MAM bottles smell!

[Dogt17]

Hi I’m completely new to bottle feeding. EBF dc1 until 18months then I’ve EBF dc2 until almost 6 months. I’ve now had to go onto formula & bottle feeding which I’ve never had to do before. I have the MAM self sterilising bottles. Been using them only 2 weeks or so. I usually leave them to soak from anywhere between like half hour up to even over night some times. I wash them in baby bottle cleanser then rinse throughly & then sterilise in the microwave as instructed. Sometimes I sterilise them twice. But the white silicone ring at the bottom & the teats have started to smell like a milk smell/bacterial smell even with thorougher cleaning. Anyone else found this? I’m thinking of trying some other brand that doesn’t have the silicone ring at the bottom but seems a bit silly to throw out some bottles that have only been used a few weeks!

Are you taking the silicone ring out when cleaning ? Thats not meant to be patronising - i wasnt at first as didn't notice it was there and that seemed to make a difference

Honestly though my little one didn't get on with the mams bottles (loves their dummies though) so we moved to the NUK bottles which he seems to like. A lot less parts to them but you can hear them getting the air out

Should they be left to soak? I was under the impression they had to be washed pretty soon after using.

@Nat888 hi yeah I’ve been taking the whole bottle apart to clean including taking the silicone ring out. I wasH with a dish cloth & the MAM bottle brush. I didn’t know whether to try sterilising them with sterilising tablets instead of in the microwave but then I thought if I’m doing that might as well buy a bottle with less parts & no silicone ring altogether 🤦🏻‍♀️

@novacaneforthepain oh I’m not sure. I never leave them with milk in. Within a few minutes of finishing the feed I will empty out any left over milk & then rinse under the tap all parts as I dismantle the bottle. I rinse all parts until there is no visible milk left. I then put it in the washing up bowl to soak in warm water with bottle cleaner in it. I then come back to wash them when I have the time.

Yeah I get you. I kinda got fed up with having to take everything apart each time and re assemble - I also found they leaked a lot ... maybe it was the way I put them back together but I've read so many people have the same problem.

Weird they still smell - I'd probably just change myself. I've bottle fed from birth and man it was a lot of trial and error with the bottles. Im not joking ive spent hundreds

Does your little one like those teets/have you tried any others? If so I think Dr browns are similar but never tried them. If she is OK on different teets give the NUK ones a go if you do change. We love them. Easy to clean and simple design. Sounds like your cleaning and sterilising is spot on

@Dogt17 yes I find silicone holds smells easily - same happens with my silicone medela pump backflow membrane. I really have to thoroughly rub fairy liquid on to silicone parts directly and then rinse in hot water and then it smells of the fairy liquid instead which is better than the sour milk smell you are referring to. I still use the MAM bottles, the silicone doesn't smell bad after I thoroughly wash it on its own and have sterilised in the microwave. Smells are annoying but the parts are clean even if they do as they have been thoroughly washed and sterilised.

I use the mam bottles for my twins, I cold water sterilise them in Milton and don’t have any problems with them smelling.

Ive used MAM bottles with all 3 of mine and cold water sterilise them rather than microwave. I noticed that when microwave sterilised they go a funny colour on the teat and the white silicone ring.

I wash and then part assemble them (top together and bottom together) and then throw in the cold water steriliser until needed and they’re absolutely fine.

I loved the MAM bottles but also cold water sterilised them.
Worth checking under the rim of the white silicone.

@Dogt17 yup, I use the MAM bottles too and find they smell.
Its probably worse for us as well because DD is on prescription formula for CMPA which smells vile to begin with!
We empty the bottles as soon as they are finished with. Rinse and then soak in hot washing up water for a few mins before scrubbing thoroughly and sterilising in the micowave.
Ive tried using Milton but it made no difference. The teats dont smell at all.
I think its the white silicone bit from the bottom. I did find the milk often went slimy along the inside crease of the ring so I now turn it inside out to scrub.
I have no other tips Im afraid. I know the bottles are sterile though which is a bonus!

Is it not just the formula you are smelling? It's smells awful, imo, especially the premade stuff.