sterilising at 6 months

[Mads1]

My HV recently told me that I can stop sterilising toys (ie teething rings etc.) and feeding equipment once DD hits 6 months. She says I only have to sterilise milk bottles. Has anyone else heard of this? I always thought you had to sterilise for the first 12 months. If it's true then...... yippee!!!

yes, that's exactly what I was told too!

Please don't sterilise things at six months. Debatable as to whether you need to at all. But by six months they'll be licking the bottoms of people's shoes given half a chance And food's not sterile.

I stopped sterilising at 4 months, He's licking the carpet and God knows what else . What is the point anymore?

oh god (hooter alert!) I never sterilised anything for ds2 and he's the healthiest baby in the world. Why sterlise teething rings? toys? or anything but bottle teats, basically?

hunkermunker puts it very well as ever.

do you sterlise his hands after he has been crawling around the floor before he puts them in his mouth? a healthy serving of muck a day helps to build up their immune system

have to say I never ever bothered sterilising toys at all

And as for toys...never, ever did.

The only thing I ever sterilised was the breastpump and bottles, because I was leaving the pump between expressions in the fridge at work and I wanted it to be clean as a whistle before I started iyswim. And if I was doing the pump, I might as well throw in the bottles too.

Is it true that you can use tap water after 6 months (not cooled, boiled)?

sorry about the hooter, I have been chastised on the other thread.
mads1 I wasn't being rude to you, the hooter means it is a thread I shouldn't post on but can't resist.
But please don't sterilise toys.....

btw do you mean use tap water for milk or for washing the baby?
either way, yes indeedy. Well, I did anyway.

thanks - I meant tap water for drinking. I guess it's OK after 6 months?

thats right as no more sterlising BUT once you have a new teething ring for example, you got to wash it in soapy water just incase

yep tap water fine after six months. theoretically not meant to make up formula with tap water, but I did anyway!

I once sterilised a toy cos another baby with a cold had been playing with it and then melted it in the steriliser !! Gave up after that !!

I have never sterilised a toy in my life. Two live children, one four and one seven months
Really, no. Nor bottles. A good hot wash or a whirl in the dishwasher is fine.

My dd loves licking shoes. Strange girl.

I think I started to forget to sterilise things this time round at about 5 months, oooops

I stopped stterilising stuff when DS started licking the (filthy) kitchen floor, chewing DP's flipflops and licking the cat.

And I didn't ever strilise toys, and I never sterilised dummies and the like (God. I am so lax)

Anyway, as my Brummie Gran used to say

"Eh Bab, If it dun't kill ya, it'll mek ya stronga"

Thanks all! I am so glad I can ditch the milton!!! Might still keep it at the back of the cupboard for odd times ie if another kid has really contaminated a toy!!!!