Clean, sterilise and store bottles and feeding equipment

For the safety of your baby, it is really important that bottles and all feeding equipment is properly cleaned, sterilised and stored. This is especially important during their first 3 months because your baby’s immune system isn’t strong enough to fight off some infections. Here’s how to do it:

Clean

  • With clean hands dismantle the bottles fully and rinse each piece under a warm running tap. It’s best to do this straight after a feed
  • Fill the sink with hot soapy water
  • Use a bottle brush to clean the bottles inside and out
  • Use a teat brush to clean the teats inside and out. Squirt water through the teats to clear the little hole
  • Clean the bottle rings and caps
  • Rinse everything well in hot water and leave them to air dry

Sterilise

There are several ways you can sterilise bottles and feeding equipment. It is totally up to you, your personal preferences and budget as to which method will work for you. I break down the options below:

Microwave Steam Sterilisers

  • These units 'cook' your feeding equipment at a temperature high enough to kill bacteria
  • Check the manufacturer’s instructions before use and follow them carefully 
  • Put your pre-cleaned parts into the unit and add water according to the manufacturer’s instructions 
  • Steaming times vary between units so please follow the manufacturer's instructions. Make sure you check the microwave power needed, because not all microwave ovens are the same  

Boiling

  • Cover all pre-cleaned parts with water in a large pot with a lid, making sure there are no air bubbles trapped inside the bottles
  • Boil for five minutes
  • Leave everything to cool in the pot until you can take it out without burning yourself

UV Sterilisers

  • UV sterilisers work by using pulses of ultraviolet light to kill up to 99.9% of bacteria, viruses and mould. A UV bottle steriliser doesn’t use water, steam or high heat - that means no waiting for items to air-dry on the bench to be fully sterilised and ready for their next use
  • You can even clean your t.v remote safely after it’s found its way into your inquisitive little one’s mouth 
  • Check the manufacturer’s instructions before use, and follow those instructions carefully

Chemical Soaking

  • Follow the manufacturer's instructions to make up the chemical solution in a clean plastic tub
  • Make up a new solution every day
  • Ensure each part of the bottle is completely covered by the chemical solution, making sure there are no air bubbles inside
  • Keep bottle parts in the solution until you’re ready to use them - no need to rinse!

Store

All cleaned and sterilised bottles and feeding equipment can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. If the items are stored for longer than 24 hours they will need to be cleaned and sterilised again before use.

Tania of LMB

*the information in this post has been adapted from information provided by Plunket and my own experience with exclusively bottle feeding.

 

 

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