How long to steralise and why do it anyhow?

[~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.

[Nai]

If you are using formula it is still important to sterilise because of the milk based bacteria - this can make bubs very sick if they ingest it. Apparently breast milk isn't the same (not sure why). I sterilised for the first 12 months and since then just hot soapy water. However I know others who have just done it for 6 months.

[satya]

I've been told to do it til they are either 6 months or 12 months (can't remember who said what now). I've heard about the hospitals that don't recommend it at all but my health nurse says it's better to be safe and sorry, particularly with Melbourne's water being at it's lowest levels ever.

The nurse that runs my mothers group says that after they are crawling or walking there's no point in sterilizing as bubs is in contact with lots of germs anyway so soap and water is fine from then onwards. She also said not to vaccuum every day as your child will end up picking up more bugs if you do. I loved that little bit of info!!!!