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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 · 21/09/2005 17:09

I was worried yesterday that as DS is 10 that the info I said might be out of date

I am very pleased that it is still OK

Please wash your hands well before doing the bottles

OP posts:
morningpaper · 21/09/2005 17:11

Fascinating discussion - something I have often wondered about myself.

RosiePosie · 21/09/2005 17:17

Right, I'm definately crossing steriliser off my "things to buy for new baby" list - thanks so much.

RTKangaMummy · 21/09/2005 17:21

You're welcome

But please be very very careful with clean hands and hot soapy water and air dry {not a tea towel or paper towel}

Make sure you get all the milk out of the bottom and all of the creases of teats and breast pump

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Nemo1977 · 21/09/2005 17:31

we sterilised ds things until he was mobile at 5mths. DH is a microbioligist by nature..{although gave it all up to work for comet..dont ask!!!}and he said there was no reason to sterilise if the bottles are thoroughly cleaned etc.

edam · 21/09/2005 17:34

Antibacterial cleaners and wipes are a waste of money - good old soapy water is just as effective and far cheaper. Plus anti-bac tends to give people a false sense of security so they get a bit less rigorous about hygiene.

In a previous life I commissioned some research on antibacterial cleaning products, and this was the outcome. Use them if you like them, it's a free country, but they aren't doing anything washing up liquid won't do just as well.

RTKangaMummy · 21/09/2005 17:38

"A bottle steriliser is not a substitute for proper hand hygiene and may even give a false sense of security"

quote from microbiologist this afternoon

OP posts:
bonym · 21/09/2005 17:40

Have not read the whole thread (just original post) but when dd1 was young I only sterilzed bottles (and exclusively breastfed for 1st 6mths and was never meticulous about hygiene.

Dd1 is now 7 and is hardly ever ill - in fact has only had one day off sick since starting school.

A good friend of mine however used to sterilse everything - even toothbrushes! Her boys always seemed to get every cough, cold, bug etc. going.

RTKangaMummy · 21/09/2005 17:42

Why sterilize toothbrushes????????

Do you mean in boiling water or sterilizing tablets/solution?

OP posts:
bonym · 21/09/2005 17:43

umm - anyone want to buy an excellent steam steriliser - hardly used???

bonym · 21/09/2005 17:43

Toothbrushes - in solution - I know, she's slighhtly bonkers

RTKangaMummy · 21/09/2005 17:44

put it on the for sale board -- several people still believe in it

OP posts:
bonym · 21/09/2005 17:45

Can we kill this thread now then please, or I might not get any takers...

RTKangaMummy · 21/09/2005 17:48

Doesn't anyone worry about what is actually in the chemicals in these solutions????????

Weird way to clean teeth!!!

Do these chemicals taste nice?

OP posts:
RTKangaMummy · 21/09/2005 17:48

bonym

OP posts:
karmamother · 21/09/2005 21:01

RTMK - I've been watching this thread with avid interest. I'm a nurse so I'm meticulous about hand & kitchen hygiene. I think you've put forward the idea in a non-judgmental way & allowed other mums to reach their own conclusion. Well done! It is a problem on here, that if you propose a new idea which may be your own theories, you run the risk of hundreds of women taking your ideas as gospel. It's interesting to note that if these ideas were given to you by your MW, you'd say it was conflicting advice. On here, however, it's a positive thing. Probably due to "tried & tested" & not just random thoughts from your MW!

On another thread, someone talked to me about sterilising so I've asked them to read this. It's picking up speed, this one!

karmamother · 21/09/2005 21:02

BTW, I won't be buying a steriliser this time round!! Going to spend the money on a facial instead.

RTKangaMummy · 21/09/2005 21:32

karmamother Thank you for your comments

I am so chuffed with the microbiologist consultant for replying to me so quickley and that the experience we had 10 years ago was still the same advice now

I don't want to stop people from sterilizing as long as they like, it is just that I wanted to give an alternative of what the microbiologists suggest for babies that have been extremely premature and very ill and to show that if it was OK for those babies then why not the rest of the population?

But I do realise that all families are different but that is what makes the world go round, isn't it?

OP posts:
RTKangaMummy · 21/09/2005 21:34

deffo brill idea about facial, happy mummy, happy children

OP posts:
charleypops · 21/09/2005 21:43

Great thread! But I have a question

Do you have to let bottles/teats etc dry before you can use them, or can you put milk in them while they're still wet? I imagine you can use them wet, as any stuff in the water remaining on the bottles etc will still be on the there as residue once dry anyway?

karmamother · 21/09/2005 21:56

charleypops, I guess it's not different from using Milton liquid to sterisise with. You take the bottles out of the water just before you make up the feed & they must have residue of Milton on them. Not sure which is worse, really? If you're really worried about soap residue I'm sure you could rinse them with cooled boiled water.

RTKangaMummy · 21/09/2005 22:01

"Clean and dry are the operative words. Bacteria thrive in warm moist environments" quote from Microbiologist

So I think probably wait to dry

btw if there is a worry about flies etc use one of those umbrella food cover things

here is the food umbrella

OP posts:
RTKangaMummy · 21/01/2006 12:39

Just thought I would bump this thread again for all the new members

OP posts:
ggglimpopo · 21/01/2006 13:26

Message withdrawn

Redtartanlass · 21/01/2006 21:16

Kanga - after reading this thread I haven't looked back!! Baby was born in October and haven't sterlised at all.

I tell everyone about this thread...