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Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

Help! Mum used an unsterilised bottle

24 replies

SaigonSaigon · 14/06/2018 17:45

I'm having a panic. My Mum was looking after my 4 month old this afternoon and has accidentally given her an Aptamil carton but in an unsterile bottle The bottle was washed up about a month ago and put together, and was sat on a shelf. I had told her to use the sterile bottles in the microwave but she forgot. My daughter fed on it for about 2-3 mins before rejecting it. Then I got home to sort it out. I'm panicked. Do I need to do anything or call anyone?

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dementedpixie · 14/06/2018 17:46

It will be fine especially if the bottle was clean already. Stop panicking, you don't need to call anyone

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Satayyoustay · 14/06/2018 17:47

she should be fine op. dont panic

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Skyejuly · 14/06/2018 17:49

I done that loads.

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letsallhaveanap · 14/06/2018 17:52

she will be absolutely fine... the bottle had been washed so its very unlikely to cause any problems. Sterilising is a precaution to be extra safe. In many places such as France women usually dont bother with it at all and think its OTT.

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Blizzardagain · 14/06/2018 17:53

It's fine. Do you normally suffer with anxiety?

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OfDragonsDeep · 14/06/2018 17:53

It'll be fine, especially as it was the carton and not the powder. The powder is the main reason for sterilising as it can have some nasty bugs in.

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gamerchick · 14/06/2018 17:54

She's 4 months, not a newborn OP. Stop panicking. What do you think happens to s bottle that's been sat in a cupboard with a lid on?

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Tambien · 14/06/2018 17:54

She will be fine. The bottle was clean. It’s ok

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SaigonSaigon · 14/06/2018 17:55

Thanks all. Yes, I'm beginning to think anxiety is a slight problem to me. I guess all this sterilising I'm doing, and then for her to have an unsterilised one - it just panicked me.

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MrsJayy · 14/06/2018 17:56

It will be totally fine it was a carton and a washed bottle you don't need to call any body

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PotteringAlong · 14/06/2018 17:56

I’ve got 3 children and have never sterilised anything...!

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eurgh · 14/06/2018 17:58

OP what are you worried will happen?

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twinkletwinklelittlerainbow · 14/06/2018 18:02

OP anxiety is rife in our house too! I have a 4 months old teething and I debated sterilising my finger before applying bonjela! it's ridiculous I know and everyone reminds me, but it's just cause we care! I'm sure your baby will be absolutely fine

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BertieBotts · 14/06/2018 18:07

Each one of the steps you do - cleaning, sterilizing, using ready made, making up with hot water, not storing milk - each of these is a safeguard against all of the other precautions going wrong. You don't need all of them to be correct, it's just that the more safeguards you apply, the less likely you are to end up with an overload of dangerous bacteria.

She'll be fine :)

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LegoBitcho · 14/06/2018 18:11

Do you normally suffer with anxiety

What a shitty thing to say. Some may ask if you suffer from cuntishness

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SaigonSaigon · 14/06/2018 19:10

I'm worried about bad bacteria making her ill, I guess. After all, we are told to follow all these guidelines, which I've religiously been doing, and then she gets given a bottle that was washed once weeks ago, left on an open shelf (not cupboard), and never sterilised! Its the antithesis of what I've been doing. Some, less anxious people, would probably brush it off. But I do worry.

Thanks for your replies. It has helped

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dementedpixie · 14/06/2018 19:13

There is more of an issue with formula than the bottle itself. As you used ready made, the formula issue is removed. I really wouldn't worry as the bottle was assembled and had been cleaned

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MrsJayy · 14/06/2018 19:16

Of course you worry but the worse that could happen would be a runny bum and she is more than likely to have had that by now things happen to everybody.just make sure you take all bottles home from grannys ☺

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Trilllllian · 14/06/2018 19:18

Once they start touching stuff and putting it in their mouths it’s game over for sterilisation.

Don’t forget that they recently publicised genuine and thorough research that leukaemia is more likely in people who have had less childhood infections. We all have a ‘microbiome’ of bacteria and our mums give it to us when we’re born. Retaining a healthy balance is key.

You cupboard is in your house so it probably reinforces your family balance of microbes.

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Blizzardagain · 14/06/2018 21:38

Oh pipe down lego, it's a legit question and many new mothers suffer from anxiety. It doesn't need to tip toed around well done on your contribution

Don't worry OP, it will ease over time. LO will be fine and a little bacteria will probably do them some good

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LegoBitcho · 14/06/2018 23:34

It gets trotted out as a total put down and don't act like you weren't trying to make the OP feel as though she was overreacting

Would you ask someone in RL if they had anxiety when they asked a simple fucking question.

Your contribution was pretty fucking stellar btw. We'll done you.

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arbrighton · 15/06/2018 18:13

The carton stuff is sterile anyway unlike the powder but as others have said, once they're mobile, you have to just go with it

My DS put biscuit in dogs mouth then into his yesterday

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AnnieAnoniMouser · 15/06/2018 18:40

Once they start touching stuff and putting it in their mouths it’s game over for sterilisation

This is INCORRECT

The bacteria that you get from milk products will still make a baby sick, no matter how many other household objects the chew or how many buggy wheels they like. It’s the same as an adult getting food poisoning.

Saigon as others have said, she’ll be fine. It’s not strictly necessary to sterilise anything, as long as it’s washed very thoroughly. However, despite it seeming like a hassle, it’s not that bad and it covers you if someone else (or yourself when tired) hasn’t been as careful when washing up as they could have been.

The most important part of it all is making sure the powder is mixed with water at or above 70 deg. That kills the bacteria in the milk powder which is THE biggest risk.

Obviously not an issue today with the carton that was used.

Once she’s on solids there’s no need to sterilise bowls, spoons, cups etc but it doesn’t hurt to put any skippy cup lids in from time to time.

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FartnissEverbeans · 16/06/2018 19:09

It'll be fine. In fact, many Western countries don't even recommend bottle sterilisation. Any bacteria from milk would have been long dead anyway if it's been sat on a shelf for that length of time.

I would have been absolutely frantic when DS was younger though so I can completely sympathise. I was absolutely terrified that he'd get ill and even hallucinated about it at one point. I think I had anxiety, but I suspect that's probably within the bounds of normal for a new mum - probably evolution's fault!

Two things that helped me: to put it into perspective, ask yourself 'what would a non-anxious person do in this situation? And bear in mind that some exposure to bacteria is important and necessary.