microwave sterilizers ...?

Hi there,

Can anyone recommend sterilizers to me? Do I use one for all my needs? I really don't know much about them but assuming that I would use it for bottles, pumps and everything else??
How much should I be looking at to spend?

Thanks!

I have a microwve steam steriliser. I got it at Big W for about $20. I dont really use it often as I brestfeed, but I have used it to clean bottles and teats when I hve expressed a feed. I dont use it everytime though - sometimes I will just use hot soapy water to clean the bottles.

i bought a $5 vegie steamer from best and less, does the job!!

Nox, I use the advent micrwave steriliser and it was around $40 and came with 2 Avent bottles as well.

with sterilising can you put anything into it -- ie plastic dishes etc? Can you put any brand of bottles and teats in the sterilisers?
Is there a reason to use a microwave steriliser rather than the dishwasher?

i put all sorts of things in mine, though i dont do it often as i b/f, but i do sterilse the droppers from medicines, teats bottles expressing stuff

When you're chosing your microwave steriliser, also take note of its size. We bought an Avent one and it only just fitted in our microwave!

We sterilise DD's dummies and spoons in there too. Be careful with medecine droppers as they aren't all made for sterilising and can detetriorate pretty quickly (or so the pharmacist tells me).

That's a good point -- thanks. Do you put things like thermometers, bowels, etc in there? How long do you use sterilisers for? (ie how old is the bub when you stop?)

I have an Avent one that I used for all of DD's bottles, dummies and teats. I use it now for my breastpump and to sterilise bottles to store frozen bm in.

I've never used it to sterilise bowls or eating utensils, they go through the dishwasher and that's hot enough for those, since they aren't storing food in them for any length of time.

DS is 10 months old and I only sterilise for him still because if I pump milk I freeze it - anything that's going to be stored will keep a bit longer if it's stored in sterile containers. When DD was a baby on formula I sterilised her bottles until about 12 months but in hindsight it wasn't necessary to do it for that long.

"They" say you should sterilise for the first 12 months. We have no particular reason as to why we sterlise DD's spoons - they just get chucked in the utensil drawer anyway! I don't put them through the dishwasher because I noticed one of them deteriated a bit. We will sterlise her bottles for the first 12 months (she is formula fed).
Thermometers - are you talking about ones to take bubs temp? I would not recomend sterlising a mercury one in a steam steriliser. If you are worried about germs, you can clean them with alcohol wipes. If you have one for the ear - you can buy covers for them that you dispose of after each use.

HTH

MG

I have the Avent steriliser, can't remember the cost. I got it as I was also buying the Avent pump at the same time. Was quite happy with it as it is made to take the Avent pump, bottles etc.

Did not even know that I could have used the dishwasher, doubt I would have though, as often I needed the speed of the microwave one.

I use the Avent Bottles and at first I had just a no name microwave steriliser but the lid didnt shut completely only just open. This time around I have the Avent Steriliser which come with 2 bottles. I used to boil the bottles too cos I didnt trust the old micro steriliser.