When to stop sterilising

[mermaid101]

My DD is 8 months old. We're going on holiday next month and I was wondering if I needed to take a steriliser with with me. My HV said I should keep on sterilising until a year old, but most of the other Mums at my baby group said their HV said they could stop at 6 months.

On a slightly related note, she also said that I had to give my baby cooled bolied water to drink, but I got a leaflet from my dentist yesterday which said that after 6 months tap water is fine.

So is no sterilising and tap water ok at 8/9 months?
Thanks

Yeah its all fine. At 8 months I presume she is able to reach all sorts of stuff on the floor to put in her mouth and none of that is sterilised. Tap water fine too.

Thanks Pascha,

Yes, you're completly right. Everything goes in her mouth so I'd say there are a lot more germs on all these things than in tap water! The HV said that if you don't wash your bottles properly then tiny bits of milk powder can get caught in them and breed bacteria. I do give them a right good scrub though.

I never started. Don't intend to with dc3 due any minute.

Do scrub them well in very hot soapy water. Or dishwasher. The milk powder is the only thing you have to be really careful of.

Of course if you want to be sure you can always pack some milton tablets and just stick them in a tub of cold water with washed bottle paraphernalia.

I stopped as soon as they picked up crap off the floor and shoved it in their gobs . So, 4/5 months or thereabouts depending on which child and how mobile/able they were.

Gave tap water from 6 months.

Yes, the only real risk is if you make bottles up in advance. Warm sweet milk is a rather good growth medium.

I stopped sterilizing about 5/6 months. However I did from then on, and still do for dd who is now nearly 4, use a dishwasher - which apparently is as effective as sterilizing.

However if we didn't have a dishwasher I would have been happy to just wash stuff normally from the age of 6 months!

I was told steralize everything til 6 months but after that only anything milk related, like bottles. And yes I used tap water after 6 months.
If you dont want to take your steraliser I know my friends bought some disposable pre sterailsed bottles, single use ones, for on holiday. Just a thought !

I have read that you should sterilise bottles till a year (nothing else though) - milk bacteria can be harmful. I always take milton tablets and put them in the sink - only takes 15 mins.

We took DS abroad at a similar age and what we did to sterilise while we were away was wash his bottle properly first, boil a kettle and plunge his bottle in the water for 5 minutes prior to giving him milk. When we got home we continued sterilising using a steriliser until just before 1yo which is recommended in the UK for bottles. Plates, bowls and everything we didn't bother sterilising. HTH

Thanks so much everyone!
I think I'm going to get a loan of a travel steriliser from somone. We're only going for four days self catering in the UK so would it be ok if I just used the ready made cartons do you think? I know they are expensive, but should be ok for a few days. If we did that, would that remove the danger of bits of powder getting caught up in nooks and cranies?

Like I said, I think I can get my hands on a travel steriliser or I could use the milton as some people have suggested, but if the cartons were ok, it would be one less little job to do.

I breastfed mine but when they started putting toys in their mouths, crawling and trying to eat things they find on the floor I stopped worrying about purified water, etc. Ready made cartons would be fine if you're worried but 8 months is really the point where you need to worry about sterilising, boiling water, etc.

It's not relevant whether they are crawling around picking stuff up or not, what's relevant is how much milk is still on the bottle once washed (made up or carton). You don't need to sterilise at all if you bottle washing is meticulous - but if it's not then it's wise to sterilise while you are using bottles (so many nooks and crannies!).

You don't need to use boiled water either - our water supply in the UK is safe, but as you have been I would continue while away as it will also help with the 'change of water' you get between suppliers (which can upset small stomaches).

You can buy 'disposable' sterilising bags - they are about 10 uses each, 2 to a box.