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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

IMHO and the opinion of microbiologists there is no need to sterilize

407 replies

RTKangaMummy · 13/07/2005 17:04

As many of you already know

My DTs were born at 27 weeks and spent 3 months in NNU

We were told not to sterilize when we got home

We were told to wash everything in hot soapy water and leave out to air dry on kitchen roll

The hospital microbiologists advised that this was the best way to clean everything

And considering how ill DS was, in NNU, we followed this advice and he never had an upset tummy as a baby and was completley fine

So my advice to everyone is to not worry too much about it, wash it in HOT SOAPY WATER AND AIR DRY {washing up liquid}

This was in LONDON btw.

When I was preggers I planned to sterilize bottles, teats, nipple shields, dummies etc.

But now, I think, thank goodness that we listened to the microbiologists at the hospital. And didn't waste all the money and time on it.

DT2 {DS} was very very very ill in NNU ITU etc.

IMHO if he can come out of hospital and not have everything sterilized and not have a tummy bug or vomiting/diarahea, then why an earth should healthy normal babies be at such a risk of being ill?

If you give a baby a toy teddy it is not sterilized, now I know that won't have any milk on. But they will still put them in their mouths.

If you wrap teats in cling film which is not sterile, then why bother?

IMHO it is all a con by the makers of sterilizing units to put fear into everyone

Saint George worked for a microbiologist and she says the same thing and that he said that as long as you were extremely clean, babies would be fine. And that all this sterilization has caused problems in maternity hospitals

So set yourself free BUT be very clean and use very hot soapy water and air dry.

Also you should make sure all the milk bits come from all the little areas IYSWIM

What about parents who put their little finger into the babies mouth to sooth the baby

What about the ones who breastfeed they are not sterile, are they?

What about older brothers and sisters touching, coughing sneezing etc over the baby? {Although I do realise that is not milk related}

I AM NOT AGAINST ANYONE STERILIZING TO THEIR HEART'S CONTENT, IT IS JUST TO SAY THAT WE DIDN'T AND DS WAS VERY PREM AND HE WAS FINE

So if you want to give it up and feel that you must carry on then I am giving you an example of where it wasn't used and the outcome was fine.

BTW when DS came home he was with his corrected age 4 days old {not 3 months}

That was during a very hot summer too.

.

OP posts:
RTKangaMummy · 04/05/2007 12:20
Smile
OP posts:
Enid · 04/05/2007 12:24

i never sterilised anything for dd2 and 3

RTKangaMummy · 04/05/2007 12:54

deffo brill Enid

OP posts:
RTKangaMummy · 09/05/2007 12:09

Thanks for the link

OP posts:
RTKangaMummy · 10/05/2007 15:57
Smile
OP posts:
whomovedmychocolate · 10/05/2007 16:57

I haven't managed to get all the way through this (sorry but it's reallllly long), but STERILISATION CAUSED MY DD TO GET SICK!!!!

As a first time mum I dutifully bought a microwaver steam steriliser and sterilised her bottles for EBM. We followed the instructions to the letter and yet.....

well in retrospect they should make it clear than you need to do the sterilisation IMMEDIATELY BEFORE you use the bottles because we just left the sterile bottles in the steriliser, with the water drained away (or so we thought).

But actually all we did was create a warm, wet petri dish.

DD developed bacterial gastroenteritis and was v poorly for a week.

We realised this was the problem when we sniffed the bottles and noticed they smelled fusty.

Now we use the dishwasher for her sippy cups.

The funniest part of my antenatal classes was the midwife saying 'boil everything that goes in your baby's mouth, except your nipples'.

RTKangaMummy · 21/06/2007 15:42

Love the photos of DD eating Spag bol

that she got ill

OP posts:
smallwhitecat · 21/06/2007 15:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

RTKangaMummy · 20/08/2007 16:10

Bumpity bump

OP posts:
saltcod · 20/08/2007 17:08

Remember reading this thread when pg with DS (now 8 months). Used sterliser for breastpump twice and never bothered since. No upsets tummies or anything. Wish I'd known this 1st time round!

KerryMumbledore · 20/08/2007 17:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hamishsmummy · 07/09/2007 21:21

Bump. Wish I'd known this 3 mths ago...

RTKangaMummy · 12/09/2007 16:02

SmileSmileSmile

OP posts:
louii · 18/09/2007 20:38

Bump, as had been looking for this thread

RTKangaMummy · 20/09/2007 15:08
Smile
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IcingOnTheCake · 20/09/2007 15:22

I had a microwave steroliser and it said it would keep the bottles sterile for up to three hours. Three hours! I wasn't going to re do it every three hours so used to do it once aday and that was it.

Soph73 · 20/09/2007 15:38

Like many others - wish I´d known this with DS. Am expecting another so will not bother this time. A voice of sense & reason at last, how refreshing

RTKangaMummy · 20/09/2007 15:39

You're welcome

OP posts:
MrsHarry · 20/09/2007 23:11

Is there any danger of chemicals being left on things washed in the dishwasher? Has anyone got any experience of particular brands of tablets being better than others?
At the moment I'm using Tesco 5-in-1 tablets cos there were so much cheaper than the branded ones, but I've noticed that my dishes have that funny 'squeaky' feeling to them IYKWIM. Don't know if this would affect the bottles and teats.

Also, when bottles are washed and dried they can be put together & sealed up, but does anyone have any advice about best way to store clean nipple shields? I thought about putting them in a plastic tub with a lid. (I'd normally keep them in cold sterilising solution till needed.)

Trinaj · 23/09/2007 19:03

I was wondering too if this applied to dishwashers? - sorry if already been answered, haven't had time to read all thread.

MrsHarry · 24/09/2007 09:14

Another question, (as I have put my steriliser away since reading this thread); after washing/dishwashing, my bottles/teats etc are taking aaages to dry sitting on kitchen roll. Apart from the fact this is inconvenient as they are taking up space on the kitchen worktop, how do I know they are not being contaminated with something as they're drying?
Are there airborne germs which can affect them whilst they are still wet??
To me it actually seems unhygenic to have them sitting around in the open for such a long time.
Any opinions?

MrsHarry · 24/09/2007 22:24

Bump

Trinaj · 28/09/2007 21:10

ditto - bump, anyone?

RTKangaMummy · 15/10/2007 16:36

I don't think there are any airborne bugs that will affect the bottles etc. If there is a chance of flies use a fly umbrella cover thingy iykwim

I think that a good idea would be to put the nipple shields in a plastic box sealed with a lid.

OP posts:
IamDaisy · 15/10/2007 16:41

I'm glad this has been bumped again

DD is now 19 weeks and the only thing I have sterilized was my pump the first few times I used it, and the containers I store ebm in (but only if it's being stored for any length of time)

I haven't sterilized any of her dummies and as I'm about to start weaning, have no intention of sterilizing ice-cube trays etc.

I wouldn't have had the courage to do it if I hadn't read this thread