How long should you boil bottles
Cleaning and sterilising baby bottles
Cleaning and sterilising baby bottles | Pregnancy Birth and Baby beginning of content4-minute read
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It’s essential to properly wash and sterilise the feeding equipment when you’re bottle feeding. You'll need to clean and sterilise each bottle, teat and screw cap after every feed. It’s important that you continue sterilising everything until your baby is 12 months' old.
Why is it important to clean and sterilise my baby’s bottles?
Babies have immature immune systems so they aren’t strong enough to fight off a range of infections. One important way to support them in staying healthy is to reduce the chances of their getting sick in the first place.
Milk is the perfect medium in which bacteria can grow. This is why it’s important to sterilise all feeding equipment and keep formula cold until just before feeding your baby.
What equipment needs cleaning and how often?
You need to clean and sterilise all bottle parts, teats and screw caps.
- Separate all parts of the bottle and pull the teat out of its screw cap.
- Use hot water and dishwashing detergent.
- Clean all areas of the bottle with a bottle brush, including the thread where the cap screws on.
- Remove any milk still sitting in the teat or the hole with a teat brush.
- Squeeze hot, soapy water through the teat hole, then do the same with clean water to rinse the teat.
- Make sure to rinse the bottles and equipment well.
Get a new bottle brush once the bristles are worn. They need to be stiff enough to remove all the milky residue from the inside of the bottle.
How to sterilise feeding equipment
Even if bottles and teats look clean, they might still carry germs to your baby so it’s essential to sterilise your feeding equipment properly.
There are 3 ways to do this: boiling, steam sterilisation and chemical sterilisation.
If you’re breastfeeding and only need to sterilise a bottle occasionally, the boiling method may be good enough. It’s also cheaper than buying a steam steriliser. If you’re expressing and/or bottle feeding, then a steam steriliser might be the best option.
The boiling method
- Put all parts of the cleaned bottle, including teats, in a large saucepan.
- Cover the equipment with tap water.
- Make sure all air bubbles are out of the bottles and that they are fully submerged under the water.
- Bring the water to the boil.
- Boil for 5 minutes.
- Let the feeding equipment cool in the saucepan before taking it out.
- Place all the feeding equipment in a clean container and put it in the fridge. Make sure the container is covered firmly with a lid.
- You can store everything in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
The steam sterilisation method
Steam sterilisers are popular because they work quickly, are cheap to use and are very effective.
They heat water to boiling point and the steam kills the bacteria. Some steam sterilisers are designed to operate in a microwave.
- Place the clean bottles and feeding equipment in the steriliser.
- Make sure there’s enough room between each bottle, teat and screw cap for the steam to circulate around all surfaces.
- Follow the manufacturer’s directions about how much water to add.
- Turn on and push the button to start. If you’re using a microwave steriliser, place the steriliser in the microwave and turn on for the correct time.
- Wait until the sterilisation cycle has finished and the light goes off.
- Store all sterilised feeding equipment in a clean, lidded container in the fridge.
- Sterilise all equipment again if you haven’t used it within 24 hours.
The chemical sterilisation method
Be careful when using chemical sterilisation. Many methods use bleach, which can also bleach clothing and surfaces, and irritate the skin, if spilt.
Antibacterial chemical sterilisation solutions are available in liquid and tablet form. They need to be prepared exactly as directed on the container.
- Make sure you have a container that’s large enough to hold your baby’s bottles and feeding equipment.
- Use the recommended amount of tap water to prepare the sterilising solution.
- Submerge all bottles and feeding equipment in the solution. Make sure there are no bubbles left in the bottles.
- Leave the equipment in the solution for the recommended time – there’s no need to rinse the solution off after sterilisation.
- Throw out the solution after 24 hours and wash out the container before preparing a new batch.
Wash your hands before handling sterilised feeding equipment
Make sure you wash and dry your hands before you handle sterilised bottles and teats. It’s easy to contaminate equipment just by touching it with unclean hands.
Sources:
Child and Youth Health (Feeding your baby), Raising Children Network (Bottle feeding: cleaning and sterilising equipment), Karitane (Bottle Feeding)Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: September 2021
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Related pages
- Expressing and storing breast milk
- Making formula – dos and don'ts
- Feeding your baby with formula
- Breastfeeding your baby
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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? nine0003
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:
-
immediately after purchasing a new bottle or pacifier; nine0007
-
after an illness of a child;
-
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. nine0007
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. nine0007
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). nine0007
- 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. nine0007
- 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. nine0007
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. nine0007
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. nine0018
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. nine0007
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. nine0018
- 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. nine0007
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. nine0007
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. nine0007
- 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. nine0007
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. nine0007
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.
4. Sterilization of dishes with visible chips and cracks
Microbes accumulate and multiply in them, which can cause diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and not only. nine0007
Note: TOP-10 strollers with inflatable wheels
Pros and cons of sterilization
Each parent has his own opinion about sterilization, but there are definitely no indifferent to this issue.
Arguments "For" and "Against" are summarized in the final table:
So when choosing "to sterilize or not", everyone decides for himself.
