How long does a bottle stay sterile ?

[HaveToWearHeels]

DD is EBF, occasioanly MIL looks after her and gives her EBM. If I steralise a bottle and assemble with a lid on how long will it stay steralised ? I would preseume if it is airtight then it would stay useable until the lid is taken off, am I right ?

I always took it as being ok for 24 hours once assembled

In the steriliser up to three hours mine says, with the lid on as you say, not sure, but don't see where any germs are going to appear from.

I really wouldn't worry too much about it. Given that some parents of premature and sick babies are sent home with the instructions not to sterilise so that their bodies can build up better defences, I'd say that once it's been clean and sterilised, it's fine to use up to a couple of days later. It's what we do anyway!