Steriliser / self sterilising ??

[flowerchop]

Hi, only just entered my 3rd trimester so starting to think about bottles.

I'd like to breast feed but hopefully pump too so DH can feed from the bottle. Of course I have to see what happens going forward.

So I've seen the MAM self sterilising bottles which people say are good for the early days. But then is there a need for a steriliser?? Or eventually will I have different bottles I need a steriliser for... do you switch the bottles up after a few months?

Is there a chance my baby won't like the MAM bottles and I'll have to get different ones - how does it work in terms of choosing bottles and teats

I'm so lost !

Also just realised I'll have to sterilise other things such as dummy, spoons, toys. So I'm guessing buying a steriliser is a must regardless of bottle? I don't have any issues buying things, just want to make sure I'm not buying unnecessarily

Sterilising bags that go in the microwave are great and cheap

We have the MAM ones which are great but the baby is now 7 months so have the issue of needing to sterilise cups instead but no steriliser. You can use the microwave bags as above or cold water sterilising tablets.

I was 90% breastfeeding, he had to have bottles for a top up due to lack of weight gain early on and now is at nursery so has formula milk for then so it seemed unnecessary to have a massive separate steriliser.

If you're planning to pump, you will need to sterilise that too. Mine came with microwave bags.

I do cold water sterilising which I find very convenient for pump parts and toys. For my first I use the microwave steriliser which is also great. I used the bags in hospital but I definitely prefer the cold water sterilising. It’s all a personal choice and what fits into you daily life but yes! You will need some sort of steriliser. Also your baby will probably get on with what ever bottles you choose but there’s always a chance you will need to change. Maybe start off with a couple and if baby gets on buy some more.

My microwave wasn’t tall enough for the MAM bottles to stand up in. Also you end up burning yourself tipping out the hot water after.
They’re okay if you were away and didn’t want to take a steriliser but it’s a hassle to stack all the little bits - wouldn’t use it as my main sterilising method.

I thought the MAM system looked amazing, until 4 weeks in I shelled out on the Tommee Tippee complete starter set (around £80 at the time) at 3am as I couldn’t cope with all the dismantling, washing, assembling, microwaving, letting cool, reassembling then finally making up a feed! That £80 saved my sanity!

We only had the mam bottles until they gave up bottles, you just change the teats for faster flow ones as they get older. If you have a microwave then you don’t need to buy a steriliser as you arrange the bits in such a way with a bit of water that the microwave sterilises them, hence self sterilising, dw it’s easy and the instructions explain it. Both of mine loved them but they didn’t get much choice as they had bottles from newborn whilst they still had their strong suck reflex and then didn’t know anything else.

Mam dummies also come in a sterilising box, add a bit of water, microwave and voila sterile and clean plus a hand case to keep then in. If you are using mam bottles their dummies are likely to be a hit so I’d start with those.

You don’t need to sterilise any weaning equipment e.g. spoons, sippy cup used to for water, I don’t even personally do the dummies after the newborn period. You sterilise because any leftover formula residue in the bottles can grow really, really nasty bacteria so you don’t want to take any chances that you missed a spot when washing the bottles. Anything that doesn’t have formula in it is fine to be washed as normal e.g. dishwasher or hot soapy water.

There is no need to sterilise toys and spoons.

Hi @flowerchop thanks for your thread! If you're still looking for bottle and steriliser recommendations, check out our round-ups of the best baby bottles and best sterilisers. If you have any feedback on the articles, do get in touch🙂

I had the mam ones but hated doing them in the microwave. i burnt/spilled endlessly plus measuring out the 20ml just drove me mad.

I spent £15 on a milton bucket and the like £2.50 a month for the tablets and that's it. You don't even need the bucket if you don't like just something thats 5l with a lid. But i found the marks for the 5l and the lid to keep everything under just made life easier. Could also do dummies etc in it too. you only have to fill it up once every 24 hours and can add stuff and take it out as much as you like in that time. so bottles could be done in 15 mins no cool down time.

Just make sure you get the milton tablets not the tesco etc own brand ones as you have to rinse those off whereas you don't have to with the milton ones