How long do i have to sterilize baby bottles
You're Wasting Your Time if You're Still Sterilizing Baby Bottles. Here's Why
As a new parent, keeping everything nice and clean for your baby is top of mind. However, sterilizing your baby bottles may be a a waist of time. We'll guide you on when you should sterilize a baby bottle and when it's not necessary.
Plus, here's what to do if you're running low on baby formula, a list of our favorite breast pumps and some baby registry must-haves (including some bottles we love). You can also check out our picks for the best diapers, best baby monitors, best car seats and best baby clothes.
Read More: How Many Baby Bottles Do You Really Need?
Why is it important to sterilize baby bottles?
Babies under 3 months old are still developing their immune system, and many infections that would be more mild or moderate at older ages can be severe in these months. While cleaning bottles thoroughly and immediately using them is usually enough to remove harmful bacteria, viruses and other contaminants, for the first three months of a baby's life, sterilizing bottles daily or more often is another recommended level of protection.
When should you sterilize and clean your baby's bottle?
Be aware that cleaning involves soap and hot water and the removal of any residues on the inside or outside of the bottle and its associated parts. Sterilizing, on the other hand, is specifically about using either heat or chemicals on the bottle and any associated parts to further kill any remaining microscopic bacteria that might have escaped the cleaning process.
You should clean bottles when you buy them, as well as after each use and before reuse if it's been some time since the clean bottle was used. Ideally, bottles should also be sanitized when you buy them and between uses.
Read more: Best Baby Food Delivery Services and Subscriptions for 2022
How often should you sterilize baby bottles?
Bottles are used many times a day, and depending on how many you have, you may only need to sanitize a batch of bottles once a day before every use.
However, many of the resources from pediatricians are less focused on sanitizing than ever before, leaving sterilizing frequency up to parents in many cases. Many dishwashers have a sanitizing setting, which quickly does the job for you if your bottles are kept in the top rack of the dishwasher.
When to stop sterilizing baby bottles, according to the CDC
The CDC recommends sanitizing at least daily until the baby is 3 months or older and for longer if they're immunocompromised. Otherwise, it's not as big of a priority, but you may still want to sanitize your older baby's bottles if:
- You know the bottle had milk sit in it for many hours or even a day
- Your baby has been sick or is on a medication that weakens their immune system
- Your water supply has been critiqued for some kind of contamination
- You're on well water (which can be fine, but you also might have less information on the water's overall quality)
- You have a way to do it quickly and safely and without inconveniencing yourself or the baby's other caregivers
How to clean and sterilize baby bottles
There are dedicated sterilizers designed for particular kinds of baby bottles and sterilizing settings on dishwashers.
When these are used correctly, they don't require additional sterilization. If you don't have these options, there are three other ways to sterilize your bottles.
Sterilizing baby bottles with boiling water
1. Thoroughly wash all baby bottles and parts. Leave them disassembled.
2. Put all items in a clean pot and fill the pot with water to where all of the bottle parts are submerged.
3. Bring to a boil and keep at a full boil for 5 minutes.
4. Use clean tongs to remove the bottle parts and place them on a clean towel or paper towel to fully dry.
Sterilizing baby bottles with steam
1. Thoroughly wash all baby bottles and parts. Leave them disassembled.
2. Read the instructions on your particular steam-in-bag sterilization system, such as the Medela bag system.
3. Place the required amount of water and only as many parts as fit the bag, allowing it to close.
4. Follow the instructions on how long to sanitize in the microwave.
5. Remove using a clean pair of tongs once the bag isn't too hot to open. Place on a clean towel or paper towel to fully dry.
Sterilizing baby bottles with an antibacterial chemical
1. If boiling and steaming aren't possible, using a dilute solution of bleach (2 teaspoons of unscented bleach per gallon of water) in a clean basin is an alternative method mentioned by the CDC.
2. Thoroughly clean all baby bottles and parts and leave them disassembled.
3. Place all parts in the solution carefully, adjusting them to make sure no air bubbles prevent part of a surface from being touched by the solution.
4. Leave all items fully immersed for 2 minutes.
5. Use clean hands or clean tongs to take the items out and place them on an unused towel or paper towel.
6.
No need for rinsing as long as the items are fully dry before they're used again. Rinsing reintroduces trace microorganisms that were destroyed by the bleach.
How to store baby bottles after sanitizing
Once your baby bottle parts have dried completely, you can assemble the bottles for easy use when you next need them. Closed kitchen cabinets are good places to store the bottles, where they won't interact with as much air as they would on a kitchen counter, and they should only be stored with other clean items.
If any step in your drying or storage process traps moisture on the bottles, it can make germ growth more likely. Drying racks that sometimes lead to some trapped moisture, so sanitize the rack itself every few days if that's your preferred method.
Sanitizing bottles is no longer a universal recommendation for all of the time that babies drink from bottles. However, if you can fit it into your schedule or you have a circumstance that makes it a good fit for your family, it can provide just one more layer of protection for the new addition to your family.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
Formula Feeding FAQs: Preparation and Storage (for Parents)
Whether you plan to formula feed your baby from the start, want to supplement your breast milk with formula, or are switching from breast milk to formula, you probably have questions.
Here are answers to some common questions about formula feeding.
Do I Need to Sterilize My Baby's Bottles?
Before the first use, sterilize nipples and bottles in boiling water for 5 minutes.
After that, you don’t have to sterilize your baby's bottles and supplies each time you feed your baby. Do wash bottles and nipples in hot, soapy water (or in the dishwasher) after every use. You can get a store-bought countertop or microwaveable sterilizer, but it’s not necessary.
How Do I Prepare My Baby's Bottles?
Carefully follow directions on the label when preparing formula. Most store-bought formula comes in three basic forms:
- powders that you mix with water
- concentrates, which are liquids that you dilute with water
- ready-to-use (or ready-to-feed) liquids that can be poured right into bottles without adding water
Do not add more water than directed, or use formula past its expiration date.
Wash your hands well before preparing and feeding your baby. To mix powders or concentrates, use clean tap water. If you have a well, test the water to see if it’s safe before using it to mix infant formula.
If your tap water is not clean (or your baby has a weak immune system), boil it for at least 1 minute to kill germs. Let the water cool to room temperature before using it to mix formula. You also can use bottled water. Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned that your water is not safe.
Once prepared, the formula is ready to feed to your baby right away without refrigeration or warming. Feed your baby or store the prepared formula in the refrigerator within 2 hours.
How Long Can a Bottle Keep at Room Temperature?
Throw out any prepared or ready-to-feed formula that's been sitting out for 2 hours or more, or within 1 hour from start of feeding.
Can I Save Leftover Formula to Give to My Baby Later?
No, throw away any leftover formula. Harmful bacteria can multiply since the last feeding, which could make your baby sick.
Can I Prepare Formula Ahead of Time?
Some parents make a fresh bottle just before each feeding. But many parents make and refrigerate enough formula ahead of time to use for the day. If you know your baby eats every 3–4 hours, for instance, you can make 6 to 8 bottles to last you all day.
If you prepare formula ahead of time, store it in the refrigerator. You can use pre-made formula for up to 24 hours.
Open containers of ready-made formula, concentrated formula, and formula prepared from concentrate can be stored safely in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Do not store unmixed powder in the refrigerator.
How Do I Warm My Baby's Bottles?
You don’t have to warm formula before feeding, but some babies may prefer it. To warm bottles, you can:
- Run the bottle under very warm or hot water for a few minutes.
- Put your baby's bottles in a pan of hot water. Be sure to remove the pan from the heat source before putting the bottle in it.
- Use bottle warmers that sit on your countertop at home or are portable.
Never use the microwave to warm bottles. It can create dangerous "hot spots" in bottles that can burn your baby’s mouth and throat.
Before warming a bottle, shake it. Then, test the temperature of the formula by squirting a drop or two on the inside or your wrist before feeding your baby. It should be lukewarm (barely warm), not hot.
How to sterilize baby dishes | Agu-baby.by
How to sterilize baby dishes
You can argue about the need to sterilize baby dishes, pacifiers and nipples for newborns. Some mothers say that an extra microbe in the body will not hurt, because very soon the baby will have to face bacteria in reality, outside the home. Others believe that cleanliness is above all and carefully process all objects that have fallen on the floor.
To sterilize or not to sterilize?
We are for the golden mean. While the body of a newborn is weak, it is very easy to catch an intestinal infection from a poorly washed bottle, stomatitis or a number of other diseases, and getting sick with these diseases in infancy is much more dangerous than, say, in a year. Therefore, at first, you should protect the child.
There are also circumstances when sterilization is indispensable:
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immediately after purchasing a new bottle or pacifier;
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after an illness of a child;
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if the mixture remains sour.
Bacteria multiply very quickly in a dairy environment, so it is impossible to store the finished mixture for a long time. Wash dishes immediately after feeding!
Until what age is sterilization necessary?
Pediatricians consider - up to 4-6 months. Then the decision is made by the parents themselves. Most mothers extend the sterilization procedure up to 1.5 years, gradually reducing it to rinsing a dropped nipple in soapy water or pouring boiling water over a bottle.
How and with what to sterilize?
It is necessary to sterilize clean dishes, so you must first wash it with baby, laundry soap or soda.
- Boiling
Put bottles and pacifiers in a pot of water, cover, boil for 4-10 minutes. Glass bottles can be boiled for up to 10 minutes. On modern plastic products, manufacturers themselves indicate the temperature and method of disinfection.
Then drain the water and wait for the items to cool down.
There is a drawback in this method: not all accessories can withstand boiling. For example, low-quality plastic bottles can be deformed. Quickly become unusable and nipples. Latex and silicone are processed for only 4 minutes, but they are somehow deformed and cracked. More wear-resistant are rubber tips (they can be boiled for 10 minutes).
- Steamer and multicooker
In a double boiler, the destruction of microbes occurs under the influence of hot steam. Putting the bottles upside down, it is enough to process them for 5 - 15 minutes. For this purpose, turn on the multicooker in the “Steamer” or “Cooking” mode.
- Microwave.
Put food items in a regular microwave bowl, pour water and turn on for 7 minutes. You can use bags for sterilization, in which the bottles are folded and sent to the oven. And finally, you can buy a special microwave sterilizer.
- Cold sterilization
In pharmacies, you can buy special tablets, from which it is easy to prepare a solution for disinfecting dishes (treatment 30 minutes).
Such tablets are convenient to use on the road.
- Sterilizer
And, finally, the most reliable method of sterilization is with the help of steam and electrical appliances. They are easy to use and guarantee a high quality of disinfection - objects remain sterile for several hours. Multiple bottles can be sterilized at the same time. Processing dishes in steam machines completely destroys unwanted odors.
Holding time - 10 minutes.
Dear mothers! Choose the methods and methods of sterilization that are most suitable for you, but do not forget that excessive sterility leads to weak immunity in a child.
HOW TO STERILIZE PHILIPS AVENT BOTTLES
Teats and bottles harbor millions of microbes. They are not afraid of boiling water, soda and detergents. The only thing that kills them is hot steam, which literally dissolves bacilli with a probability of up to 99.9%. Porridge and milk keep longer. A formula-fed baby is less likely to get sick.
So, mums, end your feeding with poorly washed bottles and learn how to disinfect them the way our grandmothers did. Only in a new way.
How to sterilize baby bottles
Washing with a brush or sponge is a must after every feeding. And it is better to sterilize in the evening or in the morning, in order to get rid of all pathogenic bacteria and not worry about the cleanliness of children's accessories.
When doing this, you must follow the safety rules: otherwise you can inadvertently scald or deform plastic dishes.
Below are three general guidelines for sterilizing baby bottles.
- The utensil must not be immersed in boiling water, otherwise it will soften and melt.
- Glasses and bottles are placed with their neck down: so that the steam cleans the inside, and the condensate flows down the walls into a bowl.
- Bottles must not touch the sides of the pan as they may melt and stick to them.
After sterilization, it is better not to remove the dishes from the container for about ten minutes.
It should cool down to a comfortable temperature. And if you really need it, you should use tongs, oven mitts or a kitchen towel folded in several layers.
By the way: Baby utensils: how to choose - 4 key parameters to help
How to sterilize nipples for children?
Teats are sterilized in the same way as bottles, but with the base down - to steam not only the outer, but also the inner walls. And let the moisture drain.
Types of sterilization
Two types of sterilization are used for the treatment of children's utensils - steam and dry heat.
- In the first case, the vessel is steamed.
- In the second, washed and still wet bottles are heated in the oven, sterilizer, microwave, multicooker and even in the dishwasher, which supports steam treatment at 80+°C.
Life hack: how to steam bottles and other things with sterilization bags (such as Nuvita NV1087)
- Put dishes in food bags.
- Pour 60-70 ml of water into them.
- Microwave for 2-3 minutes.
The sterilization process is as simple as a copper penny. Evaporating moisture destroys pathogenic (and not only) microbes from various surfaces. Materials exposed to hot air and steam do not creak from cleanliness, but are sterile and safe for health.
Not only teats and bottles are disinfected in this way, but also brushes, bowls, thermoses and cups like Avent SCF796/01 and more.
An interesting article: When the first baby stroller appeared: 10 facts from history
In the microwave
There are 3 sterilization options in the microwave oven. Not all of them are suitable for processing nipples.
- Place the bottles in a glass or ceramic dish → fill it with water → cover with a lid → put the microwave on maximum power for 5-7 minutes.
- Pour water into the bottle 1-1.5 cm from the bottom → microwave for 3-5 minutes.
The nipples will have to be washed separately. - In the Nuvita type microwave sterilizer (NV1085), it is enough to put the container → pour water → click on the valve → set the device to work for 5-8 minutes.
Picking up a hot dish is easier with tongs or oven mitts.
Sterilization in the microwave gives its advantages and disadvantages, described in the table: the inner bowl of the multicooker. So that the saucepan does not smell like food, otherwise bottles or children's dishes will take over this smell.
The subsequent sterilization process in the multicooker is similar to microwave.
- Pour ≈ 1-1.5 liters of water into the bowl.
- Place the steam rack and place the bottles upside down.
- Seal the steam device hermetically.
- Set "Steam" mode to 15 minutes or "Sterilize" mode.
- Remove the dishes and cover with a towel to cool completely.
This method also has its pros and cons.
Sterilizer
Children's sterilizer is an electrical device for cleaning utensils. Works carefully, the bottle will not crack due to overheating.
In the steam sterilization method, everything is calculated with medical precision. The device holds up to 6-8 bottles and the same number of nipples. A great example of such a device is the Philips Avent 3-in-1 steam sterilizer. It is ideal for a family with several kids.
The principle of operation of the device is nowhere simpler. It consists of step by step actions.
- Pour cold water into the tank (how much is indicated in the instructions).
- Place the pre-cleaned bottles in the special niches. This should be done upside down.
- Close cover.
- Switch on the sterilizer for 7-15 minutes.
- Let the device “cool down” for 5-7 minutes. This is necessary so that you do not accidentally burn yourself with steam.
If the use of the bottles "does not burn", then they can be left with a closed lid - so they will be sterile for another 4-5 hours.
If you need to get one of the bottles, take only it, and close the rest of the clean bottles with lids.
Before putting the dishes into the sterilizer, make sure they are clean. The device removes germs and odor, but does not cope with pollution.
Read: Top 5 Best Convertible Strollers
Avoid Sterilization Mistakes: 4 Common
Many parents make basic mistakes that are best addressed in advance.
1. Unwashed or poorly washed utensils
Leftover food provokes the reproduction of microflora and can cause stomach problems in a child. And sterilization does not wash out food residues - only cleaning can do this.
2. Pot boiling
You can't boil! The maximum allowable temperature for children's utensils is 110 ° C. And often it is even less. Otherwise, the bottles may melt.
3. Installation in a steamer and microwave without water is contraindicated
The device will burn, and the dishes will melt.
