When to Sterlise Until?

[Jade&Evie]

Evie has just turned 5 months and her new trick is to roll across my lounge floor licking the carpet

I will keep sterilising her bottles until she is at least 6 months but it does seem a bit pointless really considering the amount of dirt she is licking up off the floor!

My mum said she sterilised everything until I was a year old yet I was walking at 9 months and putting anything I could in my mouth!

Give me a clue so I can add a ticker "X days until I can stop sterilising!"

 

[DebbieM]

The only reason you need to keep bottles sterile is because of the milk. Bacteria in milk breeds really quickly and can therefore make the baby ill.

Other things you don't need to worry about so much. We still sterilise Luke's dummies for the sake of it really, through habit even though he has everything in his mouth.

 

[DebbieM]

Just googled to find you this:

All babies are vulnerable to the germs that cause diarrhoea and vomiting, and so it is best to continue sterilising bottles and teats (and breast pump equipment) until your baby is one year old and has built up more resistance to bacteria generally. The recommended age for starting solids is now six months, and bowls, plates and spoons can generally be cleaned using your usual washing-up method from this age.

Cleaning your baby's bottles and teats in a dishwasher will not always heat them to the right temperature to kill off all known bugs, so it's generally still advisable to sterilise after washing. If you do want to rely on your dishwasher alone, it needs to be run on a hot programme at a minimum temperature of 80 degrees centigrade. The bottles then need be filled with feed straight away as the dishwasher will not leave them in a completely sterile condition.

It may seem pointless to sterilise feeding equipment when your baby is crawling around the floor and putting all sorts of things in his mouth, but the bugs that stick to milk curds can be dangerous. Your baby's immune system will grow stronger into the second year and he'll be able to combat infections more easily.

Hope that helps?

 

[purple13]

I keep saying this, but I don't think anyone here believes me - it kills the thread each time i post!

You don't have to sterilise anything ever IF you wash items thoroughly, with the water at very high temperature. We are told to sterilise as a matter of tradition rather than through scientific necessity - its worth noting that they don't tend to sterilise bottles in the USA. Very hot water in your washing up bowl (you need to wear Marigolds, LOL) is sufficient for killing milk bacteria.

I stopped sterilising a while ago cos Connor had anything and everything in his mouth.

Sterilising used to be done when our water supply wasn't clean (major reason why the encouragement of formula feeding by formula companies, in 3rd world countries, has led to so many baby deaths). Our water supply is now clean therefore there is no need to sterilise.

Milk bacteria in improperly washed bottles can lead to gastroenteritis, although the majority of gastroenteritis cases are viral and not bacterial. And over-sterilisation has been linked to the increase in childhood leukeamia.

So there you go - if you can wash up properly, you don't need to sterilise.

 

[Squiglet]

I believe you Purple...

I just sterilised out of habit tbh... and we had a cold water steriliser, so to keep the baby stuff out the way of the cats, I just popped it in there... But by 6 months it was packed away in a box. She eats paper and crap off the floor, bites the cat, and licks tables when we go out... I honestly don't think it makes a huge difference. Plus everything we use is washed in the dishwasher at 70º and not much bacteria survives that. I never ever sterilised bowls, spoons, cups etc... Only boob suckers, bottles and dummies (when she would tolerate them )...

 

[purple13]

I believe you Purple...

thanks squiglet!!

i sterilised at first, out of guilt and habit i think. i much prefer not having to bother though

 

[LisaJ1986]

I've stopped now. I do bottles every now and again just to make myself feel better. But i just could not get in the habit as i booby feed. I never needed to really. Bowls and spoons i did when i first bought them just in case. That's it.

 

[loz]

My HV said until 6 months and at that point you can put bottles into the dishwasher but still sterilise the teats. Hooray I have stopped this week

 

[xkikix]

I dont have a dishwasher (except my DH!)

I was wondering this the otherday. I still sterilise dummies, but I just chuck them in cus the steriliser is on rather than needing too. I might get somemarigolds and stop at 7-8 months.

My cousin still sterilises now her boy is 20 months she sterilises EVERYTHING baby spoons, plates, sippy cup, rattles!! And she wipes EVERYTHING at baby group with these milton wipes!! Aww i love her but she needs to let him pick up these bugs!

 

[Babylicious]

I stopped at 6 months as he was just a tramp by then

 

[evemarie8]

I stopped steralising bottles at 8 months and honestly you should have heard some of the crap I got of other moms I know! I'm not exactly one to listen but I had I been the kind of person to take things to heart I would have been seriously upset! I also stopped steralising feeding stuff at 6 months and Clark is yet to have a days illness. According to my family in Canada neither they or the Americans steralise at all, and I doubt the less westernised countries do either, so why are we told to buy expensive equipment and made to feel guilty if we don't have the latest avent steam whatjamacallit!

 

[abcd1234]

I only sterilise her bottles and my breast pump as i freeze it and then it's defrosted and i dont wanna run the risk of it getting "contaminated" i must admit tho, i havnt always sterilised, if it's milk for that evening i dont always do it and i've told the childminder that if she runs out of teats to just re-use one after washing it.

She's already putting everything in her mouth and her hands are always filthy from her sucking them and then touching the floor etc. I'd rather she was expossed to germs from early on. I know that might not go down well with some people but she's never been ill yet and i wouldnt give her obviously dirty things.

 

[DebbieM]

Good point Suz! We only sterilise dummies now. I barely ever express and he never has bottles. None of his bowls or spoons etc get sterilised.

 

[littlepip]

Ohhh yay im going to stop sterilixing then!!! last week i cut it down to every other day but now i think i might stop, I never sterilize his dummys or juice cup or anything and hes never been ill in his whole life except for the time after he had his jabs