If the advice now is not to pour boiling water into bottles, how the hell are you supposed to sterilise them??

[raisingrrrl]

I only used bottles very occasionally with ds, so didn't bother buying a steriliser, and instead sterilised his bottles by pouring boiling water into them. I've just read this article which says, "The current advice for parents is not to pour boiling liquid directly into bottles, not to microwave them or use scratched or worn ones."

I'm now wondering if I use bottles for dd (unlikely but you never know when you might need a break!) how I'm going to sterilise them, given that ds would never take a bottle which had been near Milton and I don't really want to spend out for a steriliser when it will hardly ever be used!

you can try disposable bottles but they would probably work out more expensive than buying a steriliser
how about a second hand steriliser?

can you put bottles in a dishwasher?

go retro and boil them in a very large pot with a lid for 10 minutes, just like your granny used to do ! - keep an eye on it though, dont melt them!

I would carry on using boiling water personally, people have been doing that for years, why is it suddenly now a problem?

Oh and if your ds wont touch a bottle that has been near milton, he wont like the disposable ones, I tried them once while dt1 had a night in hospital, they smelled a bit strange and she would'nt touch it.

Yopu could always put them in a food steamer if you have one

see RTKangaMummy's thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/breast_and_bottle_feeding/91585-imho-and-the-opinion-of-microbiologists- there-is-no-need?pg=1

sorry, can't be bothered to learn how to do clever links, but look at the above thread. since reading this on wed i have stopped 'sterilising' the syringe to give my bf dd (4 mths) calpol.

the sterilising was nonsense anyway. the thing floated in the pan, i washed my hands before handling it afterwards, but then also had to wash the calpol bottle. but then washing isn't 'sterilising', especially as i then dried my hands on the towel in the bathroom. and i never wash my hands before feeding her. is that bad? anyway, hope that reassures you...

jane x

janek - snap!

ha ha, cross post. shouldn't be so verbose. who knew so many people were on mn at this time on a saturday morning? not me...

double snap. stop it now!!!

stopping now, honest!

I stopped sterilising for ds at the same age he started putting everything in his mouth (4 months? 5 months? I can't remember!!) but dd is not quite 3 weeks.

Anyway - will have a look at that thread. Both mine are breastfed still, so I'm not worried about their immune systems! The advice just struck me as a bit weird, given that the advice I was given with ds was to sterilise everything until he was 1 - not that I did!

We don't have a dishwasher, btw, and I don't think that sterilises things anyway does it?

it washes hotter than you could by hand, even with rubber gloves on and is generally considered more than adequate i think. but i am not expert, hence the crazy pot boiling/general self doubt/relief when someone said i could stop.

Advice from where though? The article doesn't say.

This is the FSA's (Food Standards Agency) official line:

"...in terms of BPA exposure, a three month old, bottle-fed baby, weighing 6kg would need to consume more than four times the usual number of bottles of baby formula each day before it would even reach the TDI." (TDI is the amount you'd have to consume for it to be a risk)

So for the occasional bottle I really wouldn't worry Or you could buy BPA free or glass bottles, or use breastmilk storage bags - they come sterile, and I just fold the opening of the bag around the bottle neck and screw the teat on.

We used these, so quick and easy, all you need is a microwave.

Think that might have been the wrong link flowery

thanks cherry, yes these might be a bit more useful...

what about using cold water sterilising so you aren't using the boiling water? Don't even by a proper steriliser tub as it is just a very expensive box! just a container easy to clean with no noks or crannies for dirt or gunk, fill with cold water and poop in your tablet.