Sterilising bottles/ breast pump question

[WutheringTights]

I want to be able to give DS a bottle of expressed milk. I have a microwave steam steriliser. The instructions say that if I don't open the steriliser then it keeps the contents sterile for 24 hours.

When it has finished sterilising then everything inside the steriliser is obviously wet and full of water droplets etc. I assume that I can't use the bottle and pump like this as the water from the steriliser will mix with the milk. However, to let the bottles etc dry properly I need to open the steriliser and let them air dry, which will obviously take some time. Am I supposed to let everything air dry before use? Does it matter that none of it will then be sterile? Can I use all the stuff when it's still damp and full of water droplets? Am I ridiculously over thinking this and need a slap (PFB)?

[Passmethecrisps]

The water is sterile so fine to mix with the breast milk. I wondered about this for ages and went through a phase of wiping the bottles dry with some kitchen roll - thus rendering them unsterile!

There will only be a tiny amount of water so don' worry about it.

[Passmethecrisps]

I also seem to think there is something about breast milk that means you don't need to sterilise your pump every time you use it. Better wait for someone else to confirm that though

[DeDevilTail]

I just used them damp with the water droplets still on them. I figured that the water was sterile and there wasn't enough of it to make a significant difference to the BM. Hasn't done DD any harm.

[CitrusyOne]

Now I've been wiping with kitchen roll over here- it's a minefield!

[WutheringTights]

Well we used then slightly damp last night and DS seems fine. He's constantly sticking his hands in his mouth and wont let me wash them properly and that hasn't made him ill so a little bit of boiled water in his milk must be OK. Thanks for the replies.

[blonderthanred]

I went through this thought process and now use the bottles wet as I figured the water is sterile.

My understanding is that breast pumps do not need to be completely sterile as breast milk itself is sterile. I do sterilise once a day though.

I think there is stuff on Kellymom about it.

[mrsbugsywugsy]

dd was in scbu for a week and the nurses told us that expressing equipment only needed to be sterilised occasionally. otherwise just wash in hot water and dry with kitchen towel.

anything which goes in baby's mouth (bottle teats, syringes for meds) does need sterilising. I dry them with kitchen towel too.

[thistlelicker]

Keep them in steriliser til ready to use !! Clean ur hands before touching them and just use
Tips of fingers to lift them out' lightly shake off excess water and do not wipe over with kitchen paper or anything u r unsterillisin them! That's what they do in our local maternity hospital