how often to sterilise dummies?

11 replies

Madigan · 06/06/2009 21:06

How often should I be sterilising my 11 w.o.'s dummies? Every time they fall from her mouth and touch something? or is it ok to rinse with cold water between sterlising? Not sure what the rules are here .... any advice? Thanks.

OP posts:

whomovedmychocolate · 06/06/2009 21:07

I stick them in the dishwasher when I remember. Dirt is actually quite good for children you know. DS has swapped his dummy for the door stopper. That's definitely not sterile and he's never had any form of tummy bug.

Original poster

Madigan · 06/06/2009 21:09

Yeah - I don't obsess about hygiene with my 21 m.o. - far from it - but I am concerned that I should be doing the right thing with my little 11 w.o. ....

OP posts:

whomovedmychocolate · 06/06/2009 21:11

You are doing the right thing - a quick rinse is fine. Every toy that your 21 month old hands to her is generously coated with bugs.

PacificDogwood · 06/06/2009 21:13

I never sterilized anything, DCs 1,2 and 3 are fine.

onepieceofcremeegg · 06/06/2009 21:14

I have one of those microwave steri boxes, When dd2 was a few weeks old I used to sterilise them once every day or two, then rinse in between.

Lol at the doorstop. I think dd2 (21 months) senses that we will soon be revising her use of dummies. She takes the peg jigsaws and stuffs the peg part in her mouth and laughs her head off at us.

Ceebee74 · 06/06/2009 21:17

Cremeegg lol at your DD. I remember when my DS1 was much younger, he did exactly the same with a peg jigsaw and started sucking on it and my sister declared 'oh he just wants his dummy' - he only had (and still has ) them at bed/naptimes whereas my sis's 3 had them ALL the time! I just ignored her

As for the sterilising, DS1's dummys rarely get sterilised now and DS2's get done when I remember (he is now 6 months old and seems ok )

onepieceofcremeegg · 06/06/2009 21:23

Ceebee we have to hide the real dummies in the daytime, otherwise she points piteously at them and whines to get her way. She will be 2 in August, once she starts to talk more we are going to start negotiations.

No doubt this will result in further improvisations on her part. If she can reach a bit of the top part of her coat near the collar she often sucks that in the buggy.

Ceebee74 · 06/06/2009 21:33

Oh yes DS1's were in his cot out of his reach and then when he went into his bed at 2.2, they were moved to a shelf and now they are on the top bunk of his bed (along with his comfort blanket) - he is nearly 3 so it really is time we got rid of them but we just can't face it.

Tbh (and very surprisingly), he has been quite good with the fact that DS2 has dummies during the day downstairs - only when he is in a really mischievous mood will he pinch it and put it in his own mouth

WorzselMummage · 06/06/2009 21:39

Honestly, I don't

He doesnt have them very often really so i just tend to dig one out of my bag amd rinse it.

Occasionally i wash them.

Quite often i suck them first...

Ds's 22 weeks, 9 weeks corrected.

clare792000 · 07/06/2009 09:39

I sterilise them every morning, just in a microwave steribox, I was doing it everytime he dropped one but now he is 6 1/2 months and becoming more mobile i figre he'll probably pick up a lot worse!

babyinbelly · 07/06/2009 12:08

only after ds1 has been playing with them and they are covered in dog hair etc. only then pour boiling water over. have avent ones with caps so know they are fine in handbag without getting dirty.

Flip