Nipples arent sterile...

[Diamondgirls]

Okay this is a but of a weird one but I was thinking about it earlier. If you use a bottle you need to sterilise it, including the teat. Obviously I shower, But nipples Definetly aren't sterile! So why isn't this an issue?

I've just re read that and I sound like a crazy person

I have actually wondered this before you weirdo!

It's to do with formula not being sterile isnt it?

Hence the need to use water at a certain temp to kill bacteria

Formula is not sterile and is easily contaminated during manufacture. Also breastmilk has active virus and bacteria killing cells in it, plus the montgomery glands on the areaola secrete antibac stuff..... I think!

Isms it that bottles have nooks and crannies where milk can congeal and stuff lurk. Whereas a nipple is kind of a self cleaning thing without any corners for stuff to fester in?

^scientific me

Self cleaning nipples, I like it. Thanks for clearing that one up. I think I'll sleep easier tonight!

I worried about this with my first baby and conscientiously washed my nipples before every feed. I know it sounds ridiculous now, but this was many years ago when bottle feeding was the norm - I got no breast feeding support whatsoever ("10 minutes each side every four hours" - for a newborn!) No wonder I didn't have much success

I think it's because formula isn't sterile so the bottles need to be in order to not add to the problem.

Nipples aren't sterile but breast milk probably is and it's also full of antibodies which are specific to whatever germs are attacking the mother at the time - including anything that might be on her skin - which would help the baby do the same. So baby therefore simultaneously gets germs and the correct germ killing antibodies to kill off said germs, protecting the baby and building it's immune system all at the same time.

I think.

^Totally made up by me and may be untrue.

Breast milk is sterile. The inside of your nips is sterile. The milk doesn't hang about on the outside of the nips for very long. That's why you don't need to worry.

The other reason is that formula milk if not cleaned off properly / unsterilised bottle can cause listeriosis. Not nice.

Nipples only have natural 'flora and fauna' which don't cause illness... unless you have thrush of course which can cause oral thrush in baby.

I had a colleague who, I swear to God, used to wash her nipples before every feed!

Breast milk isn't just sterile, it's antibacterial and I suspect that plays a part.

My mum was told boric acid washes before feeds - I have no idea what the heck boric acid is but it sure as heck isn't being washed over mine! (Please bear in mind this was the 70s when evidence based practice was not yet in vogue....)

LittleWaveyLines pretty much nailed it - breast milk contains something called lactoferrin that can kill all sorts of nasties (well render harmless but kill sounds good!) as well as all the other anti-bodies in milk too. Plus breasts aren't containers but factories so the milk isn't sitting around getting more and more bacteria as time goes on like if you left a bottle of cow's milk or formula milk lying around.

I was talking to hv the other day and she said that there Is something around the nipples that releases a fluid which keeps them sterile! Amazing!! Xxx

Breastmilk has antiviral and antibacterial properties, so any bugs on the skin get killed off.

It's the formula powder which isn't sterile.

It gets into little cracks etc of bottle tests etc and bacteria will grow as it full of nutrients.

BF does pass on bacteria to baby BTW as that's how their guys are colonised with good bacteria.

Iggy - not quite - the baby's guts are colonised with rectal/intestinal and vaginal bacteria from birth (if vaginal birthed) and these beneficial bacteria are fed by the oligosaccarides in BM. There isn't a reservoir of bacteria in the breast (unless you have infectious mastitis and even then it isn't infectious to the baby they have just infected the mum's breast tissue) just lots of sugars that are there to feed the beneficial gut bacteria.

If those beneficial bacteria aren't fed by the non-human digestible compontant of BM then they can become over run by the delightfully named putrefactive bacteria and the baby's gut flora changes to an adult gut flora earlier than would be expected.

Truth as soon as I posted I re-read and realised I'd not got it quote right!

what happens to babies with adult like flora?

Lots of info here on the changes that occur in a baby's gut when they aren't fed BM (or are mixed fed).

Thanks for that link truthsweet. Interesting reading.

I was told to supplement with formula in hospital because DD didn't latch properly at first. I'm so glad I didnt now.

:( I don't want to know!! Xxx

Is it necessary to steralise bottles and storage bags that are being used for EBM (and pump parts)? It doesn't seem clear from the above, but I have always done this?