Sterilising queries

[Pinkmarshmallow]

I had been using Milton and found it fine but everyone urged me to get a "proper" steriliser so we bought a microwave steam steriliser. It sterilises 4 bottles at a time and says that they stay sterile for up to 5 hours. If you are only meant to make up feeds as and when they are needed, and a baby is feeding every 3-4 hours, you will never need four sterile bottles in five hours... Or, if immediately after sterilisation you assemble and close the bottles, do they stay sterile for longer? If so, how much longer? Also, it's in the microwave for 5 mins, then it says to leave it sit for 3 mins.... is that 3mins just to give the equipment time to cool so that you don't scald yourself while removing it, or is that part of the time needed for the steam to do its work and sterilise the stuff? Sometimes I don't wait the 3 mins as baby is screaming for a feed.

Ah the joys of steam sterilisers - yes the 3 minutes is to stop you scalding yourself. It doesn't really matter about the five hours thing - bottles don't actually need sterilising really - clean is good enough, the average baby picks up enough crap off the floor to undo all your hard work - sorry!

Oh and Milton is a proper steriliser . It kills all the germs - so that's proper. Whoever is telling you steam sterilisation is better is barking - they both do the same job (but bear in mind you need to wash the steriliser as well on a regular basis because otherwise it too can build up crud and that will encourage bacteria regrowth between uses!

Thanks, whomovedmychocolate.... I agree with you about Milton being proper... it's the in-laws that insisted I get this steam steriliser, saying milton isn't a proper steriliser. And they bought it for me so now I feel obliged to use it. Grrr. I'd rather Milton any day, far handier IMO.

I've been wondering the same thing my other 6 kids were all born before this new advice about making up bottles as you need them, so I'm used to making up the 6 bottles and storing in fridge till needed but I've just had a new baby (3 weeks)and dont understand these new rules, its a tad confusing, should I be sterilising on bottle at a time? will my bottles stay sterile if I assemble them? etc etc but I've just read this

"The risk of infection to a baby will be lower if the feed is only stored for a
short time. Feeds should never be stored for longer than 24 hours and this
length of time is no longer considered ideal especially for young babies"
taken from this article... www.dwrcymru.com/English/library/publications/milk%20guidance/english.pdf

so it seems that although its not ideal they're not saying you cant do it or that its very unsafe..personally I'm sticking with sterilising 6 bottles and making 6 feeds at once using water at 70degrees to kill the germs (as suggested in the same article) then quickly cooling all the bottles in a bowl of water and ice cubes and using as I need them (warming them a little in a jug of hot water as needed) I've had 6 babys who've been fed this way and not one of them got ill from it!

Hello - confused first time expresser here. I've got one of those Tommee Tippee closer to nature manual pumps and bottles that you sterilise in the microwave. Sterilised them yesterday, sealed in the (hopefully) airtight box and have used it for the first time this morning. But realise I may have been a dunce and the pump and bottle are no longer sterile. Can anyone give me advice? Please!(Particularly if not, how long do I have to wait for them to cool down enough....)

Mirry71 the items stay sterile for 3 hours if the steriliser is not opened so I dont think they would still have been sterile when you used them, but I'm sure you're baby will be fine so dont panic! Also you need to allow 3 minutes for the items to cool after you've sterilised them. www.tommeetippee.co.uk/UserFiles/Manuals/micro_steriliser_instructions.pdf

Good luck with the expressing.