Is it ok to stop sterilising at 6 months? Am confused...

[bellabelly]

I'm really confused. Dh wants us to stop using the steam steriliser. I had read somewhere (Gina Ford maybe?) that you should sterilise up to 6 months. The twins will be 6 months old in less than a week so I figure it's ok to stop now. In fact I remember our community midwife saying we only needed to sterilise for a week as babies quickly build up immunity to germs in their own home. I ignored this because another MW was when I said I'd been told this and she said, no keep on, so that's what I did until now.

ANYWAY, tonight did a quick google on teh subject and babycentre are recommending that you should sterilise for a whole year, so now I don't know what to think. DH has packed the steriliser away and is v pleased to finally have some kitchen space back... What do you all think? What are you doing about sterilising? Any advice welcome!

I never have but then I never used bottles. Do you have a dishwasher? It's supposed to do the job OK.

you don't have to sterilise at all. there's a thread on it here

Haven't got a dishwasher, nobiggy [poor me emoticon]... thanks for the link nappyaddict, will have a read! deepbreath - that was my gut feeling too, the twins are already putting sick stained muslins in their mouths and licking their playmat, etc etc so not much hygiene there really!

I sterilised everything (mix fed baby) inc breast pump and all components several times a day! for ds1 for 6m. When ds2 was 6 weeks old I asked on mumnset how long to sterilise for and was directed to the same thread. Stopped sterilising immediately. Baby is tough as old boots and never ill.

You are meant to sterilise anything that has milk in it up to a year as warm milk is prime breeding ground for bacteria, you should also empty and rinse bottles after feeds. For any other sort of food it's not so important. I would carry on if I were you esp if you don't have a dishwasher. You could always get a microwave steamer though which takes up less space and is v quick (6-8 mins)?

i stopped at six months with ds. wasa little later with dd but i love the smell of milton

depends- i would sterilise anything that has milk in it for any length of time. I make up bottles in advance so IMO they need sterilising - hot water isn't enough.

if you don't make up bottles in advance, then I wouldn't bother sterilising after 6 months.

(don't all have a go about making up bottles in advance please - I know what I'm doing - ta)

what flibberty said. I did exactly the same with my two and ds2 is just fine. In fact he's 12 months now and has never yet vomited (famous last words...)

even if the bottles are made up in advance you can still use hot soapy water.

I know some people think you can use just hot soapy water, and I would be comfortable doing this if I was using the bottles straight away, but if I'm putting milk in them to store for up to 2 hours, I'll be sterilising them.

I know some people think you don't need to, but I personally think you do.

It doesn't take me any longer to sterilise bottles than it does to just wash them (i put them in the steriliser instead of the draining board) so it's not really any extra effort for me, and gives me that extra safety net IMO

I'd stop as well. don't remember when I stopped but think about the same time although thought there was not much point as everything else dd touched wasn't sterilised. pretty sure will stop earlier this time, if ever start.

Ok, have stopped, as of yesterday and so far so good... Feels really weird though!