Washing and sterilising bottles on a plane?

[KamKol]

My nephew is 9 months old and will be travelling a long haul flight with us. He's really picky and only drinks from Avent bottles. She'ss got 6 bottles which should in theory last her about 24hours but if she needs to wash her bottles in the plane, and sterilise, whats the best way to do it?

The toilets are usually disgusting and there's no washing up liquid. Also, the sterilising has us puzzled....

 

[Farie]

I took a bottle brush with me and used the boiling water in the galley. Not perfect but works for the journey xxx

 

[ellismum]

I'm sure they will let you wash them in the galley. For sterilising, you can purchase travel steriliser bags and pop on non-rinse Milton tablet in. Mothercare or large boots stores will have them on sale.

 

[Kim T]

I did a 9+ hour flight followed by a long car journey when my eldest son was 7 months old.
He was only having 4 bottles in a 24 hour period, so technically i could have gotten away with taking 4 pre-washed/pre-sterilized bottles and only 4 cans of pre-made formula, but i doubled everything just incase and to allow for any delays/problems.
I didn't want to do hand washing and sterilizing on a plane as who knows how clean everything is .

But i'm glad i took so much stuff as i did have problems coming back from Heathrow to Vancouver. Coming through security (in Heathrow) they decided that they wanted me to taste test every single SEALED store-bought can of pre-made formula. I explained that once a can is opened, it only has 1 hour lifetime or it has to be tossed away (obviously not going to work out on a 9+ hour flight!). They told me that it was tough, i would have to buy more once through security. I explained that i don't live in the UK anymore and my son is on very different formula to what they have in the UK. Again, i was told that it was tough. I fought it out for about an hour with every possible person in security and eventually got away with tasting 1 or 2 cans, and thank god i did because i was on a redeye and every single store in the airport was closed (i didn't even know they closed in airports lol) so my son would have starved !!

Just be safe and take extra of everything!!!

 

[KamKol]

I did a 9+ hour flight followed by a long car journey when my eldest son was 7 months old.
He was only having 4 bottles in a 24 hour period, so technically i could have gotten away with taking 4 pre-washed/pre-sterilized bottles and only 4 cans of pre-made formula, but i doubled everything just incase and to allow for any delays/problems.
I didn't want to do hand washing and sterilizing on a plane as who knows how clean everything is .

But i'm glad i took so much stuff as i did have problems coming back from Heathrow to Vancouver. Coming through security (in Heathrow) they decided that they wanted me to taste test every single SEALED store-bought can of pre-made formula. I explained that once a can is opened, it only has 1 hour lifetime or it has to be tossed away (obviously not going to work out on a 9+ hour flight!). They told me that it was tough, i would have to buy more once through security. I explained that i don't live in the UK anymore and my son is on very different formula to what they have in the UK. Again, i was told that it was tough. I fought it out for about an hour with every possible person in security and eventually got away with tasting 1 or 2 cans, and thank god i did because i was on a redeye and every single store in the airport was closed (i didn't even know they closed in airports lol) so my son would have starved !!

Just be safe and take extra of everything!!!

Oh my goodness...how can they be so not-understanding. Seems like they didn't give a crap if your LO starved...I just can't believe they can be like that.

 

[Alias]

I've done transatlantic with DD twice now, at 9 months and 16 months. We brought as many bottles as we could (at 9 months I think she was on 4 bottles, but I brought 6) all sterilised, some with water and powder to mix formula, and some single cartons for backup. Be warned, the water leaked so take cartons I stored everything in big zip lock bags in case of leakage. We were lucky with airports (inc Heathrow) that they only made me try one bottle and one food item and usually I already had something open/in use so it was fine.

We got delayed by 26 hours on the way back when she was 9 months (should have been 14ish hours), and just made do with what we could. If you're delayed long enough to need more than 24 hours of food/drink, you won't spend that time on the plane but in airports and hotels. We brought a small container of washing liquid in the carryon and washed bottles in hotel sinks (didn't sterilise, just poured boiled water in and swished). We fed DD breakfast from the hotel buffet (toast and yogurt, they even had full fat) to make what we had with us stretch. I also knew once we got to Heathrow we'd be able to get familiar formula, so I wasn't as worried coming this way. Most UK airports have a boots that's stocked with formula and food, not as good in my experience in North America.

It was easier when she was older, we just brought 2 sippy cups and some soap to wash them, and filled them with milk and water when we could. DD learned quickly that the man with the trolley brought juice, his second trip by she had her cup out to him before he even asked!

One other tip for travelling with a baby. Bring a change of clothes in the carryon for yourself as well! Just a tshirt and leggings or something that packs light. We didn't need it thankfully, but I met a woman flying back from Spain with a 6 month old and the baby puked all over her 1/2 way home...

 

[donnabing]

I did a 9+ hour flight followed by a long car journey when my eldest son was 7 months old.
He was only having 4 bottles in a 24 hour period, so technically i could have gotten away with taking 4 pre-washed/pre-sterilized bottles and only 4 cans of pre-made formula, but i doubled everything just incase and to allow for any delays/problems.
I didn't want to do hand washing and sterilizing on a plane as who knows how clean everything is .

But i'm glad i took so much stuff as i did have problems coming back from Heathrow to Vancouver. Coming through security (in Heathrow) they decided that they wanted me to taste test every single SEALED store-bought can of pre-made formula. I explained that once a can is opened, it only has 1 hour lifetime or it has to be tossed away (obviously not going to work out on a 9+ hour flight!). They told me that it was tough, i would have to buy more once through security. I explained that i don't live in the UK anymore and my son is on very different formula to what they have in the UK. Again, i was told that it was tough. I fought it out for about an hour with every possible person in security and eventually got away with tasting 1 or 2 cans, and thank god i did because i was on a redeye and every single store in the airport was closed (i didn't even know they closed in airports lol) so my son would have starved !!

Just be safe and take extra of everything!!!

Oh my goodness...how can they be so not-understanding. Seems like they didn't give a crap if your LO starved...I just can't believe they can be like that.

Its a tough one though as it has been known to bring liquid bombs through this way onto planes. Yes its annoying for us mums who have straving kids and it really is forumla but they don't know though and I would rather someone did not get through to blow up a plane.

On a more happy note what the person above said get the bags and no the no rinse tablets I used them while camping and they work fine with cold water

 

[sugarpuff]

when my daughter was tiny i took the steriliser that my TT breast pump came in and a milton tablet (broken up to appropriate size) plus a bottle brush - i sterilised the bottles that i had used in the airports in the airport toilets (in the sink, not the loo ) just before they called our flight. i also took a tiny bottle with some washing up liquid in it

i am very over prepared !

 

[tu123]

We sterilsed them in these microwave bottle bags you can buy from Boots. You can fit two in a bag and we took 8! Wash them, then microwave. Good for 24hrs unless you open the bag back up again.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lindam-44275-Microwave-Steriliser-Bags/dp/B000NC6GSA