Boiling Dr Browns bottles - or any bottles!

[Courtcourt]

Does anyone boil these? Do you find boiling a pain in the butt? I find microwave sterilizers a major pain, except the microwave bags. The bags are too small for the larger bottles though! Worried about melting the bottles boiling them =/

I am thinking of boiling bottles once a day instead, do any of you use this method for sterilization and prefer doing it like this? It just seems boiling once a day to be so much easier than these contraptions! Is it?

 

[pinklizzy]

I think I'd find boiling them much more of a pain to be honest! I use the Dr Brown's microwave steriliser and have always found it really easy to use-shove them all in and it's done in 6 minutes!

 

[Courtcourt]

I think I'd find boiling them much more of a pain to be honest! I use the Dr Brown's microwave steriliser and have always found it really easy to use-shove them all in and it's done in 6 minutes!

It says only 4 bottles fit inside. Do you put more than that? If you can really just jam them all in and be done that is pretty easy

 

[lisaf]

I find waiting for a huge pot of water to boil pretty annoying personally...

 

[LadyHutch]

Man I just rinse them in the hottest water I can out of the tap most days. Its a good day when I have the energy to sterilize them.

 

[SiberianLover]

Just wash my bottles with hot, soapy water and air dry them on a bottle rack. That's what is recommended here. Or stick them in the dishwasher, but I don't run my dishwasher often enough to do that every time.

 

[supertabby]

I use an electric steam steriliser, it fits in 3 bottles at a time. We go through about 6 bottles in a 24 hour period so I just pop the steriliser on a couple of times during the day when I've got enough to fill it, then put the sterilised bottles in the fridge to use as and when. I don't think any method would allow you to do the entire days bottles in one go, but I don't find sterilising very time consuming.

When our old steriliser broke we boiled for a little while and it was really inconvenient, we used a really big bowl but still could only get two bottles in. Keeping everything submerged for 5 minutes meant carefully arranging cutlery to stop bits floating above the water line, and by the time you add in kettle boiling time its no quicker than a steriliser.

ETA: I am in the UK, where it is recommended to wash bottles in hot soapy water or dishwasher, then sterilise, between every use. I think the guidelines in the US are different, I've heard its just to sterilise once a day even if used more and also heard to only sterilise when first purchased. Not sure which is right or if it varies from state to state. From a microbiological perspective though only sterilising once at purchase and never again doesn't make sense.

 

[Ashley2189]

Guidelines in the US are to sterilize once when brand new. After that, hot, soapy water will suffice. I read about it and its because there's nothing wrong with tap water. Water regulations are such that the water is sufficiently filtered so even tap is safe and doesnt contain the harmful microorganisms it once did when the rule was sterilize every time. So unless you live in an area where you cant safely ingest tap water, sterilizing is unnecessary

 

[lisaf]

yeah, we have different rules in the US.. I feel sorry for you UK girls having to sterilize all the time! Not that our way is better, we're just told its not necessary so we don't have the pressure to do it.

 

[Courtcourt]

Wow I didn't know, I have been sterilizing after every single use. I tried out the boiling tonight and the waiting was annoying, but I just pumped while I waited. Maybe I'll start just sterilizing every couple of days, whew! That is a BIG load off!

 

[lisaf]

it depends on the water in your area! Make sure to check with your pediatrician and see what they say. Some places even in the US may not be safe to skip the sterilizing.. especially if you're on well water

 

[AuntBug]

I'm in the us and sterilize after every use. It's probably overkill, but I have a microwave sterizer that only takes a few minutes, so why not.

 

[Natsku]

I don't use bottles very often but when I do I just boil them to sterilise. I don't find it a hassle at all, just stick them in a big pot and fill with water and put the lid on and boil for 5-10 mins. Don't have to worry about them floating at the top of the water because the steam sterilises as well. They stay sterile for as long as you leave the lid on the pot.

 

[supertabby]

Sterilisation is nothing to do with tap water though. Old milk (eg a couple of hours old) is a breeding ground for bacteria which is why UK guidelines are to sterilise after every use. I think WHO guidelines are same. I had a conversation about this with my MIL (biochemist) and cousin (bacteriologist) before Isobel was born.

Is the wash cycle for dishwashers recommended? If washed at 80 or 90 degrees and then used or refrigerated immediately then it's probably ok.

It's interesting the difference between the countries. I know when it comes to taking out newborns the two countries are very different, I believe the US recommends keeping newborns inside and limiting access to people, whereas in the UK we're encouraged to get out and about from day one to help prevent PND - though I can see why US advise keeping babies indoors as they can be susceptible to infection.

 

[raisin]

I use the Milton steralisation liquid. It's old fashioned but so so easy and if it's been used for decades successfully that works for me! It's cheap too.

Just fill a large plastic container with 5 litres cold water, pour in a capful of liquid (or use tablet instead if you prefer) and shove everything in the container. I can fit 6 bottles plus breastpump equipment plus dummy in it. Sterile in 15 minutes and lasts 24 hours.

When I travel I just take the tablets with me.

 

[Ashley2189]

Isnt most bacteria killed by heat anyway? Most dishsoaps are antibacterial, plus washing in hot water. I keep the water so hot while washing my hands can barely stand the burning lol why would you leave milk in the bottle for a few hours anyway? I at least rinse it out, and let the bottle sit in soapy water until I can clean it first break I get.

 

[Divinebeauty]

I boiled my dr browns in a pot after every use- or the bottles smell so nasty! That was my experience anyways.

dr browns microwave steralizer was a real pain for the $$ it cost.

 

[PAgal]

Does anyone boil these? Do you find boiling a pain in the butt? I find microwave sterilizers a major pain, except the microwave bags. The bags are too small for the larger bottles though! Worried about melting the bottles boiling them =/

I am thinking of boiling bottles once a day instead, do any of you use this method for sterilization and prefer doing it like this? It just seems boiling once a day to be so much easier than these contraptions! Is it?

I personally think we moms these days get very carried away with the sterilizing. In my opinion you only need to sterilize them out of the packaging, then just hot water and soap is fine. I was sterilizing night and day at 1st until I learned that heating plastics so much can be a bad thing. So if you're dead set on sterilizing I would use glass bottles. Or at least don't sterilize the plastics so often.

I started running the dishwasher everyday instead of constant day and night hand washing and sterilizing, and my life is so much easier now. It gives them a good clean plus it's "greener"--many modern dishwashers are improved now to only use 1-3 gallons of water at a time.

To each her own tho!

 

[XJessicaX]

Boiling sounds a complete hazardous mission!! I have an electric steam steriliser.

 

[Blue_bear]

I have the Avent electric sterilser and can get six bottles and all the parts in it. Enough for once a day use. I wash in soapy water and rinse first.