When do people stop sterilising bottles?

[Bonniesloth]

I know the advise is 12 months, and I currently plan on doing that.
However, im not one for wrapping my babies in cotton wool, and believe a bit of germs and dirt is good for their immune systems.
What age did everyone stop sterilising their bottles?

[pitterpatterrain]

We still do for bottles and DD has one bottle at night (she is 2+ ... I know I know) my understanding is that bottles are more susceptible to the kind of surfaces that are hard to properly clean

She went through a phase a long time ago of having her milk in a free flow bottle and although we did sterilise at the time I believe it is less necessary

[EnPapillot]

Pretty sure I stopped when DS went fully to cows milk as opposed to a mixture of cows milk and formula.

[pitterpatterrain]

It might just be habit but as it is a microwave steriliser it is super easy to use

[JammyC]

I stopped when we switched to cows milk at just after 12mths and now they go in the dishwasher. She's actually had less tummy bugs since then than when she was a baby but that could just be because she's built up immunity!

[Mishaps]

I stopped when I was standing at the sink one day preparing bottles for sterilising and baby son was crawling among the shoes that had come in from the garden. The two did not seem to tally! I had to ask myself why I was doing this!

From then on I just washed the bottles thoroughly in hot water and detergent to make sure there was no milk residue to become contaminated.

[MarthasHarbour]

Exactly the same as mishaps I stopped the day I found DS with my shoe in his mouth he was about 7mo. I switched to sippy cups not long after.

[PerryHatter]

I stopped after 12 months. That wasn't for any particular reason, washing and sterilising was just part of my routine.

[PacificDogwod]

I never sterilised any bottled after being told when DS2 (preemie at 31+ weeks) was in NICU and we were told not to bother.
Apparently people in America don't sterilise bottled and medicine in the States is much more litigious than here

With DS1 I stopped when he was old enough to suck his own fist

[paulapantsdown]

Once they are crawling, putting everything they touch in their mouth and eating normal (unsterile) food, then what really is the point?

Stick em in the dishwasher, which washes everything hotter than you ever could by hand.

My health visitor told me that the 12 month rule is to try to encourage the people who don't bother to sterilse, to at least wash the bottles IYSWIM?

We are the only developed country to feed into this sterlising everything tryanny!

[Bonniesloth]

Thanks everyone :) I don't regularly clean their toys and only sterilise dummies every 2 or 3 days unless they've got stuff in them 🙈 I don't want to do it too soon because I've heard the bacteria in formula can be pretty nasty, however the hot water should kill those germs off when making the bottle surely?
I do believe we are potentially over zealous in this day and age, but if it really could be horribly harmful to them then obviously ill carry on however long... I just bloody hate doing it!!!!

[knittingbee]

With DS I think I stopped once he was just down to a bedtime bottle, only because the microwave steriliser was so easy, just bunged them all in at the same time. Once it was a lone bottle, I just washed it at the sink.

DD is BF and I've only ever washed her bottle she's only ever had one at bedtime (from about 9/10 months).

[uhoh2016]

I stopped at about 10/11m. He was crawling about and putting all sorts in his mouth so I figured what was the point

[LittleNelle]

Never did, just washed them properly.

[ShowOfHands]

I know plenty of people who don't sterilize. Hospital/microbiologist advice.

[Caterina99]

I'm in the US. I have a microwave sterilizer and did use it, mostly cos it was handy to store the clean bottles in and only took 4 min, but probably stopped using it about 7/8 months when DS was crawling around on the floor.

our peadiatrician told us that it wasn't neccesary to sterilise or make the bottles up with hot water (unless your baby has low immune system or something). We are told to throw away the milk if it's more than an hour old though, so maybe that's when they figure the bacteria starts to grow? None of my American friends even own sterilizers and think I'm some kind of clean freak. Funny how different guidelines in different countries

[kiki22]

I think around 10/11 months when ds was walking & crawling around the park it seemed a bit daft, I just used to give them 10 mins in boiling water then a good scrub. Plates and cutlery never got done. Ds is fine rarely ill and been sick about 3 times in his 4 years so it couldn't have done much damage.

[Topseyt]

About 10 months or so here. Everything began going into their mouths by then anyway, if not before, so there was no point any longer.

All just went in the dishwasher after that. I had a little basket with a lid on it on the top rack which held all teats, dummies and rings safely. That was it.

[readyforapummelling]

I've just googled this question and I know this is a zombie, but it's really made me laugh the contrast between this thread and the one from bloody Nethuns.

Apparently they stop sterilising at 3 months over there. And apparently dishwashers sterilise .

[Mamabear4180]

Around 9 months with my first then 7 months with my 2 youngest. It's just a precaution anyway.