No longer sterilising.... When did you stop sterilising?

[MissR]

My LO is around 11.5 mo and I've come to the decision to stop sterilising her bottles.

For a couple of days it just happened, a bottle ere, a bottle there, I wouldn't sterilise, because I was in a rush etc. After using those bottles, and with LO being fine, I just no longer see the need to sterilise. After all, she is almost a year.

I still wash the bottles thoroughly using hot water and bottle brush, then shake off excess water and fill with boiling water until they are needed.

Is this method ok? Is it ok for me to stop sterilising already? I don't want to make her ill in any way! When did you stop sterilising? X

 

[greeneyes0279]

Mine are almost a month and sometimes I just don't have the time to boil their bottles. I'm pretty much just washing them in my dish washer. That's about as sterilized as they are gonna get. Yours is old enough to not need sterilizing.

 

[rbourre]

I stopped sterilizing around 6 months. I soak her bottles for a while in hot soapy water and then clean them with a bottle brush, rinse well and put on the bottle drying rack to dry.

 

[lch28]

i just pop mine in the dishwasher.. my pediatrician said that was okay

 

[RKW]

Yeah I currently dishwasher and steam sterilize but I actually think I'm double sterilising. My dishwasher goes to 95' so this is hot enough to kill germs.
However If you eat a lot of curry and tomato based sauces it makes the bottles go orange!! So we often have to wash them by hand not the dishwasher so till need to sterilize.
I think after 6 months you are ok just to wash the bottles out.

 

[MissR]

Thanks ladies. Just wanted to have opinions really, and seems like its fine for me to no longer sterilise. So ,inch quicker and easier! Don't have to wait up before going to bed for her bottles to sterilise! Woooo it's the little things in life!! Xx

 

[Aphrodite]

MissR I was going to post an identical thread-Like you I used a bottle here and a bottle there and he's still alive He is 1 on June 10th so Ive said once Ive used this tin of formula, thats it straight onto cows milk, and also Im going to do away with the bottles and hope to use a beaker. However, if that doesnt work out, I just wont sterilise the bottles and Ill have half my worktop back!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

9-12mths here.

 

[Bonnie11]

Stopped at about 6-8 months, to be honest once they are crawling around outside and putting stuff in their mouth it seemed a bit pointless sterilising bottles anymore!

 

[lozzy21]

Stopped at about 6-8 months, to be honest once they are crawling around outside and putting stuff in their mouth it seemed a bit pointless sterilising bottles anymore!

It's not about general germs, it's about bacteria growing in crevices and in the teat hole. Milk is a feast for bacteria and it grows very rapidly.

 

[xKaa]

Quickly telling you that almost everyone use that method you used in Holland They sometimes not even boil the water, just water straight out off the tap. But the water in Holland is cleaner they say, so I just sterilize every bottle. We have to change the teats now because she has them for a month, but oh says it will be fine because he had his ones from birth-1 year (then he bit them and stuff..) and he wants her to build up an immune system (we dont sterilize our hands when we're about to hold her either and she's still alive)

 

[Bonnie11]

Stopped at about 6-8 months, to be honest once they are crawling around outside and putting stuff in their mouth it seemed a bit pointless sterilising bottles anymore!

It's not about general germs, it's about bacteria growing in crevices and in the teat hole. Milk is a feast for bacteria and it grows very rapidly.

Yes but I wash them in hot water carefully with a bottle brush and I think is enough to minimise that risk. When she is outside she has dirt and mud all over her hands so I can't believe none of it goes in her mouth. I know it's different germs but to me that risk is higher than the bottle risk, but I'm not going to stop her playing outside. Each to their own

 

[Jendra]

Never bothered in the first place. I sterilized them out of the package and from there just hot soapy water and a clean bottle brush, paying close attention to the nipples. I used boiled water that's cooled to make the bottles and that's that. No problems. The water in my city is very clean and has a great reputation and taste. If I were concerned about the city's water, though, I'd be sterilizing.

 

[Seity]

Birth. I've never sterilized. Our water is good so we just use it right out of the tap and hot soapy water is more than sufficient for cleaning a bottle.

 

[holliepop]

I stopped after he just turned one

 

[JMB1992]

I will be stopping as soon as she stops having formula. Bacteria in milk can multiply and become very nasty if not sterilised but its totally up to the individual if they want to take the risk or not. Im just not prepared too.

 

[Tweak0605]

I sterilized them right out of the package, but just washed in hot soapy water after that. I don't feel it's necessary to sterilize every time, and neither does my LO's doctor. Water straight out of the tap for her too!!

 

[Scout]

Just out of the package and that's it. Pediatrician told me that it's not necessary to steralize after that...just wash with hot, soapy water.

 

[Bonnie11]

Can I just ask, all you ladies who just wash with soapy water, are you in the US, UK or other?
I have not heard of not sterilising (UK), not that it had ever occurred to me that our water would be unsafe? I am one who stops sterilising at 6 months, not caused any harm here, however I wash them thoroughly and am really wondering whether it is necessary at all.
It has been so accepted where I am that sterilising is ABSOLUTELY essential that it never occurred to me that it wouldn't be, yet I have not heard that our water is anything less than great.

 

[Gina91]

Can I just ask, all you ladies who just wash with soapy water, are you in the US, UK or other?
I have not heard of not sterilising (UK), not that it had ever occurred to me that our water would be unsafe? I am one who stops sterilising at 6 months, not caused any harm here, however I wash them thoroughly and am really wondering whether it is necessary at all.
It has been so accepted where I am that sterilising is ABSOLUTELY essential that it never occurred to me that it wouldn't be, yet I have not heard that our water is anything less than great.

I've noticed a lot of people who don't sterilise seem to be from the US. In UK its recommended up to a year I think and I don't think our water is unsafe but baby isn't supposed to have it unless its been boiled first?
Maybe our water isn't quite as pure but Then again, UK have always been a bit over the top with their health and safety guidelines!
Think I'll keep sterilising up until a year but I'll definitely stop being quite so anal about it now.