Am I right in thinking I do not need a steriliser?

[bytheMoonlight]

I am intending to breastfeed this baby, same as dd. But I will be expressing once my milk settles down so dh can help with the feeds.

I had a steriliser with dd that I dutifuly used but am sure I read on MN that a hot dishwasher is just as good.

Is this correct? As we didn't save the steriliser from dd and I really don't have the money to waste on things I don't need

oooh there was a very long running thread on this a while back. I think a hot dishwasher is just fine or a good scrub under hot soapy water, rinse and air dry.

(but that's just my very humble opinion )

i sterilise all my expressing things did with DD1 too, my oringal steriliser broke last week and tommee tippee microwave 4 bottle 1 is on offer at asda for £10,

i know some people dont and just use the dishwasher but u have to be careful with staining (my DD1 bottles got stained in dishwasher)

i suppose u dont 'need 1' but i think sometimes its easier then waiting for dishwasher

Given that I've never sterilised my nipples, I've always wondered the same thing...

I bought one of those sterilisers you stick in the microwave and have never used it. However, when I was trying (and never successful!) to get DS1 and 2 to take a bottle of expressed milk, I did use the microwave steriliser bags. They take up very little space and are great if you're going to sterilise the odd bottle here or there. You can only use them for a certain number of times (20 I think), but if you're doing 1 bottle per day the cost isn't too bad.

Other than that, I do know that in the States they tend to just wash bottles in the dishwasher and don't sterilise at all.

I put my bottles in dishwasher but found that the other bits got stained so used sterliser for them.

You can sterilise with Milton tablets. You can use any container to do this, you just need to measure however many pints of water per tablet the packet tells you to.

I always did cold water sterilising with Milton. Much less faff than microwave or steam.

Oh Milton tablets sound fab - hadn't heard of them before!

Yeah, milton tabs or liquid and an ice cream tub

An ice cream tub, really?

DH will be pleased at an excuse to finish off the ice cream when its needed

my breastfeeding advisor (based at the hospital) says you don't need to sterilise - hot soapy water is fine. i do sterilise sometimes and i use milton - but i have just got a steriliser on freecycle. people are always giving them away. if you'd like one, just post a wanted post and i'm sure you'll get offered one!

I reckon you only need a steriliser if you're making up formula bottles to keep in the fridge.
BM from freezer into clean washed/dishwasher bottles will be absolutely fine.

I used an ice-cream tub and some Milton fluid as well (like my mum).

My NCT group thought I was dangerously freewheeling.

Could never wait for the dishwasher. Lidded plastic tub (large icecream tub would do), bottle brush and sterilising tablets. Air dry/shake off excess water.

I was always a leetel bit repulsed by my neighbour's baby bottles (slightly tinged red by tomatoey things in the dishwasher).

I washed my dc bottles by hand and sterilised when they were very young by boiling in a pan of water. I mainly breastfed, though, so didn't need many bottles much before they were about 9 or 10 months.

I've never sterilised anything, that said going to school is when you need to start steriising IMVHO

Everyone I speak to thinks DD is in mortal danger from having the occasional expressed bottle without it being sterilised

I don't know how dirty they think my house is...

On the occasions that I do sterilise, I use the Milton liquid (easier to do part-'portions') in a mixing bowl. Should really suggest an empty ice cream tub though!

We use the dishwasher (aka DH )

I didn't realise the dishwasher stained bottles!

My health visitor recently told me that nhs guidelines have just changed regarding this. She said that new guidance is that you do not have to sterilise bottles when feeding a baby expressed breast milk. Hot soapy water is fine. This does not apply to formula. I have a steriliser already so keep using it.

Milton is by far the easiest IMO.

I found the Mothercare steriliser bottles useful. I bought some to take on holiday when DD2 was tiny.

They come with an oversized lid which clicks over the top of the bottle. You wash them in warm soapy water, rinse, then put a small amount of water in the upside down lid, sit the teat and screw top inside, pop the main part of the bottle on top, then stick them in the microwave for a minute and a half.

They were really easy to use on holiday and I would recommend them if you are only using them occasionally.