this since hospital and all has been fine and its so much easier than having to sterlise all the time, even if you have a microwave sterliser
perth, australia