Whats the point: multi-bottle steam sterilizer?

[Patopopo]

Rant on: What is the point of having a multi-bottle steam sterilizer?
As a new parent it sounded like a good idea at first.
So shortly after our DD was born, (the wife had some trouble initially breast feeding,) so we picked up one of those multi-bottle microwave steam sterilizers from Mothercare.
But as soon as we got it home we realize what the ---k is the point? Yes it can do multiple bottles at once and keep them all sterile for up to 24 hours.
But as soon as you open up the sterilizer to use one bottle, the other bottles are no longer in a sterile environment and so need to be use almost immediately or re-sterilized at another point.
Further formula bottles are no longer supposed to be made up and stored for later in the day. You've got to use it within an hour and then dispose.
So unless you've got multiple babies to feed at once, what the hell is the point of a multiple bottle microwave steam sterilizer?
Every time you need to do a feed you've got to run the microwave which isn't exactly efficient. That takes precious time when the baby is crying for milk. We quickly switched to cold sterilizing as it is ready to go when you need it. I guess the question is what's the point of these multi-steam systems? There just doesn't seem to be any valid use or reason other than to trick new parents into spending money for nothing. Why not just have one smaller space saving efficient bottle sterilizer rather than these larger multi bottle useless space wasters sitting in your kitchen. Rant over.

[lilham]

Have a look at the DoH link from this thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/breast_and_bottle_feeding/1282385-Dept-of-Health-step-by-step-guidance-to-making-up-formula

Buried deep into the document, it says you can store made up formula at the back of the fridge for up to 24 hours. I agree with the posters on that thread. There really need to be better explanation/instructions on the box of formula itself.

BTW, the document is really useful if you are ff. There are advice on how to safely use formula when out and about iirc.

[Seona1973]

I just removed the bottles from the steriliser and assembled them and they were then ok for 24 hours - no need to keep re-sterilising.

[BoattoBolivia]

We did the same as Seona but also made up a couple of bottles, cooled them quickly in the sink, and then kept them at the back of the fridge. It actually says you can do that in our NHS birth to 5 book, in the bit about using a childminder.

[Emzar]

We find ours useful because you can fit a bottle plus bits of breast pump plus dummies in at the same time.

[mejon]

I was concerned about this when I had DD1 but at the time, it was the norm to fill the bottles with water and leave to make up during the day so not so much of an issue. 5 years on I'm much more relaxed - the bottles are still clean whilst they are in the sterilizer - so even if I didn't assemble them straight away like others have mentioned, I'd have no qualms about still using them if the top has been opened and other bottles left for a while. I think in the US they advocate not sterilizing at all just a good wash in hot soapy water.

[breatheslowly]

We put the bottles together (but no milk) and stored them in the fridge for 24 hours, using them as necessary.

[wigglesrock]

To be honest I just leave them in the steriliser until I need them. Its the formula that needs sterilising, some people just give their bottles a good wash with hot soapy water and leave to dry on a bottle tree.

[Panzee]

We did as breatheslowly did, except for the fridge part.

[TattyCatty]

The whole point of sterilizing is to kill the bacteria from the milk, i.e. after the bottle has been used. Once it has been sterilized, you will have killed off any bugs, therefore it is then fine to put fresh milk into the bottle. If you really think that the bottle becomes "un sterile" from simply being exposed to the air, then have a think about the fact that it is the same air that your child is breathing - it soon makes sense.

I think the 24 hour guideline is fairly arbitrary - we used at least 6 bottles (the size of the sterilizer) each day, therefore they were only ever out of the bloomin' thing for 24 hours at the most! Most people usually assemble the bottles once sterilized and cool enough to handle, as it takes up less room. Even as a FF (5 years ago), the rules around making bottles up in advance or not made my head spin, and we ended up using ready made for the entire time.