Why always sterilise with formula?

[Delamere19]

Sorry if im being thick but are some of you saying you don't need to sterilise bottles or pumps or anything when you breastfeed or use breastmilk in bottles? I don't bf now but just making sure I understand it right. X

 

[Pearls18]

Sorry if im being thick but are some of you saying you don't need to sterilise bottles or pumps or anything when you breastfeed or use breastmilk in bottles? I don't bf now but just making sure I understand it right. X

Yeah that's right, breast milk has anti-bacterial properties so it isn't necessary, I only found that out this time around though doing my breastfeeding management course, I sterilised until 6 months for expressed milk bottles with my first (and didn't sterilise thereafter for formula not knowing) when I babysit my friend's son I don't sterilise the bottle for her expressed milk (she is happy with this, she doesn't sterilise, if she wanted me to of course I would) but I sterilise the bottles I give my son formula in x

 

[CaliDreaming]

Wow, didn't know that folks in UK sterilized bottles and everything for formula feeding! Nope, over here in the U.S. we don't sterilize a thing. The rule of thumb I was told is that if it doesn't hurt mom, then it won't hurt baby either, so putting the bottles and nipples in the dishwasher is fine as is tap water.

Babies with compromised immune systems are a different story, but if sterilization is necessary in that case the doctors will tell you.