Do I need a steriliser?

[Babyboymama]

This is a very last minute thought because I’m getting induced tomorrow! But I was just wondering if I should have actually bought a steriliser?
I’m planning to breastfeed but I have got a breast pump so I can express too and the pump came with its own little microwave steriliser so will this be enough?
I’ve been thinking I’m ready for weeks and now the day before I get induced I start worrying that I’ve missed something.. typical!😂

I just boiled on the hob in water.. bf and really needed to sterelise.
Good luck tomorrow

Rear not really

Agghhh rarely

Boiling or cold water with Milton are perfectly adequate, I wouldn't by a steriliser.

Cold water Milton is by far the best. Microwave steriliser is great if you’re in a rush too though so I think you’re covered without a separate steriliser

A steam steriliser is great if you’re bottle feeding, but they’re bulky and take up a fair bit of space for something which you’ll only use intermittently.

My midwife was able to give me instructions on how to sterilise with boiling water in a pan and I think there’s something on the NHS website as well.

Thank you for your answers! I’ve got quite a lot of Milton tablets from free samples so will put them to use!
This might be a stupid question but if I use Milton what do I do about drying stuff? Can I just put it on the dish drainer or will this make them not sterile anymore as they’ll be touching the plastic?

I just got a pack of microwave sterilising bags from Boots. I didn't need them for ages though as i breastfed. So no rush.

Drying on the drainer is fine, sterilisation is to remove bacteria that grow in milk, completely sterile bottles is impossible in a home kitchen.

You can buy specifically designed drying racks, but a standard clean one will do the job as well.

With sterilising it’s not so much the normal household germs you need to worry about getting rid of, it’s the milk proteins which foster bacteria. You’d have a job keeping anything 100% sterile in a normal home!

I never realised it was bacteria from the milk that sterilising removes, just assumed it was normal household germs!
Thank you all for your replies, I’ll stop worrying now!
This is what being 9 days overdue does to you😂

Another vote for Milton if you’re going to breastfeed. The only thing to check is that you have a receptacle big enough for the water - I seem to remember the tablets I had requiring a 5litre tub of water which is quite big! Just check the instructions...

Ive also mostly breastfed so never used many bottles, and also like the microwave sterilising bags. The dishwasher on a hot cycle is perfectly adequate but it's nice to have something extra to take out on the off chance you need it.

Milton is ok but I hate the smell and feel a bit precious about babies having to taste it.

I would. I did the same as you when pregnant with DS1.

But then I discovered that I had barely any milk at all and it didn't increase at all over the following weeks. We had nothing! I had no idea that being unable to produce milk was a real thing.
Just don't get your hopes up and prepare yourself.
Good luck!

When I say 'we had nothing' I meant no bottles, steriliser etc. I fully expected to BF until my baby was about 1!

You don’t need to sterilise breastfeeding equipment or bottles. So I wouldn’t bother. If you do need need to use formula you can just use the cold water stuff

Other PP pointing out that BF might not happen for you- I was in that boat last year, and when it was obvious I was going to have to formula feed, I just read some MN reviews and ordered my steriliser and Perfect Prep machine on amazon from my hospital bed.

We used the ready made bottles until everything arrived, and it was fine.

Buying the bottle feeding stuff isn’t cheap, I wouldn’t worry about buying any equipment “just in case” in the age of 24 hour supermarkets and online shopping.

Ah, Mumsnet hates breastfeeding OP - apparently every second mumsnetter is biologically incapable through no fault of their own. And biologically incapable of keeping their FF opinions on breastfeeding to themselves.

Cold water steriliser tablets are fine. Try to ignore the Dire Warnings about breastfeeding. Good luck with giving birth.

MN doesn’t hate breastfeeding, don’t be so ridiculous.

Those posters are trying to help by sharing their own experiences, they aren’t some kind of Formula Feeding Mafia ffs.

Good luck op, I’m sure it’ll be fine.

Oh do bore off @heidi

OP, You don't need to sterilise for breast milk, though I tend to run my pump components through the steriliser because they're full of little crevices that trap gunk.
You can also sterilise stuff in a saucepan of boiling water in a pinch.

Good luck with the induction., hope it goes smoothly. Breastfeeding support groups were the first things I went out to with my newborn, and really helped me get a handle on what can be quite a tough skill to learn at first. Hopefully there'll be similar groups near you.

Thank you all for your comments and those who wished me well for tomorrow (actually today now as it’s 2am!)

Yes!!!
I ebf but pumped for an evening feed.
Three times I left the pump accessories boiling on the stove, once I actually forgot and went out. Came home to the fire brigade about to break down my door and an apartment so full of smoke and fumes we couldn't go inside until the evening.