Do I need to be sterilising still?

[Taler]

My DD is a year old and for the past week we've moved from formula to cows milk.

I know sterilising is a matter of opinion and effectively we could've stopped sterilising at 6 months but we chose to carry on due to potential harmful bacteria in the formula.

Now she is one I believe it is more "okay" to stop but why at 1?

What do the rest of you do?

I don't mind continuing to sterilise but is it necessary?

[Stubbed]

I think the general feeling is that they have built up enough immunity by that age. Do you sterilise other things (bowls, plates, dummies?) because if not your child probably experiences a wide range of harmful & harmless bacteria anyway.

I'm fairly against anti bacterial measures as a rule, so didn't sterilise anything (breastfeeding) so I might be a bit too relaxed. Children didn't get infections from it though.

[Taler]

Her dummies get sterilised in the same container as her bottles but that's all! I've never sterilised any of her bowls, plates, crockery etc.

I know this may sound contradicting but it's just because of the whole bacteria thing we were told about to do with her formula.

[Stubbed]

Yes, of course, but now she's on cow's milk you don't need to. It's because milk formula isn't sterile.
Plus, a sippy cup is easier to get milk residue cleaned out of than a bottle.

[Bluecarrot]

I reckon as long as it's thoroughly washed in hot water its fine. I didn't sterilise anything for dd ( breastfed, but obv put toys etc in her mouth. I didn't sterilise those)

[Madamecastafiore]

I stopped when mine started crawling. The shit they pick up from the floor must be much worse than anything they can get from a bottle (my bottles have always just gone through the dishwasher though).

[Taler]

Thank you. What I figured but needed some reassurance.

Would much prefer to give cows milk in a sippy cup but my DD only drinks from a sippy cup with the lid off, which with water is not too much of an issue but she'd never manage a whole cup of milk that way.

Am wondering if there is maybe a better kind of sippy cup I should try. Any suggestions? She currently uses the tommee Tippee one.

[Davsmum]

I sterlisied everything until my first DC was 12 months old - but with my second, I stopped about 6 months old. If you are clean and follow good hygiene I think sterlising for that long is unnecessary.

[GotToBeInItToWinIt]

I also stopped when DD started crawling (around 7 months). One day she managed to put an entire lump of mud in her mouth and I figured there was no point after that! A relative who is a nurse in a SCBU told me to just wash her things in hot, soapy water.

[GotToBeInItToWinIt]

Re sippy cups, all babies like different ones and I think the best thing to do is to try a few until you find one that suits.