April Munchkins 2013- enjoying our wonderful babies!

[ukgirl23]

Sounds like youve got a bit of the nesting bug after all Steph... I cant bring myself to set up all my baby stuff my mum keeps saying its bad luck and now Im terrified to jinx it! I told Aaron at 30 weeks we can put it all up bit Im not sure xx

 

[Steph82]

bahahaha Steph! That is hilarious! My DH & I have a sick sense of humor also! When I told my doc on Tuesday that it feels like Mason is going to kick through my vjayjay he just shook his head then as we were leaving Mason kicked me down low & I kinda stopped walking for a second. DH asked if I was ok, I told him yes & what Mason had just done, DH proceeds to lean down & say to my belly "Mason, that belongs to me, stop kicking your mommy there"!!!! I about pee'd my pants laughing at him!

Mason is also greedy about his space. He wants it all to himself! I guess I need to be thankful I'm not with twins, Mason would prolly kick his twin right out my vjayjay!!!

Omg... I can only imagine the look on your doctors face!! Lol... When we had our 20 week US , the tech showed us the arms and legs and face... Well the way the perspective was, you could only see one eye (the contrast made it look like there was a hole on the other side )... She was an older and very sweet, innocent lady... Robs commenting was:" we'll he has two arms, two legs, and one confirmed eye... I guess those odds are ok". He was totally joking but the poor lady was in shock because he said it... Him and I at least got a laugh out of it. To this day he still reminds me, that Grayson really only has ONE confirmed eye
Yeah and robs response to the junk punches I'm getting (that's my boy!)... Idiot men .
I guess the good thing is, I have no interest in sex right now, because I'm sure all this talk will in no way, shape, or form be conducive to his sex drive lmao. Just to deter him a bit more, I warned him that my boobs should start leaking soon

 

[LittleSpy]

BUT when we say you boil them...do we literally mean you drop them in a pan of boiling water like they are potatoes?! Or do you just put a little water in the bottom of a pan and put them in to steam?

Like potatoes. Or at least that's what I always did. Like ukgirl said, though, once the baby is older (3-4 months?), you can certainly just use the dishwasher. I took the little extra precaution of boiling for my newborn because I don't trust our dishwasher completely, even though it gets plenty steamy in there.

Oh -- here's an important little tidbit no one tells you in the beginning (or maybe they did and it just got completely lost amidst all the other information for me). I don't even know for sure the side of the can of formula tells you to do this. At least not conspicuously. If you're using water from a tap, regardless of whether it's well or city water -- you need to boil it for several minutes and then cool before preparing formula with it. We boiled a batch for each day and kept it in a sterilized pitcher to make the bottle of formula on demand (since we were combo feeding and never knew exactly how much formula we'd need).

 

[LittleSpy]

when my partner was in there checking his peanuts LOL!!

Am I the only person who read this and had a little giggle at what it implies?!!?

Haha, no, you're not. I stopped for a minute before reading on to wonder how he'd be checking his "peanuts" in a store (like... was there a doctor nearby... ?) before recalling he distributes/sells them. Then I read on and saw the confirmation that those were indeed the peanuts nimbec was referring to.

 

[ukgirl23]

Yup all water has to be boiled too.. I didnt like the dishwasher either littlespy. xx

 

[LittleSpy]

I think I phrased my question wrong about the sterilizing. I meant until what age do you have to sterilize things? Isn't there an age when you can stop sterilizing? I guess I need the sterilizer though. I don't really want to boil the things, I read it makes the plastics break down faster than the microwave. And break down of plastics freaks me out. I am going to store mine in the microwave too. I only use it occasionally to defrost things, precook baked potatoes etc.

We always use our dishwasher for everything but we stopped the extra boiling part of our sterilization process when dd was 3 months or so. I've never boiled teethers or pacifiers (dd wouldn't take pacifiers anyway). Those just go straight into the dishwasher to be cleaned. I mean, the girl has rubbed her hands, toys, and tongue (yes... REALLY) all over the floor anyway from the point she was able to roll over (just prior to 4 months) so it's not like sterilizing a teether was going to make any difference in our case. One of her most favorite naughty things to do since about 11 months has been to grab one of my shoes and chew on it. At this point I chaulk it up to her building a healthy immune system (she's super healthy!) because I just can't control it the majority of the time.

I'm sure we're terrible parents winkwink, but we also reused bottles and nipples for like an entire day after dd was older (again, around 3-4 months). We'd rinse them off with SUPER hot water after using and before using again.

 

[ukgirl23]

Eeeeek you shoild always wash bottles with hot soapy water AND steralize them because bacteria can hide in the little nooks and holes especially on the teats. If you dont steralize them you risk giving your baby food poisoning! Definately steralize bottles and dummies everytime you use them.. dummies can get dirt trapped around the rubber bits.

 

[LittleSpy]

Again, this was all after she was about 4 months old. I would never suggest someone not sterilize a bottle or nipple for a newborn.

If the kid is literally licking the floor (and she did), it's rather pointless to sterilize a bottle nipple with every single bottle you prepare. You sterilize a dummy before giving it to them each time? Where do you store it if you're not giving it to them straight away? Bacteria are everywhere, so unless you're storing it in a sterilized container and touched it with completely sterile hands or gloves before putting it into that air-tight sterilzed container, it's going to have bacteria on it. I wouldn't rub one all over my toilet and then hand it to a baby but I'd take it out of the dishwasher and give it to them for sure, if they were at least 4 months old. Again, I didn't have experience with pacifiers since dd wouldn't take them initially and we gave up on them rather early.

Even dd's pediatrician agreed there was no point to sterilization after 4 months (or maybe it was 6 months, but I know she brought it up at one of those appointments). She said, at that age, they're putting everything into their mouths anyway and it really doesn't matter anymore. She said we could treat her bottles and nipples like our regular dishes at that point. I encourage everyone to talk to their own child's doctor about that, though. I was quite comfortable with her explanation, so that's what we started to do (rinsing with very hot water - we're talking over 120*F and steaming, as we have a gas water heater - and washing in the dishwasher once a day).

Now, if you're going to prepare formula (which isn't sterile) and leave it in the bottle for more than an hour or so, espeically at room temp, then YES, by all means that bottle needs to be sterile no matter the age of the baby!

 

[ukgirl23]

no bottles defo should be steralized until at least a year. I have kids too who love to lick things which is why I would wash their toys and furniture and floors regularly in detol.
I have plastic cases for dummies or covers that clip over the end that goes in babies mouth. I really do not think it's a good idea not to steralize a bottle for a 4 month old, they are barely taking solids at that age. They are still vulnerable to germs and stuff that we can fight off easily. My kids are too very healthy and it had nothing to do with letting them lick floors. spoons and feeding utensils still got steralized until at least 6 months but bottles especially the rubber bits got steralized until 12 months at least.

 

[LittleSpy]

There is a difference between something being clean and something being sterilized. Washing eliminates the vast majority of bacteria. That's why we wash our hands after going to the bathroom and before eating and when they get dirty. We don't sterilize them, but washing takes care of virtually all of the dirt and germs. I don't steam clean my daughter's toys every time she touches them. But I do wash them when they become soiled.

I would encourage everyone to take the advice of their child's doctor if they're concerned about anything.

We're just going to have to agree to disagree about it.

 

[ukgirl23]

I'm not saying I steam my kids toys every time they touch them lol that would be silly. I'm saying that something that my child drink milk from, milk being fast to go bad at room temps could be harmful to a child of 4 months if you don't sterilize the bottle and teat properly before feeding. It's okay for you and me to eat something with a few germs on it because we are bigger and have spent many years building up our immunity but babies of 4 months are still very tiny and haven't long been alive to build up enough immunity to protect them from those bugs and germs so not sterilizing it and killing all the germs could be potentially very harmful to a baby of 4 months. They can get quickly dehydrated if they get sick and high fevers can cause fitting. So I would stick to the 12 month rule and agree to disagree on this one. Everyone can choose to do what they think is best for them and their child but I don't think it's good to advise people not to sanitize bottles properly for babies under a year. That is also why you don't feed babies honey before they are a year old because honey can cause food poisoning due to bacteria in honey being dangerous to babies who have no proper immunity against the germs that we do. Washing alone does not get rid of all the germs that can make a baby very poorly.

 

[doggylover]

I was telling him yesterday how Grayson has been kind enough to punch me in my lady bits during the day... So he started laughing and said: careful that he doesn't try to reach out and pull ur panties in... You know... Like a hamster building a nest
I do have to say that we both have a very sick sense if humor, so we were both in tears laughing!

charming! Very amusing though, that is the sort of thing we laugh at in our house as well!!! And whoa you look great! I'm only a week ahead of you and about 10x the size!! Lovely pic! My house is also covered in dog hair...two golden labs who shed everywhere. We have all wooden floors, but you'd think we have white carpet at times!

Kirstabelle I read recently you only need to sterilise bottles up to 6 months, and I know for definite that my SIL didn't sterilise from about 8/9 months onwards. I think once they are 6 months and eating solids the point is that you should then technically sterilise all their bowls, spoons etc if you are going to sterilise, as just doing bottles would a bit pointless when they are having those other bits near their food and in their mouths. And by then they will possibly be onto sippy cups anyway which I don't think you sterilise.

Littlespy I think I'm with you on the not sterilising all the bits and bobs. Our poor baby is going to be licked to death day and daily by the dogs, so I can't be much fussed if a toy falls on the floor (which is generally in a state of disgrace and probably a health hazard!) before it goes in the mouth. Pick the dog hairs off and they'll be super. I think it helps them build a good immune system too - or at least that's what my family tell each other as our dogs lick my nephew head to toe and he rolls about with them on the floor! And at Maisie licking the floor! A handy way to get it clean without a mop!!! Whereas my aunt used anti bac on her hands every time she had to lift her three boys before they were 6 months and doesn't let them do/touch anything that might have germs on (like the above mentioned licking mutts) and they are never in a state of good health! Never have I met kids who get so sick!

 

[kirstabelle]

My dog is going to be jealous when my kid starts licking the floor as well. Those crumbs are her domain!

Didn't mean to start a debate! I think 6 months is what I had heard too, and same reason as you doggy, because of the solids. I just couldn't remember if it was earlier, 4 months also sounds somehow familiar? I was just trying to think if there was some way I could get around all that sterilizing since I am hoping to EBF... I see that's not so. Sigh. If I didn't have a dishwasher I would probably sterilize longer than 6 months. I always put my dishwasher on high heat though so its probably fine. I realized it would be impossible not to sterilize at all anyway because I am going to have to sterilize my pump and the containers for milk storage. Damn it! Oh well, I'll still be sterilizing less than if I was FF all the time. Sometimes I think a large part of my desire to BF is just a combo of laziness (at not wanting to wash and prepare all those bottles) and cheapness (at not wanting to pay for formula)

Doggy, I think there are some people who really overuse the hand sanitizer. You can imagine how it ends up making you sicker since after a while the only bugs you get exposed to are the ones that can survive hand sanitizer! I only use it if I am legitimately around a sick person and have nowhere to wash my hands. I have been thoroughly inoculated anyway by all the babysitting and 5 years of taking the NYC subway.

I want you all to know that throughout the most recent pages of this thread I have had multiple mental images of hamsters making nests in vajayjays. And it has been weird.

 

[ukgirl23]

I read that in America they don't sterilize as much as we do in the uK which might be where the disagreement comes from. My main point is that powder milk it's self is not completely sterile,which is why powder milk has to be made with boiling water. Bacteria from the formula and milk thrives at 37c which is the best temp to serve milk at. the general rule is a year for bottles, I use the same rules for dummies because of the hiding places for bacteria. Children under 2 have low immune systems. So yes I will agree that spoons and teethers aren't so important to sterilize but anything that has been used for milk is very important to sterilize.
I do not like that people are linking sick kids to kids who had their bottles steamed, my kids are very healthy. Sick kids have nothing to do with anything other than that child's own immune system and environment.

 

[LittleSpy]

ukgirl -- Certainly isn't going to hurt anything, so please sterilize as long as you wish! My husband and I, and dd's pediatrician, are all comfortable with our decision. You have to be comfortable with your own decision so do what pleases you.

doggylover -- LOL at the dog hair. Um... I don't even bother doing that at this point. I mean... she kisses the dogs sometimes when I'm not quick enough... Research has shown that children living in the same house as cats and dogs (especially dogs) actually are healthier because 1) it stimulates their immune system and 2) because exposure to the dander actually decreases allergy/asthma rates (which kind of shocked me to read, to be honest). Let me see if I can find that article in case you haven't read it... Here's one, though I'm not sure it's the one I read originally: https://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/20...ier-kids-get-a-cat-or-dog-study-suggests?lite It was a pretty small study, though (~400 kids, I think?).

 

[LittleSpy]

Didn't mean to start a debate! I think 6 months is what I had heard too, and same reason as you doggy, because of the solids. I just couldn't remember if it was earlier, 4 months also sounds somehow familiar? I was just trying to think if there was some way I could get around all that sterilizing since I am hoping to EBF... I see that's not so. Sigh.

Talk to your LO's doc about it (you could even ask about it if/when you're doing doc interviews). I have a friend in Canada who was told by her daughter's doctor she didn't need to sterilize from the beginning because she was breastfeeding (and at that point, she wasn't even exclusively breastfeeding -- she had to supplement for like 6 weeks until domperidone kicked in and boosted her to a full tank). She said something like "treat her bottles like your coffee cup" meaning dishwasher without boiling/microwaving was fine. That's the only time I've ever heard anyone say that, but she trusted the doctor and never sterilized anything and of course all was well. I didn't ask my dd's doc about it so I don't know what her reaction to that would have been. I imagine, though, that she would have recommended sterilizing the first few months just to be on the safe side (to cover her own ass if nothing else!).

 

[doggylover]

2) because exposure to the dander actually decreases allergy/asthma rates (which kind of shocked me to read, to be honest). Let me see if I can find that article in case you haven't read it... Here's one, though I'm not sure it's the one I read originally: https://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/20...ier-kids-get-a-cat-or-dog-study-suggests?lite It was a pretty small study, though (~400 kids, I think?).

Whoa that surprises me as well! I didn't think it would really have any affect on allergies, but I thought it would have made asthma slightly worse if anything. Glad to know my kids will avoid that! Weird that they have fewer eat infections as well (read that in the article, thanks for that!). I'm not sure how that all connects...dogs tongue in the ear?!

Ukgirl, sorry I didn't mean to offend you, I was actually meaning that my aunt sanitises herself before even touching her own kids, and they are definitely sickly! I think as kirstabelle said she has killed off the exposure to everyday germs (eldest is 5 btw so we aren't talking babies!) so they have no immunity to anything.

Kirstabelle- yeah I can imagine using the NYC subway everyday has made you immune to practically everything! And don't worry, from what I see with my nephew, kids make enough crumbs to keep dogs happy! At my parents when we all have dinner, the dogs are actually used as hoovers to vacuum up the mess Jacob makes on the floor! One does the high chair and the rest do the floor

 

[kirstabelle]

And don't worry, from what I see with my nephew, kids make enough crumbs to keep dogs happy! At my parents when we all have dinner, the dogs are actually used as hoovers to vacuum up the mess Jacob makes on the floor! One does the high chair and the rest do the floor

Yep, this will be my house I used to babysit an 8 month old who used to love to feed her dog from the high chair. Once she got full/bored of eating her food she would drop it off the edge of the tray cackling all the time at how excited the dog would get.

UKGirl, I was talking about overusing hand sanitizer leaving behind the worst of the germs. Not saying that sterilizing will make your kids sick or anything. I do think hand sanitizering yourself every time you touch your baby is overkill, but if people want to do it, then they should do whatever they think is best. But I don't think sanitizing bottles etc past the 6 month point is overkill. I now plan to sterilize my bottles, breast pump, etc for however long the doctor tells me to. That is a good idea to ask that in the initial interview. Good test question! I am actually going to a parents night at the pediatrician closest to my house later this month. Hope some of the other parents will give them a grilling and I can just benefit from the responses I was just sorting out my list of stuff I still need that prompted my initial question about sterilizing. I'm going to get the microwave sterilizer thing even if nobody gets it from my registry. It sounds like a good thing to have.

I actually came back on to post this. Look how cuuuute these things are:
https://www.target.com/p/harajuku-m...ticolor-osfm/-/A-14085974#prodSlot=large_2_16

Of course they are sold out I want 'em!

 

[LittleSpy]

I do not like that people are linking sick kids to kids who had their bottles steamed, my kids are very healthy. Sick kids have nothing to do with anything other than that child's own immune system and environment.

People say that just because a child's immune system can be strengthened by exposure to germs. It's called adaptive immunity, which I'm sure everyone here is familiar with. That's why, for example, once you've had chicken pox, you're usually immune to it after that. That's the basis of vaccinations. Your body creates antibodies in response to exposure and exposure doesn't always make you sick.

Then there's the "hygiene hypothesis." Not only does an overly hygienic environment (I'm not suggesting *at all* that you're producing one for your children) lead to less adaptive immunity (which is a certainty), but the hygiene hypothesis states it also can leave a child more vulnerable to the development of allergies and autoimmune diseases as well. But it is just a hypothesis at this point.

I don't think anyone here meant to suggest you're doing your children a disservice by sterilizing their bottles. I know I didn't. Sterilizing bottles is a far cry from sterilizing their entire environment.

I'll be honest - The reason I feel the need to continue defend this is that you've gone on about this as a result of me sharing a decision I've made as a parent. I want to show you and everyone else here I didn't just willy nilly make a random choice about my child's health and I'm not putting her at risk. Indeed, according to the scientific and medical community, I'm doing the opposite. Also, you have to understand that my choice is based in moderation. An extreme on either end in this case is a horrible idea, IMO. I'm not purposely exposing my child to dangerous bacteria and viruses, I'm just not sterilizing everything she touches. And neither are you -- we have the same approach! We're just drawing the line in different places based on our own comfort levels and it's our duty/right as parents to make that decision as best we can.

It's truly bizarre for me to be on this side of the fence in a conversation because even my OCD husband makes fun of me for being a germaphobe!

 

[LittleSpy]

Hahaha, doggylover. My dogs are too big to get into tight places so they're pretty useless for cleaning up after dd. It's AWESOME when someone with a little dog comes to visit, though! They can get into all the tight corners and under chairs. Too bad little dogs and I generally don't get along. I can't deal with snippyness and peeing everywhere. I'm sure there are plenty of little dogs who do neither but that's been my experience with every one I've been around or fostered and it's made me decide to stick with the big guys.