When it comes to caring for your baby, cleanliness is typically a high priority (along with sleep and sanity). One topic that often comes up is properly sterilizing baby bottles. How important is it, though? If sterilizing is important, how long do you have to do it?
In this post, we'll explore the reasons for sterilizing baby bottles, the different methods you can use and how long you need to do it.
Is Sterilizing Necessary?
It's important to clean baby bottles well enough to remove harmful bacteria and viruses that can cause infections or digestive issues in infants. This is especially important in the first few months when their little immune systems are still developing.
However, sterilizing your bottles is becoming less critical with the advancement of reliable water supplies.
Most experts recommend sterilizing baby bottles before their first use (you don't know what they may have seen on the way to the store) and continuously sterilizing them if your baby is premature, has health issues, or doesn't have access to clean drinking water.
Beyond that, thoroughly cleaning them and sanitizing them should suffice.
I had a little debate when writing this post because "sterilizing" and "sanitizing" are technically two different things.
Sanitizing reduces microorganisms to a safe level, whereas sterilizing removes all microorganisms.
The problem is that most people Google "sterilize" when it comes to baby bottles, breast pump parts, pacifiers, etc., so I had to make that adjustment in a few spots so that people could find the information.
Methods of Cleaning Baby Bottles
There are several effective methods for cleaning baby bottles, each with pros and cons.
Boiling Water
One of the simplest ways to sterilize baby bottles is by boiling them, and it is often recommended before using bottles for the first time.
Simply immerse the bottles and nipples in water and let them boil for at least 5-10 minutes. (Check the manufacturer's instructions for additional guidelines.) This method effectively kills bacteria but requires careful handling.
🟢 Pros
- inexpensive
- doesn't take up extra space
🔴 Cons
- can be fiddly when you need to remove the bottles
- time consuming - it's not set it and forget it
Hot Soapy Water
While not strictly a sterilizing method, washing bottles with hot water and soap is still a great way to keep bottles clean. It's important to note that the CDC recommends using a separate container and drying towels to ensure you don't contaminate the bottles with anything sketchy in your sink – nothing like drying bottles with the towels you used to dry the dog's feet.
🟢 Pros
- inexpensive
- accessible
🔴 Cons
- time consuming
- have to be mindful of cross contamination
Dishwasher
- Many dishwashers have a sanitizing cycle that effectively sterilizes baby bottles, nipples, and other baby essentials like pacifiers. Place the bottles on the top rack and use a heated dry cycle to maximize cleaning. You'll probably want to buy a dishwasher basket to keep track of all the little parts.
🟢 Pros
- uses something you might already have
- cleans and dries
- doesn't take up extra space
🔴 Cons
- washing with other dirty dishes (some people don't like that)
- need an extra basket to keep track of small parts
- there is some argument about whether a dishwasher can truly sterilize vs sanitize
Microwave Steam Sterilizer
Steam sterilizers or sterilizing bags are designed for microwave use and can be a quick and easy option. Just fill them with water and the cleaned bottles, then briefly microwave them. A microwave sterilizer is inexpensive and microwave bag steamers are lightweight and perfect for on-the-go sterilization.
🟢 Pros
- portable and lightweight
- affordable
- space-saving
- easy to use
🔴 Cons
- you need access to a microwave
- escaping steam can be super hot
- need to be removed for drying
Baby Bottle Sterilizer
Electric sterilizers are specialized appliances that efficiently sanitize baby bottles and accessories using steam, heat or UV light with the press of a button – sort of like a mini dishwasher just for baby bottles.
Products can often stay sterile for 24 hours in the unopened sterilizer, which is a nice bonus if you're worried about them staying clean before you use them. They are user-friendly and can sterilize multiple bottles simultaneously, making them a convenient choice for busy parents.
Baby Brezza tends to be the biggest player, but Dr. Brown's and Philips also make good sterilizers if you are considering this option.
🟢 Pros
- can sterilize multiple items at one
- can leave the bottles to dry inside
- set it and forget it
🔴 Cons
- expensive
- takes up counter space
How Often Should You Sterilize?
According to the CDC, if your baby is less than 2 months old, was born prematurely, or has a weakened immune system due to illness (such as HIV) or medical treatment (such as chemotherapy for cancer), you should sanitize feeding items daily (or more often).
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is surprisingly laid back about sterilizing baby bottles and puts more emphasis on the safe preparation and storage of the contents rather than the bottles themselves. They feel that washing baby bottles with hot, soapy water and making sure there is no residue left in the bottles should suffice.
It's also worth noting that many pediatricians recommend sterilizing your baby bottles and pacifiers if your child is sick or suffering from thrush.
How Often Should Baby Bottles Be Cleaned?
It’s important to thoroughly clean the bottles instead of just rinsing them after every feeding. Germs can multiply quickly in bottles that have had breast milk or formula sitting around, so if your kiddo doesn't finish their bottle within two hours, it's best to toss out anything left over.
When to Stop Sterilizing
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends sanitizing bottles until your healthy baby is over 2 months old. The UK's National Health Service (NHS) recommends until they're 12 months old. (As every 10-month-old snacks on something they found between the couch cushions.) The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) isn't too hung up on sterilizing in the first place and suggests that daily sterilization may not be necessary if bottles are correctly cleaned.
Conclusion About Baby Bottle Sterilizing
Whether you boil, sterilize, or wash your bottles by hand, ensuring your bottles are free of harmful germs is especially important in the early months. Most experts are more concerned with thoroughly cleaning than fully sterilizing bottles, which many parents find reassuring.
How you clean your baby bottles often comes down to time, budget, and storage space, so it's worth considering how much you have of all three when choosing a method.
The only thing that ever seems universal is finding an abandoned, half-filled bottle behind the sofa one day – you burn those on the lawn.
What method do you use? Would you recommend it?
Also check out: Formula Feeding Basics: What to Do and What You'll Need
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