baby bottles in the dishwasher?

[nailpolish]

hi got my new dishwasher today

having fun playing with my new toy but ive been told not to put bottles in the dishwasher as they get 'warped'

is this true? i use avent

also, if you DO put them in the dishwasher, do you still have to sterilise them?

TIA

[nailpolish]

anyone?

[LIZS]

I think one or two of ours did distort slightly but on the top rack, away from the heating element they should be fine. Sterilising really depends on how old the baby is and how scrupulous you are. After about 6 months I'd take stuff fresh out fo the dishwasher to use straight off but sterilise bottles and teats which had sat around for a while, in the same way as stuff from a steam sterliser is only good for a few hours before opening the lid. After about 9 months I was much less cautious.

[jessicasmummy]

ive used the dishwasher for bottles from about 6 months... simply because by then she was putting god knows what in her mouth!

New baby is due in october, and i will sterilise EVERYTHING until the same point.

I didnt bother sterilising after using dishwasher....

[nailpolish]

hi

dd2 is nearly 8 mths now, when you say take them out and use straight away, i think ill do that.

lot less hassle,

thankyou!

[NannyL]

apparently in america its NOrmal to sterilies bottles in dishwasher...
as for getting distorted.... surely its NOT hooter than a steriliser? or is it if you make it go over 2 'spike things' when hot it will distort the bottle?

I would be happy to use a dishwasher as a sterliser once they start putting stuff in their mouths (when sterilising becomes pointless anyway) and especially once crawling...

i would howver add the cooled boiled water as soon as dishwasher finishes ratehr than leaving the bottles in their cold for several hours

[whirlygiggle]

Hi Nailpolish.I put my avent botles in d/washer and had no problems with then except that the tops got a pinkish tone if i washed them with a pan with bologaise in or something like that!
But I rinsed them and put them in the sterilizer until dd was about 10 months, then I just washed then rinsed them under the tap ( I rinsed them as you add salt to the D/washer don't you? i wasn't sure if it stayed on the bottles or not)

[acnebride]

oh, THAT'S why they've gone a funny colour!

[handlemecarefully]

No warping here. At least not of my bottles.

Personally I think they get a hell of a lot cleaner in the dishwasher than via handwashing due to the high temps.

[nailpolish]

lol! mine have gone orange cos i bought 'orange' dishwasher tablets - im sure its harmless

[MandM]

Dishwasher is fine I think. The only thing to remember is to not use the tablets with the extra layer of dishwasher salts in. I did this for a while, without thinking anything of it, and it was only when dd started being violently sick and it turned out her salt levels were vv high, that I figured out the link.

[nailpolish]

OMG OMG OMG i must go and get some nonsalt tabs, thanks for the tip

[nailpolish]

panicking now, i will rewash them with new nonsalt tabs

[acnebride]

[gulp] hell's bells

[MandM]

Nailpolish - I don't think once will do any harm -perhaps just rinse them with boiled water. With dd it was the fact that I was washing them continously with extra salt for weeks on end before I realised what was making her ill.

Also, just remembered...I bought a basket type contraption from mothercareworld that you put in the top shelf of the dishwasher. It has slots in the top for the teats and the rings, lids, dummies etc, go inside. It kept them all upright so that they don't fill with yucky water and stopped them from getting lost in the black dishwasher hole! It only cost about £5 and lasted me for 3 years..highly recommended.

[nailpolish]

thanks! have seen them in mothercare too, ages ago. will invest in one immediately, as well as the non salt tabs

[Prettybird]

I washed my avent bottles regularly in the dishwasher and never had a problem. Like someone said, if you wash them at the same time as something that has a strong tomato base, then you risk the white bits discolouring slightly.

I alsways just used the top rack, ie well away from the heating elements. I also had a wee basket that I could put the teats and various valves into).

Never sterilised afterwards, as I took the view that the heat from the wash/drying was enough. Bt if it was going to be left for any length of time, I did then dunk the stuff into my wet sterilising solution. But I only did that until he was crawling - and then took the view that a) he was putting stuff into his mouth anyway and b) it was all EBM, which has its own antibacterial properties. Not very scientific - but ds didn't seem to suffer!

I always preferred to wet sterilise my hand pump, as I didn't like the way the heat seemed to affect that rubber pump bits - but that was maybe just me.

I also never use salt in my dishwasher - but that is becasue I live in a soft water area and think it is just another ruse from the manufacturers to spend more dosh.

[MandM]

Glad to be of help!

Going home from work now to put my dishwasher (plus non-salt tabs) on!

[nailpolish]

prettybird, i live in a soft water area too, what type of tabs do you use?

[Prettybird]

I don't sue tabs - I use 3 in 1 powder 9that ptobably have solt in them LOL) - but feel I can get better value from the powder, becasue I can put in a slightly amount as it's soft water and/or it's relatively clean (I take the same apporach with my clothes washing powder). Think its the Fairy 3 in 1 - not sure.

[Prettybird]

I really should preview - but you get the gist of what I was trying to say!

[nailpolish]

powder is a good idea, i get what you mean!