Sterilising coming to an end?

[elinorbellowed]

Hi there.
This seems really daft because I did it before with DS but can't seem to work out in my head the best way to manage it.

My DD is about to turn one year. I mix feed (first confession) so she has one bottle of formula at bedtime. The only thing I sterilise nowadays is this bottle. Can I just stop completely now? Or should I phase it out. Not bother one night, then sterilise it the second?
Secondly, cow's milk. With DS I used follow-on/growing up milk until he was two, which is A) expensive and B) probably a con. He chose to stop BF naturally at about 13 months, which I'm guessing DD will do too, as she is down to two feeds a day. Like he did, she drinks water from a sippy cup and in a few months I will swap to this cup for bedtime milk as well. Can I just start her on cows milk (organic only) or should I do that gradually as well?
I would really appreciate any advice you ladies have on this. I can't remember what I did last time and I wondered what others did.
Elinor

My DS was FF and I stopped sterilising at a year, I think it is safe to do so from 9 months(?).

We also just went straight onto cows milk when DS hit 12 months and the last box of formula was done, but this I can imagine would differ for each child as I suppose they could put up a fuss but see how it goes. With regards to follow on milk we never used it because we were informed by several HV's it is a con and not rally any better as they should be getting more nutrition from food at this age but again each to their own.

Good luck :)

I stop sterilising on DS's first birthday. At the same time I started cow's milk instead of any kind of formula and started using tap water from the tap, rather than cooled boiled water. No phasing in of anything, no problems.

Oh definitely, yes. The only reason I would continue sterilising in this instance would be if I was making up feeds in advance to keep in the fridge.

If you're putting cows milk in a bottle/cup then washing up/dishwasher is fine.

A lot of people don't bother sterilising at all and just wash very well.

(p.s. follow on milk is a con, I used it at that age but only because DS was only eating yoghurts and biscuits )

I sterlise teats and caps only, bottles go in dishwasher, think thats enough. He is 6 months.

Advice here in Canada is not to sterilise at all. Ever. We just wash out with hot soapy water and rinse in hot water.

Thank you. You've convinced me to just stop and go straight on to cow's milk as well. She's got an excellent immune system ATM. (touch wood) only two illnesses so far, so I'm sure I can risk it. I didn't know that about Canada, very interesting. Thanks again.

I'm a bit hit and miss with steralising and dd hasn't keeled over yet. Mind you, I caught her licking the soles of ds's shoes the other day so she's pretty robust :o

With cow's milk, dd already has a cup mid afternoon (she's 10 mos) replacing a bf when I'm at work (when I'm home I usually just bf her, might stop that one soon too) but she has formula before bed on my work nights. When ds reached one I just switched to cow's milk one day and he didn't notice so that was it. Didn't bother with growing up milk, too much of a con IMB.