sterilising bottles

[mickey]

when do I need to sterilise the bottles, after feeding, before feeding or both?

this may sound stupid, but I really don't have a clue

for how long can you store breast milk in the fridge, I heard 24 hours, 48 hours and 5 days???

 

[Wobbles]

I have a steriliser! 5 mins in there then I put them in the fridge until each feed (with or without water made up for bottle feeding - the without for the carton milk).

You can freeze breast milk - Im not 100% sure on details though x

 

[mickey]

I see, so I sterilise after feeding and then I put them into the fridge until use?

 

[Wobbles]

After each feed I have a tub on the side of my sink for her dirty bottles I rinse them and put them in there then when theres so many I put a tiny bit of fairy into a clean bowl (not too soapy) with hot water and let them steep for 15-30 mins I then give them a wash with the bottle brush and rinse off from running water, place in steriliser. Once steriliser has finished I prepare the boiled water into each bottle, leave for half hour and fridge but even for use with carton milk I sterilise and place in the fridge (without the water) then as the beginning as each feed goes on shes fed, rinse bottle, placed at side of sink in her little tub until washed.

 

[Tam]

Same as Wobs hun......just make sure they are done for each fresh bottle you make up! x

 

[marley2580]

Are you expressing hun? I have a cold water steriliser where my bottles and pump live until they are needed. I only give one bottle a day though so I only have two bottles - one to pump into while Barry's giving her the other one.

 

[mickey]

I did not start expressing yet. are u expressing Marley?

I still don't know how much I can express to start off, but I am also thinking 'bout giving one bottle per day.

thx guys for replying so far

 

[marley2580]

Yes, started last week. As I said, I just give one bottle a day (tho not yesterday coz she was feeding loads - growth spurt?). I tend to express while Barry is feeding so my body doesn't think that I need extra milk, also coz it's easier to express while Kaya's there with me. This means that one bottle is in the steriliser while the other is in the fridge.

 

[mickey]

thx for your reply Marley,

I want to get started this weekend and thought at first I will express 'bout 2 ounces and see how we get on with them.

so far I have two bottles as well (we bought a microwave steriliser package at boots which comes with two bottles to start of - not sure if they are good though - bought some latex tits from NUK seperately). I will see how I get on with them

what bottles and tits are u using? ('cos there are all those things on the market, tits which are better to combine with breastfeeding, anti-colic bottles, some here on the forum said those dr brown bottles really help against colic)

 

[marley2580]

we have avent bottles with a No 1 teat, but tbh we only have them because they came with the pump

 

[Lucy]

Hi,

The hospital told me I could keep breastmilk stored for 48hours in the fridge and once it's out of the fridge it keeps for 4 hours. You can freeze breastmilk as well - keeps for anything from 1 month to 6 months (just depends on what freezer compartment you have).

We were in hospital and I had to express milk for a while so I've got a nice stash of it waiting, how old are your little ones when you're starting to give a bottle?

 

[Tilly]

I used formula i'll tell you anyway. I would boil the kettle, leave it to cool for 30 minutes then make up 6 bottles (with powder) - I know not everyone likes doing it, but you can all do it your own way. and store then for no more than 24 hours - although 6 was 24 hours worth, so no problems there.
We would wash the dirty bottles as needed and store them in the steriliser, then run it when it was full then the process would start again.
I wouldn't leave the breast milk longer than 24 hours either, but I don't know from personal experience sorry.