Bottle Sterilization

sleepy33 · September 2013

I have seen several people mention boiling bottles/nipples. I am curious about how many of us plan on doing any kind of sterilization.

Amjoy25 · September 2013

I said EVERY use, but I believe you can stop sterilizing after they have all their immunizations...amiright? I have a fancy microwave sterilization system.

PixiesDust · September 2013

Actually, I washed all the bottles, vents, caps, etc in the dishwasher the first time and only boiled the nipples. I did however boil all of my breast pump parts (sans bottles). I figure the dishwasher, especially with a heated dry, is just fine.

sleepy33 · September 2013

Just for clarity, we'll consider boiling/using a special bottle sterilizer/microwaving to be sterilizing, and regular washing to include either dishwasher or hand washing.

huntjul · September 2013

I was given a microwave bottle sterilizer but I really doubt it's going to see much/any use. I voted for sterilize once before using because I think that's the most realistic estimate

hartsl01 · September 2013

Both my OB and LC said that after the first use (boiling before that) that hot, soapy water is perfect for both bottle parts and BF parts, or to put them in the dishwasher. I received a sterilizer at one of my showers, but ended up returning it after I read that mold can collect in the bottom of it.

MrsKocal · September 2013

Last time, I sterilized before the first use, then washed regularly and did a big round of sterilizing each week. For about the first month. Then I totally forgot about the sterilizing and was lucky if I remembered soap :-)

sweettwilight16 · September 2013

I think my dishwasher has a sterilizing mode. Does that count....?

jnsmith85 · September 2013

We sterilize them in the nicu after each use, for obvious reasons, but it is a pain in the ass.

I am perfectly okay sterilizing them
once, then cleaning them like normal afterwards. Don't need to add unnecessary things to my everyday life haha

bnikiz · September 2013

The bottles ive opened all say to sterilize before the first use. I just boil for five min, its no big deal. They also have those microwave bags but ive never used them. I never had issues with dd, now if you had a premie or some kind of compromised immune system i can see the need to do it every time

sfshorter · September 2013

Yeah, I boiled bottles with DD, and one time I had some on the stove and fell asleep like an idiot. I woke up to my entire house smelling like a chemical plant and the bottles were melted in the bottom of the big pot. I'm sure I killed about a billion of mine and DD's brain cells with that one. Needless to say, I'm just going with dishwasher.

jnsmith85 · September 2013

bnikiz said:
The bottles ive opened all say to sterilize before the first use. I just boil for five min, its no big deal. They also have those microwave bags but ive never used them. I never had issues with dd, now if you had a premie or some kind of compromised immune system i can see the need to do it every time

We use those bags at work. Really convenient, but only good for 20 uses. But if you're like me, and just planning on sterilizing only once, they are a waste of money!

Lee81 · September 2013

I voted SS because I hadn't put any thought into it yet. I'm hoping to breastfeed and I read somewhere that it's best to wait a few weeks to start pumping so I've had it in the back of my mind that I don't need to worry about bottles quite yet. I have a breastfeeding class tomorrow, so hopefully that will give me a better idea of how soon I really need to worry about this.

MrsMommyQ · September 2013

hartsl01 said:

Both my OB and LC said that after the first use (boiling before that) that hot, soapy water is perfect for both bottle parts and BF parts, or to put them in the dishwasher.

This. I also read that our water quality today is so high/good that you don't need to sterilize really at all. I just do the nipples before first use. Other than than, hot soapy water is fine.

kjenkins346 · September 2013

FTM and I had no idea this was a thing. I'm planning on using the drop-ins so hopefully that will just require running the nipples and bottles/tubes through the dishwasher. I imagine they require a more intensive cleaning/boiling before being used the first time but other than that, I have no idea.

TXswissmiss · September 2013

jgslr said:
Ok, this is SORT OF related.
I was looking at the instruction for my pump and it said to sterilize and wash parts with filtered drinking water. I usually drink the filtered water from my fridge (just for the taste), but why wouldn't plain old tap water work for sterilizing/washing pump parts? It's the Medela PISA I got from my insurance. I won't begin pumping till 4-6 wks pd, but it just struck me as odd.
I then proceeded to try to convince my DH to let me "test" the pump out on him...lol..yeah he wasn't down for it.

I would think that depending on water quality washing with unfiltered water could cause some mineral build up in pump parts....

RedZee · September 2013

I generally boil things before their first use and then use the dishwasher (which is essentially sterilizing anyway).

SnoopyLuv · September 2013

I used those steam bags every week or so in the beginning, and boil sterilized before first use. Once she was teething and chewing on everything I gave up and just did the dishwasher.

Married2PreMed · September 2013

I'm so glad someone asked this question! Bottlefeeding is comletely new to me, but since I am getting laid off after birth I will be returning back to college full time, so bottle feeding it is! I was planning on an initial boiling, and then only boiling once a week or so.

This may be a dumb question, but when it comes to powdered formula, do I have to use any special water, like filtered or baby nursery water? Do I have to boil the water first? I plan on asking our doctor at our next appointment, but I am curious what other moms do. I have only breastfed my previous 3 children, but I want to be prepared with formula in case I get a bad case of PPD and need meds.

vvg28 · September 2013

sweettwilight16 said:
I think my dishwasher has a sterilizing mode. Does that count....?

This. My dishwasher sterilizes.

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