Is this normal at a nursery?!

[beth10]

My 10 month old is starting nursery soon, she still has milk three times in the day. I asked what they do about bottles (obviously I understand we provide them)… they said they don’t sterilise? I sterilise all her bottles before using them as it says to do that until she’s 1. In the Milton steriliser it says they stay sterile for 2 hours after being sterilised. I always do a fresh one around lunch time for this reason. They say they don’t do this and just use bottles we provide? How can we do that if she’s in all day?

When mine was that age I sent the bottles in pre sterilised… or I may have even stopped sterilising by that point. He was crawling, eating things off the floor, eating off a plate that was not sterilised etc so I think I decided to just do normal washing up of bottles rather than sterlise them. It is a bit of a blur though!

I think the rules have changed since I had kids but I used to sterilise bottles the night before then make up the formula with water from the kettle and put it in the fridge for the next day. If you started giving solids at 6 months the food won't be sterile

I think clean bottles are just fine. Your baby is going to be putting all manner of things in their mouth at daycare/licking the floor etc. I wouldn't worry too much if a bottle is just clean and not fully sterilised.

The reason the bottles are supposed to be sterilised is because of the milk which is particularly prone to bacteria developing

If the bottles you provide are refrigerated until baby needs them I would just pre-make them in the morning before you take her to nursery.

They should be using sterilised bottles for making up formula to a year old but either sterilising themselves (if nursery provide the bottles) or use one of the methods where they're sterile for 24 hours (if you provide bottles) so use a steam steriliser or send in a travel thing of Milton with the bottles in it?

I used a microwave steriliser. Take the bottles out and quickly pop the lid on. So it's clean. Then send it powder in a separate container and let them make it up at nursery I guess?

Obviously it won't be totally sterile if they are opening and handling the bottle but at this point I don't think it matters. It will mostly be clean and any old milk residue will have been removed (this is the main reason for sterilising as I'm led to believe).

Your dc will be crawling and handling all manner of filthy at nursery.

You send in 3 sterilised bottles.
They send them home, you wash and sterilise them.

Are they providing the milk? To my mind if they provide the formula they normally provide the bottle and sterilise their own. I used to send in 3 pre-made bottles.

Yes I know guidance is to make fresh each time with hot water....you can do this by putting powder in the sterile bottle and they will add the hot water.
But you can also fairly safely make up a bottle using hot water, rapid cool it, refrigerate, and reheat later.

We used to sterilise at home, make the milk up eg with boiling water then they kept in the fridge at nursery.

Cleaned and sterilised bottles will be fine for more than 2 hours to take to nursery.

Thanks, feel better about it after reading this!!

Yes it is
So it doesn't matter if they are crawling etc.
You just need to send in enough clean and sterilised (and presumably filled) bottles for the day.

I don't think babies have to have sterilised bottled 6 months.
Anyway, if you are providing the bottles then nothing stopping you from sterilising at home. I honestly think this 2 hour stuff if just a get out clause for the manufacturer. It will be fine!

Babies at 9 months are eating dirt, food from floor, hands in pet bowls, crawling on floors all whilst sucking their hands.

I sent mine in with both their bottles for the day each morning until they weaned off them at about 1. It was only for 2 months or so they needed to take the bottles in with them.

They would just rinse them and send them back

If you are using formula then you should continue to sterilise until the baby stops having bottles, the combination of the formula growing bacteria and the teat being very hard to get fully clean/harbouring bacteria means that the baby is at risk of food poisoning if you stop sterilising

I sterilised the bottles and sent 3 tubs of pre measured formula and told them how many scoops were in them. They then made the bottles the usual way with boiling water. I didn’t pre-make the formula as it wasn’t recommended to do it this way.

You send in your own sterilised bottles this really isn't difficult.

Just send in three sterilised bottles, if you take them out of the steriliser and put the lids straight on I thought they were ok for 24 hours.

@shakeitoffsis did you actually read my OP which details the timings…

@Wherewithout apparently the solution is ok for 24 hours but the bottles themselves only sterile for two hours after being taken out.

Sterilise it close the lid and send the formula.

My kids were only on 2 bottles a day at 10 months so Iv never had to deal with this, can't you drop the other bottle if it's easier?

Also at nursery they will be putting all sorts of unsterilised crap in their mouths I really wouldn't worry.

I wouldnt worry but if you are concerned can you use yhe premade milk cartons for nursery? They wont have the same bacteria risk as the powder

@shakeitoffsis do you remember how much milk they were drinking in total in a day? Maybe she’s having too much. She has 600-800 ml.

@craigth162 thanks, we use these already. I didn’t know they carried a lesser risk, that’s good to know.