Sterilising bottles - is it really necessary and how long for?

[NameChange30]

DH and I are debating this at the moment. The NHS and WHO advice is to sterilise bottles and other feeding equipment for a year. But in his country (EU, good healthcare) they say sterilising isn't necessary. I can see both sides of the argument but I'm leaning towards sterilising at the tiny newborn stage, just in case. But how long should we do it for? A year does seem excessive, I was thinking about 3 months...

If anyone could share experiences and/or advice (or even evidence/research on the subject) I'd appreciate it!

TIA

My lo is 17 months and has been exclusive formula fed from birth, and will be having toddler formula until he stops having milk.

Toddler formula is a total waste of money. Cows' milk is fine post one.

What? I've never used formula but I thought you had to use boiling water as the formula isn't sterile?

Again, that's not the recommendation in France. I used room temperature water, as advised by my pediatrician.

Every days a school day as they say

The advice in France is massively out of date. Yes you have to use boiling water to kill potentially nasty bacteria in the formula powder.

what
Thanks for the tip. DH wants to avoid plastic bottles* so that rules out self-sterilising ones I think. We've got a glass bottle and a stainless steel bottle to try. Obviously the stainless steel one can't go in the microwave so we can't sterilise it that way - we'll have to boil it, use sterilising tablets, or use an electric steam steriliser. I think the latter option would be the most convenient but it also requires buying a piece of equipment which we may not use that much if I mostly breastfeed and only give expressed milk in bottles occasionally.

*There is apparently a risk that heating plastic can release harmful chemicals which are arguably/potentially more dangerous than bacteria. Although the ideal is obviously to avoid both chemicals and bacteria!

sweets

It's cooled boiled water that is used in formula, so it is sterile, but is cooled down before being mixed with the powder. Hth

I always sterilised bottles and found it a convenient place to keep them clean and stored out of the way in the kitchen. Washing them is what takes the time. Putting a small amount of water and then putting bottles/teats/lids and dummies on a shelf and pressing a button just takes seconds.

Lots of other countries do not sterilise or use boiling water to make up formula but from my perspective, I would rather not take any unnecessary risks. There have been odd occasions when I have been out and haven't used boiling water and also a couple of times I haven't had a sterilised bottle to hand but have had a screaming baby wanting a feed, so just poured boiling water over and left it at that.

On the whole, they are so little and vulnerable for a short space of time and of all the things, sterilising is something that takes up so little time that I would always recommend to do it. However, I have relatives and friends abroad who go based on the recommendations in their country and think I am wasting my time so can see your DH's point of view.

NC

Hate to be a potential party pooper, but sometimes the baby won't give you an option on what type of bottle they will accept, it's all about the teats. I know many people who have breastfed and found their baby will only take from certain teats (diff teats with different brands of bottles), so you might be scuppered with that. The plastic bottles are all regulated to check against chemicals released when heated etc, and wouldn't be approved by 'them' (can't remember the governing body that regulates and checks these things, sorry).

In me, personal, opinion, I would also steer clear of steel bottles, as you would never be able to tell how much/little your baby has taken in a feed unless you measure the before and after quantities, which will be a total faff when you're sleep deprived and wanting to do better things.

YY, I have agreed to try the glass and stainless steel bottles, but if we (we including baby) don't get on with them, we will try other options! I'm not ruling out plastic completely, just humouring DH for now

To make up powdered formula, the water should be 70 degrees. As that's the perfect temperature to kill bacteria that can otherwise form in the milk

Hatemylifenow- it's my money and my choice. I don't want him to have cows milk. Thank you.

Formula IS cow's milk

I know he could have cows milk, but I don't want him to. I prefer him having toddler formula. He had first infant milk from birth until 6 months, follow on formula from 6 months until 1 year, and has had toddler formula from 1 year, and will continue to have it until he stops having it.
I found you a bit rude actually, insinuating I can't afford it.
It's really none of your business what I give my child.

I wasn't insinuating you couldn't afford it, but formula companies count on people believing their bollocks that follow on milks are necessary to make extra big bucks. They aren't. First milk is fine - my 11mo is still on it.

I'm sorry if you don't like that, but it's the truth. All follow on milks are a marketing gimmick.

Regardless- the odd occasion we did try him with normal whole milk, he wanted a lot more of it, and didn't seem as happy (much like the time we gave him the pre made cartons of formula as we were in a hotel and didn't have a fridge).
It's not as thick and he didn't seem as happy with it.
So regardless we will stick to wasting our money toddler formula thank you.

Hatemylife You don't know what you're talking about at all, do you? Are you just making stuff up?

Er no. It's on the NHS website. This stuff is easily accessible

And of course he didn't like it, toddler milk is incredibly sweet compared to cows' milk.

I still sterilise everything and my dc is 16 months old.

I was talking about your claim that French advice is out of date. Have you got a source for that, or are you just basing it on the opinion that the NHS is better than the French medical system?

Read the WHO advice, it's not just the NHS. Bacteria can live in formula powder, which is not sterile. Adding the powder to boiling water kills that bacteria.

My dsis is a paediatrician. We were only just discussing the other day how out of date the formula prep advice is in other countries.

I'M NOT PLANNING TO USE FORMULA

Do your own research. The guidance in the U.K. now is not to sterilise breast pump parts as research showed increased bacterial contamination as those that sterilised didn't wash as well. I think there will be a move away from sterilising in the next few years.

However making formula in water over 70 degrees has a good evidence base and while the risks are low, the consequences of failure to do so (meningitis and death) are dire so following EU and NHs guidance on this makes sense in my opinion.

Whether or not it's necessary to use boiling water to make up formula is a completely separate debate.

Separate from the debate about whether to sterilise bottles, I mean.

Cross post!

Disillusioned helpful points, thank you