How long do bottles stay sterile for?

Sarah27 · Mar 26th, 2012, 07:00 AM

In the olden days (well 6 and a bit years ago) I made my LCs bottles up and stored in the fridge and then heated up when needed.

Now a days with my new LO and the "new rules" about making bottles we are making them as she needs them, which is okay, we keep some water in a flask handy and have a few cartons for emergencies.

But what I did wonder is how long do bottles stay sterile for?

We have been sterilising our bottles and then putting the lids on them and leaving them on the side and using them when and as we need them is this okay to do??
Sometimes they are out for more than 24 hours and now after doing a bit googling I see that this isn't okay? And now I do wonder if my LO has horrible wind and botty burps as her bottles aren't sterile? OOh I feel terrible! I am so confused about what to do? Am I meant to continusally sterilise them???

I never once remember my LC having the windy issues my LO has with pre made bottles stored in the fridge and then heated up as and when we needed them.....

Whats anyones thoughts on this????

kanga · Mar 26th, 2012, 14:10 PM

I always went with 24 hours for a bottle thats been put together and is waiting to be used. My lo was a v frequent feeder tho, so we always did use them within 24 hours.

Since about 7m, I've just had them on the side as long as they need to be. I'm more relaxed about it now.

Maxy1 · Mar 26th, 2012, 17:25 PM

I sterlise my bottles and put them in a sealed sterile container in the cupboard. I will only re-sterilise them if I don't use them within a week. We only mixed fed so it would sometimes be that long. LO was totally fine with this. Maybe your LO is gassy because of the formula??

sophshaun · Mar 27th, 2012, 02:50 AM

I always make my bottles up and keep them in the fridge ready to warm up when my baby needs a feed. My health visitor said this was totally fine! Much easier, along as they get used within 24hours!xx

Sarah27 · Mar 31st, 2012, 06:51 AM

Thanks for your replies ladies, I am seeing HV on Thurs so going to ask her about pre made bottles

X

youngwife20 · Apr 1st, 2012, 21:50 PM

Hey i dnt ff but i bottle feed we have a microwave sterilzer and my midwife said 6hours if taken out of sterlizer and 24hours if they r kept in sterilser and not opened! We have our microwave upstairs at the momment now shes constantly eating as we sterilze constantly during the night - i wudnt leave them out for more than 24hours for sure x

LittleBoSheep · Jul 15th, 2012, 06:45 AM

i fill my bottles full of gerber water from the store and sit out room temperature with lid on then its so simple when he needs a bottle put scoops in and viola! fast and easy bottle

we have never had any problems - no need to heat, no need to even get up

Lady_Bee · Jul 15th, 2012, 06:48 AM

Not sure but I usually keep them in the fridge (empty) after sterilising them for 12-15 hours.

dizz · Jul 16th, 2012, 03:29 AM

We switched to a milton sterilising system as we found figuring out what stayed sterile for however long to be a nightmare - easier to just hoik a bottle out of the solution when one's needed.

When I'm going out for the day I tend to work on the assumption that if the bottle's kept assembled with the lid on, it'll be ok whenever I come to use it (tend to use cartons when out and about) as long as I'm not ridiculous about it - so that it'll last the day comfortably.

Mar 26th, 2012, 07:00 AM	#1
Sarah27 Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Durham Posts: 770	How long do bottles stay sterile for? In the olden days (well 6 and a bit years ago) I made my LCs bottles up and stored in the fridge and then heated up when needed. Now a days with my new LO and the "new rules" about making bottles we are making them as she needs them, which is okay, we keep some water in a flask handy and have a few cartons for emergencies. But what I did wonder is how long do bottles stay sterile for? We have been sterilising our bottles and then putting the lids on them and leaving them on the side and using them when and as we need them is this okay to do?? Sometimes they are out for more than 24 hours and now after doing a bit googling I see that this isn't okay? And now I do wonder if my LO has horrible wind and botty burps as her bottles aren't sterile? OOh I feel terrible! I am so confused about what to do? Am I meant to continusally sterilise them??? I never once remember my LC having the windy issues my LO has with pre made bottles stored in the fridge and then heated up as and when we needed them..... Whats anyones thoughts on this????

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Mar 26th, 2012, 14:10 PM	#2
kanga Other BnB Addict Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: England Posts: 3,741	I always went with 24 hours for a bottle thats been put together and is waiting to be used. My lo was a v frequent feeder tho, so we always did use them within 24 hours. Since about 7m, I've just had them on the side as long as they need to be. I'm more relaxed about it now.

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Mar 26th, 2012, 17:25 PM	#3
Maxy1 Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 666	I sterlise my bottles and put them in a sealed sterile container in the cupboard. I will only re-sterilise them if I don't use them within a week. We only mixed fed so it would sometimes be that long. LO was totally fine with this. Maybe your LO is gassy because of the formula??

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Mar 27th, 2012, 02:50 AM	#4
sophshaun Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Manchester, uk Posts: 206	I always make my bottles up and keep them in the fridge ready to warm up when my baby needs a feed. My health visitor said this was totally fine! Much easier, along as they get used within 24hours!xx

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Mar 31st, 2012, 06:51 AM	#5
Sarah27 Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Durham Posts: 770	Thanks for your replies ladies, I am seeing HV on Thurs so going to ask her about pre made bottles X

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Apr 1st, 2012, 21:50 PM	#6
youngwife20 Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Manchester Posts: 6,042	Hey i dnt ff but i bottle feed we have a microwave sterilzer and my midwife said 6hours if taken out of sterlizer and 24hours if they r kept in sterilser and not opened! We have our microwave upstairs at the momment now shes constantly eating as we sterilze constantly during the night - i wudnt leave them out for more than 24hours for sure x

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Jul 15th, 2012, 06:45 AM	#7
LittleBoSheep Other Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 1,185	i fill my bottles full of gerber water from the store and sit out room temperature with lid on then its so simple when he needs a bottle put scoops in and viola! fast and easy bottle we have never had any problems - no need to heat, no need to even get up

Status: Offline

Jul 15th, 2012, 06:48 AM	#8
Lady_Bee Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,521	Not sure but I usually keep them in the fridge (empty) after sterilising them for 12-15 hours.

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Jul 16th, 2012, 03:29 AM	#9
dizz Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 2,408	We switched to a milton sterilising system as we found figuring out what stayed sterile for however long to be a nightmare - easier to just hoik a bottle out of the solution when one's needed. When I'm going out for the day I tend to work on the assumption that if the bottle's kept assembled with the lid on, it'll be ok whenever I come to use it (tend to use cartons when out and about) as long as I'm not ridiculous about it - so that it'll last the day comfortably.

Status: Offline

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