when to stop sterilising?

[ourturnnext]

Just wondering when to stop sterilising all her bottles? She's four months old now and everything goes in her mouth at the moment so I'm thinking do I still need to be sterilising bottles?

 

[fingers_cross]

my son was born on the same day i plan to keep sterilising until hes atleast 6 months. not sure if u have to though!x

 

[ourturnnext]

Aww yay for same birthdays six months sounds about right, I'll be so glad when its just a case of washing them rather than constantly loading and unloading the steriliser... Not that its hard work, just seems it sometimes!

 

[fairykate]

Current UK recommendations are til 12mths - it's got nothing to do with them putting stuff in their mouth etc though, more to do with the bad bacteria in off or bad/mouldy milk that might be caught in tiny crevices.

I stopped at about 10mths I think though?

https://www.babycentre.co.uk/x554846/when-can-i-stop-sterilising-my-babys-bottles

 

[stephanyox]

My LO is 20 weeks old, and i still sterilize his bottles, he has breakfast and i dont sterilize his bowls, spoons or sippy cup, but because bottles have milk in them, you can never be too careful, im planning on sterilizing untill he's atleast 6 months, maybe even a year, it can't do any harm x

 

[roseyblossom]

Like one of the previous posters stated its actually to do with the bacteria from the milk staying in the bottles not getting washed properly etc that can cause problems. I personally stopped at 10 months and I was washing the bottles throughly with scalding hot water so to me it was good enough some even say dishwasher does the job too since it uses boiling water to clean the utensils therefore is an alternative to sterilizing (so I've heard)

 

[Dezireey]

12 months is the advice given by professionals etc. I agree, as best to sterilise for as long as possible whilst baby is establishing a good immune system. I would not recommend at all giving that up before at least 8 months if you have to. It's not worth it when baby can catch tons of germs from bottles not washed properly and get tummy bugs etc. If you don't like using the steriliser machines and it does your head in already setting those up everytime, try just leaving the bottles in a bowl (after washing them with soapy water) to soak in Milton for 15 mins and then they are good to go.

 

[bumblebeexo]

We'll probably sterilise until a year, or near enough.

 

[AngelUK]

I am going to continue sterilising as long as the boys actually use bottles. I don't mind doing it and it gives me 15 minutes time to myself . It has become my little moment of meditation where I don't feel guilty to not respond to their cries but to let OH go to them.

 

[lianne82]

I stopped when we started weaning, I just make sure I thoroughly wash the bottles in hot soapy water and she's been fine for the last 2 months!

 

[special_kala]

When we weaned so 6 months

 

[lilmissdanni]

Ive stopped in the last week. Lo was in hospital on Sunday and I saw we only had one bottle done when I was grabbing his stuff so washed one in hot soapy water whilst oh got his bag together with a view to sterilizing it at the hospital but never did.

 

[mrsbeano]

I am going to continue sterilising as long as the boys actually use bottles. I don't mind doing it and it gives me 15 minutes time to myself . It has become my little moment of meditation where I don't feel guilty to not respond to their cries but to let OH go to them.

Talk about things you never thought you'd say!

I will sterilise until they're on cows milk.

 

[carlyjade86]

I did my sons until his first birthday as that was the day I threw his bottles away and he had a cup.

 

[Annaandbump]

I am going to continue sterilising as long as the boys actually use bottles. I don't mind doing it and it gives me 15 minutes time to myself . It has become my little moment of meditation where I don't feel guilty to not respond to their cries but to let OH go to them.

This


My son is 15 months nearly and I still sterilise his bottle as I don't have a dishwasher!

 

[Yikesy]

I've just done the teats since LO was 6 months old. I will continue to do so until she stops using bottles (hopefully at 12 months!!).

 

[Vickie]

We will sterilize bottles until he is no longer on them because of the bacteria in the milk concerns that someone else pointed out.

With my daughter it was a year and she dropped all of her bottles, my son seems way more attached though so we'll see

 

[katlin]

I may get a bashing for this but I only sterilize the first time I use them then I wash in hot water with antibacterial soap. I've done this with all three of my kids as long as you wash them properly I see no problem with it. I also don't serialize water, my lil ones have immune systems of stone only have we had sickness go to them twice in almost 3 years. It's a personal choice and not every one is comfortable doing it.

 

[Dezireey]

https://www.babycentre.co.uk/a554982/sterilising-bottle-feeding-equipment

As I said, read above. It is recommended to stop sterilising at one year. There is a reason the medical profession and HSE tell us these things, but go ahead, some people obviously know better and have an innate ability to evaluate and see inside their childs body to know how their immune system works. Bacteria from milk / powdered milk is one of the worse forms of bacteria you can get, if not cleaned properly. All sterilising does is kill that bacteria. If your hot soapy water in your bowl is not hot enough then you are NOT killing this bacteria effectively.

Each to their own I suppose, but I'm not taking the risk with my baby.

 

[dgirllamius]

We stopped this week. I asked my midwife about it and she said to do it probably once a week and wash them in hot soapy water. Been fine so far (but it's only been a week lol). It's more common here to stop at 6 months but I left it a little while longer.