How long do u sterilize for?

Knit wit

With no. 1 I kept sterilizing for a year.
No. 2 I gave up after about 6/8 weeks.
Now on no. 3 I'm debating giving up sterilizing I a couple more weeks (currently 5 weeks old)
How long did u sterilize? Do u ever wonder whether the stuff is really sterile? The soother seems to just get a rinse when it's dropped ...

Moonbeam

While you are using formula you really need to sterilise the bottles,I think 6 months is fine for spoons and soothers.
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Lola92

I stopped sterilising for my daughter at around 8 months. By this stage she was already licking the floor, dog, shoes etc. and I felt she was able for it. Saying that though ll of her bottles were still getting washed in the dishwasher on a hot cycle and scalded with boiling water afterwards so I was not too worried. With regard to the soothers I had a supply of 6 that went into the steriliser on each run with the caps and were closed and left until needed. Until she reached about 6 months I would use a new one each time. After 6 months I just scalded with boiling water from the kettle and gave it back to her once cool.

Personally I would not consider stopping sterilising until at least 6/7 months. I don't see it as that much of an inconvenience so I would not take the risk that early myself.

Eibhlin2011

This is what it says on babycentre

"Why do I need to sterilise my baby’s bottles?
During the first year of your baby’s life, he’s at his most vulnerable to illnesses. If you don’t sterilise your baby’s bottles, viruses, bacteria and parasites can gather on his bottle and in his milk and make him ill. Your baby could develop anything from mild thrush to a more serious bout of vomiting and diarrhoea.
It's not possible or practical to create a totally germ-free environment for your baby. But by sterilising your baby’s feeding equipment, you can reduce the risks while he's at his most vulnerable."

staker

They don't sterilize baby's equipment in Australia nor America.
Sterilizing is highly overdone here imo. Fair enough good care should be taken as regards hygiene and cleanliness but a big part of what sterilizing entails is a result of product marketing.
In reply to OP,still sterilizing at 8 weeks!

Moonbeam

Their dishwashers are different to here and wash at higher temperatures sterilising stuff in them.

staker

Pity we couldn't have them here then. Spare a lot of hassle:)

How Strange

I was like Lola92 and I stopped once I saw him licking the floor. Then again I breastfed so I rarely used a bottle. The soothers regularly got a mammys lick after the first week or so.

Hannibal Smith

I sterilize till they're a year. I'm full sure the little guy has picked up more than enough germs from his big brother at this stage, but still....its just a 'safe than sorry' matter of course in this house. I got a clevamama soother tree and it rocks!

Hobbitfeet

I was just wondering the same thing my lo is 12 weeks now I'm breastfeeding and he has never had a bottle but I was wondering about his soothers. How often should I sterilize them?

nicowa

staker wrote: »

They don't sterilize baby's equipment in Australia nor America.
Sterilizing is highly overdone here imo. Fair enough good care should be taken as regards hygiene and cleanliness but a big part of what sterilizing entails is a result of product marketing.
In reply to OP,still sterilizing at 8 weeks!

I don't... as in I don't sterilize... We wash properly and use boiling water but other than that? I breastfeed for 3 months though!?

How Strange

I also used the clevamama soother tree for sterilising the soothers. Other than that I had a microwave steriliser from mothercare which I used to sterilise a bottle and my pump bits and pieces.

lynski

i would always sterilise my pump as i rarely use it, as for anything else i stopped sterilising when my son was licking my daughters filthy, been-in-the-garden fingers while i changed his nappy, as the microwave pinged in the background telling me his soothers were sterilised. I thought he does not need things sterilised anymore as i cant do that to her or the other one.

Hannibal Smith

lynski wrote: »

i would always sterilise my pump as i rarely use it, as for anything else i stopped sterilising when my son was licking my daughters filthy, been-in-the-garden fingers while i changed his nappy, as the microwave pinged in the background telling me his soothers were sterilised. I thought he does not need things sterilised anymore as i cant do that to her or the other one.

haahaa...I think it would save a lot of hassle if you could just stick the older child in a steriliser

Rubberlegs

I sterilised the bottles for the first year with first 2 girls, and more than likely will with girl no 3. As previous poster said, better to be safe than sorry. But I think you have to be practical too. My mother always says there was no sterilising when they were babies, and they survived. And probably had less allergies etc too. I've got caught out a few times not having a sterilised bottle, so I've just washed it and scalded it with boiling water. Dropped soothers too get a rinse with boiling water if possible, or a suck off of me if not:). I shall also be giving cow's milk after 1 year, couldn't be doing with follow on formulas. It's a money making racket I tell ya!!

clappyhappy

For my first I breast fed for 6 months so didn't need to sterilize, but did from then to 12 months (1st child!!!) 2nd child fed till 5months then sterilized till about 8 mths, my third little guy only fed him for 3 months (hungry baby) but never sterilized for him. As said before kids have never been sick never had an antibiotic, all stuff was spotless, I personally believe that too much sterilization and cleanliness isn't good for kids. Things need to be clean but we also need to build up their immune system IMO.

Knit wit

Thanks for all the replies ...

Twinkleboots

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

I sterilize till they're a year. I'm full sure the little guy has picked up more than enough germs from his big brother at this stage, but still....its just a 'safe than sorry' matter of course in this house. I got a clevamama soother tree and it rocks!

Where did you get the soother tree Hannibal? We are forever buying soothers would be handy to throw in the changing bag and sterilise on the go! Especially now that our little fella things it's hilarious to give our dog his dummies!!:)

Hannibal Smith

Twinkleboots wrote: »

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

I sterilize till they're a year. I'm full sure the little guy has picked up more than enough germs from his big brother at this stage, but still....its just a 'safe than sorry' matter of course in this house. I got a clevamama soother tree and it rocks!

Where did you get the soother tree Hannibal? We are forever buying soothers would be handy to throw in the changing bag and sterilise on the go! Especially now that our little fella things it's hilarious to give our dog his dummies!!:)

Pmsl @ giving them to the dog . I got it in mother care. It's so handy..it sterilises them in a minute