When will you stop sterilising?

[Lacey's Mummy]

I'm not stopping yet but wasn't sure how long to do it for!
With Lacey I did it until she was 9 months but I was thinking the amount of things charley puts in his mouth and I don't sterilise them, is it worth sterilising bottles until he's 9 months or not?

 

[AugustMum]

Ive been toying with the idea of not sterilising for a while now but as shes been so ill and still not right Im going to wait until shes fully better and then stop I think.

 

[megsmeadow]

I wondered about this too, my LO has even started licking the floor if he's down there too. The advice online is so conflicting, we stopped for a few days just putting bottles through the dishwasher and Ross ended up with a tummy bug, don't know if it was due to this or had picked it up elsewhere. I read the bacteria associated with baby milk is the most dangerous thing, so while you can stop with dummies and any other beaker etc you should really continue sterilising the bottle as long as baby is having milk from a bottle. I don't know though!

 

[Lacey's Mummy]

When Lacey was a baby it was a year old but she was fine when I stopped at 9 months but I've heard things about the bacteria in the milk!

 

[Yodabo]

Ha, I was gonna ask this earlier. I think I stopped with the boys at 1yr so might do the same with Drake. It's tempting to stop earlier as I sterilise twice a day and it's a real pain!

 

[ERIN84]

I was thinking the same! Not sure when to stop, it's so tempting just to give them a good wash with hot soapy water

 

[Amy_J]

this is a good question that i have been asking myself recently... i sterilise twice a day and it sucks!!! at the moment lo constantly has hands in hismouth and licks everything in sight!!! i was gunna stop when he starts eating more at around 6 months.... but maybe i should wait longer.... eeek

 

[lanny]

with monty they said a year and with dolly they said 6 months,
dolly was crawling at 7 months and would eat bits of the floor and everything so I think its down to them if there up to alsorts I would stop.

 

[Rosie's Mummy]

Matt is having a bottle now as well so I will sterilise until he is 12 months old - it only takes 8 minutes in the microwave so isnt a hassle. I don't want to risk him getting ill because I didnt sterilise

 

[Stunned]

I can understand sterilising stuff when babies are very little and have no immune system. But at the same time, babies develop their immune systems by being exposed to bacteria in the first place!? There is such a thing as being too clean and therefore increasing the risk of developing allergies and not being able to fight off simple bugs cos the immune system is weak.

 

[amyjayne77]

Oscar has the odd bit from a bottle, not enough to warrant buying a microwave or steriliser so I put it in boiling water for a few mins before using it

 

[megsmeadow]

I agree, babies need to be exposed to some germs, their immune system won't develop if they have no exposure. But apparently the bacteria in the milk isn't like just normal dirt and dust on the level of risk. We sterilise bottles and will probably continue until he doesn't take a bottle anymore. They say there's no need to sterilise any spoons, bowls cups etc.

 

[inky]

I've already stopped, Cahal is eating everything in sight and short of sterilising the entire house I'm not going to be able to stop him from picking up germs. He isn't bottle fed though, so perhaps if I was using bottles things might be different. I wash his dummies well but they don't get sterilised separately. All his dishes / spoons etc are obviously well cleaned too.

He's never been sick (not even a cold, touch wood!)

 

[Yodabo]

Melio - would washing the bottles and rinsing them in boiling water get rid of the milk bacteria?

 

[megsmeadow]

The water has to be above 70 degrees and bottles be exposed to it for a few minutes before they would be considered sterile.

 

[ERIN84]

When I'm at my mums I wash them in really hot soapy water then pour boiling water in them and leave for about 5 mins x

 

[twinkle84]

On this subject just wondered what you did with tethers? I rinse in cooled boiled water and put in a rub in the fridge? Is this ok? X

 

[twinkle84]

Sorry about my spelling it's this phone, changes my words I meant teethers x

 

[ZMD]

On this subject just wondered what you did with tethers? I rinse in cooled boiled water and put in a rub in the fridge? Is this ok? X

Im an idiot and put it in the microwave sterilizer funny enough it melted! x

 

[Lacey's Mummy]

I haven't sterilised any of his teething things or his bowls, spoons or beakers!