How do I clean and sterilise bottles when on holiday?

[upupawaytoday]

We have a 9 month old and will be going away for approximately 5 days. I use an electric steriliser at home which I don't know if it will work due to different voltage. Our room won't have a sink but will have a kettle. How am I supposed to clean and sterilise the bottles? Or do I just take enough washed and sterilised bottles with me to last the trip? Thanks

Or ready made milk.

Hot soapy water here at 9 months.

It’s the formula bacteria that differs at this age, I was going to stop sterilising when DD started crawling but read up and it’s the one thing that should be sterilised. I stopped with anything else that went in mouth though - it’s just that the formula bacteria I think can bring on bacterial meningitis? Vanishingly rare but I couldn’t risk it.

We have a large lidded Tupperware and Milton tablets that we take when we go away.

Do you still need to sterilise at 9months? Only asking as I had crawlers who were licking / chewing everything at that age so I gave up.

Absolutely! Some of the bacteria in formula can be lethal, literally.

Sorry, this doesn’t make sense: It’s the formula bacteria that differs at this age,

I mean by the time they’re this age bottles are the only thing that need sterilising because of formula bacteria.

I would just do hot soapy water in sink with bottle brush. Then rinse off and add kettle of hot water over them.

Sterilising seems to be a uk obsession. Aptimal where I live say sterilising isn’t necessary and it’s the same milk so it can’t be terrible in uk and deadly a few hundred miles away. Im not saying don’t clean them, but hot soapy water and a rinse is fine.

You do know a bottle is only sterile whilst in machine? So if you sterilise 6 at once, only the first one will be sterile if you use immediately after, the other 5 won’t be

Some of the bacteria in formula can be lethal, literally it's killed off when being made up with boiling water, that's why it's vital to not just to use hot water.

Old milk in bottles be it formula or cows can be lethal but only if not thoroughly washed, you need to pay particular attention to the ridges at the top of the bottles.

Unless things have changed in the last 20 years!

@Caspianberg that's not true with cold water sterilising though.

I definitely say take a tub with a lid and some Milton tablets. Take a bottle brush and wash up in the sink with some washing up liquid, bung then in the tub with a tablet, job done.

[quote PocketSize]@Twelvetimestwo not really.. unless your sterilising bowls, spoons ..cups ..beakers ..toys and their hands I don't really see why it would still be necessary.. just hot soapy water like everything else[/quote]
Not the same. Teets are too small to be washed properly so the milk gets stuck

@Caspianberg but the main point of sterilising (regardless of whether you think it is needed or not) is to kill any residue milk bacteria. So yes they won't be sterile sterile once left out for a bit but the milk bacteria will have already been killed.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor what about the teats though the boiling kettle from water from making the powder won't have touched it.

I am on the fence about if hot soapy water is enough. Personally I still sterilise (9months) because I am shocked at how often I can still see residue in the bottles and teats after giving them a good wash.

Not the same. Teets are too small to be washed properly so the milk gets stuck of course you can wash teats thoroughly, flip them inside out or use a bottle brush.

@Caspianberg

I would just do hot soapy water in sink with bottle brush. Then rinse off and add kettle of hot water over them.

Sterilising seems to be a uk obsession. Aptimal where I live say sterilising isn’t necessary and it’s the same milk so it can’t be terrible in uk and deadly a few hundred miles away. Im not saying don’t clean them, but hot soapy water and a rinse is fine.

You do know a bottle is only sterile whilst in machine? So if you sterilise 6 at once, only the first one will be sterile if you use immediately after, the other 5 won’t be

This is why i used Milton, i used their lidded tub and the bottles sat in there until i used them....

changed it every 24 hours.

Easy!

Milton, get a Tupperware tub. You don’t need to fill the tub full and use a whole tablet, you can reduce the water and tablet amount.

I always take Milton tablets on holiday now, incase something needs a good wash.

Couple of self sterilising bottles (microwave) Milton tablets or sterilising bags are all options for minimum space

I went away with DD at that age. Took washing up liquid and a bottle brush, washed the bottles with hot water in the sink. Then stuck them in sterilising bags with sterilising tablets and I think boiled water from the kettle but that was probably overkill.

Incorrect. Formula bottles need sterilising for as long as they're being used, even if baby still has formula at 2 years old the bottles still need sterilising, the sterilising stops when the formula stops

@SpacePug

Incorrect. Formula bottles need sterilising for as long as they're being used, even if baby still has formula at 2 years old the bottles still need sterilising, the sterilising stops when the formula stops

Only when using powder formula though. Another option would be to use premixed for the holidays and just wash the bottles thoroughly instead

@NannyR

Do you still need to sterilise at 9months? Only asking as I had crawlers who were licking / chewing everything at that age so I gave up. You should really be sterilising bottles that are used for milk. The bugs from old milk residue are different to those that babies pick up from the floor etc.

My health visitor said don't worry past 6 months as long as washed in boiling hot water !

Only when using powder formula though. Another option would be to use premixed for the holidays and just wash the bottles thoroughly instead

Also incorrect, you need to sterilise formula bottles, whether it's ready made or powder formula.

If you have mam bottles you can sterilise them in the microwave with a bit of water in the bottom, YouTube it.
If not or no microwave lash them in a tub or the sink with some Milton

Take a kitchen sink bowl with you to wash, collapsible ones are available to save on space. Milton tablets and container with lid if you must sterilise.