Sterilizing bottles- why?????

[jocesar]

This may be a stupid question but I'd like to hear your replies. I am 20wks pg so have no experience, but can't see the sense in sterilising bottles. Is a good wash and dry sufficient? My baby will breathe in bacteria from the air everyday, will put her hands everywhere and then probably in her mouth, will be touched by other people etc etc. So there is a constant exposure to bacteria. so why sterilize the feeding bottles??

well, i never sterilise my boob and ive never had to sit with a newborn in hops with gastroenteritis

If you leave bottles to air dry (under a cover if you want) after a very hot wash then they are sterile. Same as they are sterile coming out of the dishwasher.

There are more wasy to sterilise than use an expensive steam thing or boiling bottles in a pan.

I feel better now about not bothering to sterilize my babies bottles. he only has one bottle feed a day and some water. at 14 weeks i was feeling bad about not doing it but i did it with dd and she was fine. never been ill in her life - not even a cold and she is nearly 6. i generally sterilize once a week!