Sterilising bottles and pumping equipment

[Aarna]

Hi there,

I am new mum and doing bottle feeding as my LO is unable to latch on. I give her my milk and also formula.

My question is, I have Dr brown microwave steriliser. Does anyone know once sterilised how many hours bottle can stay in it before using for feed. Also how many times bottle need to be sterilised? Do I have to sterilise them after ever feed? Similarly do I have to sterilise all pumping equipment after every pumping session ?

Please help ?

Nor sure on that one sorry. I'd give one of the helplines a call as the BFC will know the answer

I would sterilise bottles and pumping equipment before every use. Your baby is still quite little (I think?), so more delicate, and any bacteria that thrives on formula or breastmilk would of course do her a great deal of harm.

I don't know this model of sterliser. A google says bottles stay sterile for 6 hours inside steam sterilisers.

Do you have to sterilise the pump everytime cockney? I always thought that just a good wash was fine for some sessions?

It's not necessary to sterilize a pump after every use. Breast milk is fine at room temperature for around 6-8 hours. It's fine in the fridge for 5 days (some sources say 8 days). We don't need to sterilize a pump that's just touched skin and breast milk every time (anything touching saliva or other milk is a different matter).

You can use a technique called 'wet bagging' and pop the pump into a plastic bag between sessions and put in the fridge.
Or it can just sit at room temperature and be washed after around 6 hours (you may have used it a few times in those 6 hours).

A hot soapy wash and a sterilize once every 24 hours is more than sufficient if you are using the 'popping it back in the fridge' method.

I'd google the exact instructions for your steriliser. I've just set up my tommy tippee electrical steam steriliser, and if you leave the lid on, the contents stay sterile for 24 hours. It may vary between different sterilisers.

We ran our (Tommee Tippee) steriliser then made up the 6 bottles (empty) and stored them in the fridge for no more than 24 hours.

The formula contamination is why you are sterilising so once the bottles the bottles are cleaned and sterilised they will not be contaminated if made and sealed. Just don't put formula or bm into them until you need to.

I only sterilised my pump once a day. Breastmilk is not like formula.

Thank you all. I liked idea of wet bagging.
Also I tried to google information about my steriliser.

But it is not helping. Anyone out there using dr brown microwave steriliser. Let me know if they know how long it lasts?