Sterilizing bottles?

[veedeepee]

Now that I'm headed back to work and thinking about bottles...Do you sterilize your bottles (& nipples, etc.) on a regular basis? We've been giving our LO a few bottles a week through the summer, but I haven't boiled the bottles and parts since the initial sterilization when they were new. I run the glass bottles through the dishwasher...so I think they're getting really clean (glass always seems cleaner than plastic). The nipples, vents, etc. I just wash really well after we use them, then let them air dry. Should I be boiling stuff on a regular basis? Anyone have links to recommendations from professionals or doctors? I hadn't really thought much about regular sterilization until I was at Babies R Us yesterday buying some more bottles and I saw that Born Free sells a bottle sterilizer...

[Ruthla]

I never sterilized bottles or nipples or pump parts or anything like that. I did boil the silicone parts of my Avent Isis about once a week, to keep them "shrunk to fit" and in proper working order, and sometimes I tossed the silicone nipples in the pot too, but that was just to keep the silicone in tip top shape, not out of any worry about germs.

I'd only sterilize anything if I was dealing with an active infection, such as thrush, or maybe if I had a medically fragile baby. But for a normal healthy newborn there's just no need.

With formula bottles, it's important to sterilize bottles so bacteria doens't start growing in bottles before the baby drinks from them (unless you mix up formula fresh before each feeding.) But since breastmilk is naturally anti-bacterial, this isn't a concern. Since many bottle-feeding moms are using formula, they need the sterilizing equipment they sell (or at least they THINK they need it.)

[veedeepee]

Ah...I hadn't thought about the formula thing...good point.

That's kind of what I was thinking - that for a healthy baby and no unusual circumstances like thrush sterilizing all the time seems unnecessary.

I hadn't heard about keeping the silicone in good shape by boiling it - what's that about? Do bottle nipples get "flabby" with repeated use?

[LROM]

When I was the only one handling the bottles/nipples I didn't worry about boiling because I knew I was rinsing them out well with hot water after each use and air drying. But once I went back to work I wasn't as confident that DH and daycare were doing the same. So now I still rinse them out every day with hot water, and I throw them all in the pot once every 10 days or so for a good boil.

I notice that DH and daycare especially don't wash the narrow part of the nipples well and I want to make sure they stay sanitary.

I'd never boil it all every day, but I figure once every 2 weeks or so is a good idea for us.

[veedeepee]

I just bought one of those spongy nipple brushes b/c I was thinking that DH and the nanny might not clean & rinse the tip of the nipple out as well as I do. I guess I'll check things out and if they don't look super clean perhaps a boiling every couple weeks will be the way to go (or a run through the dishwasher on the sani-rinse cycle).

[Altair]

I wash the bottles and pump parts and everything by hand everynight and also throw them all in the dishwasher. When I had thrush I put everything in the Medela steam clean microwave bags once a day. Those are awesome!

[moobiegirl]

I put everything in the dishwasher and never boiled anything.

[bubbamummy]

In England youre advised to sterilize anything that comes into contact with the babies mouth until 1 year. Everyone I know did. I used a steam sterilizer from 'Born Free' (BPA free etc) and would pop them in there after washing them after every single use. I know its not such a 'big thing' here in the US, but, I did it.

[kriket]

I sterilize my pump because it goes places with me, and I donate. I feel better about having a nice sterile pump since the milk will be in my cooler pack all day and then in the fridge for feeding.

I have the medela bags that you put in the microwave.

I've thought about getting one of the round plastic sterilizers, I saw one at a consignment store and almost picked it up. DH isn't the best about cleaning bottles after he uses them. I found one under the couch the other day

Plus, I can never seem to get the breast milk film off certain parts of my pump and a good steam gets them squeaky clean.

I've never noticed the nipples change from being in the microwave sterilizer.