Sterilising and Formula Question

[lillypod93]

My lo is now 10 months 4 days old and I was wondering two things:

1. When did you stop sterilising bottles? I am still doing the bottles but not cups, spoons, bowels etc. My lo only has the ready made formula not the powders but not sure how long I need to sterilise.

2. At what age did you start introducing cow's milk instead of formula? Did you wean lo off one onto the other or just do a straight swap? I am already using normal milk in his food and that is fine.

Any thoughts / opinions greatly appreciated!

 

[Louisey80]

I can only help with sterilising as my lo is only 7 months. I will sterilise bottles for as long as she has formula because its the bacteria from the milk that can be nasty. I don't bother sterilising her food bowls spoons cups etc!

 

[chickenlegs]

Hi, I am also west midlands! We stopped sterilising at 6 months. Mostly because I have a big issue with immune systems and I want him to have as good an immune system as possible, so didn't want to make everything "squeeky clean". I have no idea whether it works or not, I guess we will find out! He is now two weeks short of a year old. We haven't introduced cows milk yet but plan to do half milk half formula once he is a year. Hope that helps!

 

[RebeccaG]

I stopped sterilising for my son when he became mobile and put everything in the floor in his mouth! Now back to sterilising and washing bottles again though for DD!
Used cows milk for cooking from 6 months - cheese sauce etc. and he started drinking cows milk instead of formula at 12 months.

 

[lillypod93]

Thanks ladies. He puts everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, in his mouth. He has been mobile a few months now so I sort of don't see the point in sterilising, but since it is only a few weeks until he is one I will probably sterilise until then when he can have normal milk.

 

[StranjeGirl]

I still sterilize, but my dr told me I didn't ever have to sterilize. He said it really depends how your water is..if there are problems with the water then you need to sterilize, if not then washing in hot soapy water is fine. I'm paranoid so I sterilize!

 

[Sunnie1984]

I'm still sterilising at 6 months.

I think I'll continue to do that while she's on formula. So once she turns one and goes onto cows milk, I will stop.

For me, it's more piece of mind that they are properly cleaned. I don't really trust my hand washing ability

I do try to put the bottles in the dishwasher when possible but they have to go in on their own, or they start to go orange (like tupperware boxes do).

I'll start onto cows milk by doing 3/4 formula and 1/4 milk for a couple of days, then keep upping it be 1/4 every few days until she's on full cows milk. Obviously watching for how she takes to it.

 

[CertainTurton]

I stopped sterilising at 10months, although do put them through the dishwasher once a day or every other day which gives a good clean too.

I am planning on introducing cows milk in the next week or so (so 11.5months). I hope to do it a whole bottle (hoping beaker...) at a time without mixing with formula, but if she wont take it I will mix half and half for a bit. would love not to have to buy another tub!!

 

[Tami]

It's probably good you're not sterilising their bowels, lol!

Sorry, couldn't resist, I love a good typo!

xxx

 

[Chris77]

PJ is 8 months old and I'm still sterilizing and plan on doing so as long as he's still on formula.

Regarding cow's milk, I know that my Pediatrician said 1 year for whole milk (cow)

 

[zombiedaisy]

I waited until my kids were a year old to switch to whole milk. I just did a straight switch and didn't mix to transition. My oldest two didn't seem to care. I'm hoping it goes as smoothly when the time comes to switch Braden.

As far as sterilizing, I plan on doing it the entire time Braden is taking a bottle. I don't like running them through the dishwasher, and I never feel like their clean enough with just a hand wash, so sterilizing gives me peace of mind their as clean as possible.

 

[melfy77]

I don't sterilize; the water is safe. I just wash with hot water and soap. I do, however, sterilize bottles the first time I use them. DD touches all sort of things and nothing is sterilized. To a point, it's not dangerous and will only make her immune system better (that's what my mom did and I have no allergies or immune issues)