How long to steralise and why do it anyhow?

[MrsFabuloso]

I don't sterilise anything this time. Though we're not using bottles at all, just dummies. I just wash them in hot soapy water maybe twice a day. With DD I sterilised until she was about 6mths, with the same thought as you, that she's licking the floor and stuff, so why sterilise?? I did it occaisionally, to make sure the bottles were clean, maybe every 2-3 days, but not daily. Both my kids are fine!

[Kristale]

I dont steralize anything I just use hot soapy water and rinse in hot water. I work at a womens and childrens hospital and was told by the midwives that they dont steralize anymore and dont promote doing so. Amelie has (touch wood) not had any kind of sickness at all! But if you feel better doing it then I dont see why not and I have read that it is only needed until they one year old.

[~breeze~]

Wow I had heard from one lady that hospitals dont recommend sterilising anymore, I didn't know it was the norm!!

I sterilised DD's bottles & dummies for about the first 18 months. I'm sterilising DS's for at least the next 5-6 months, I just prefer to know the bottles & dummies have been sterilised.

I suppose it comes down to personal choice these days?

[amberj]

Oh wow, I thought it WAS the norm to steralise! Does anyone know why hospitals are not recommending steralising anymore?

[feeb]

hmm we still tell people how to steralise but sayingthat in the hospital we use disposable bottle and teats so educte re all methods of sterlising and also check on dom visits re sterlising.

[Snacks]

It was suggested to us by the health nurse to sterilise bottles but not anything else. Milk products contain heaps of bacteria, and they'll breed in the little spaces in the teat and bottle, so IMO it's worth sterilising items you use for milk.

[*Elle*]

I have never been told not to sterilise bottles etc, I have heard this through friends but for me I just couldnt not do it, I chose to sterilise untill all my children were atleast 1 year old, and if I were to have anymore I would also do the same again, I know when I was in hospital with my youngest, they used disposable bottles but they also had an avent electric steriliser to use if you had bottles to do or anything else, they obviously still expected that people would do this.

also I totally agree with Snacks here too

Milk products contain heaps of bacteria, and they'll breed in the little spaces in the teat and bottle, so IMO it's worth sterilising items you use for milk.