Sterilizing Baby Bottles

A Quick Guide to Sterilizing Baby Bottles

The practice of sterilizing baby bottles became common many years ago when people first began feeding infants cow’s milk. It became especially important when the quality of city drinking water was poor. Prior to the 1950s, city drinking water was not monitored, or even treated so there was a major chance of bacteria being in the water. When mothers began using condensed milk and adding this water, doctors were adamant that sterilizing baby bottles was a necessity so this became a very common practice.

Prior to the 1950s, mothers would frequently make large batches of baby milk, or baby formula and store it in baby bottles; in many cases the milk was not stored in a fridge, but left out on a counter. This led to the growth of dangerous bacteria in the milk, and could make an infant very sick. These are the reasons why doctors began recommending that mothers should be sterilizing baby bottles.

After the 1950s, the city water was closely monitored and treated to kill bacteria. Research has shown that baby formula made with city water and put in clean bottles is as free from bacteria as the formula stored in sterilized baby bottles. The conclusion of the research was indicates that sterilizing baby bottles is no longer necessary, unless you get your water from source other than city water. If you do get your water from the city, you probably do not need to sterilize bottles and water. In the case that you do get your water from another source, you will want to boil the water and let it cool before mixing it with the baby formula.

For those who want to be extra safe by sterilizing baby bottles, the method that this should be done is as follows.

Always rinse your baby bottle with warm water as soon as your baby is done drinking from it. This will ensure that no formula becomes dried onto the bottle, which can be difficult to remove.

If you have a dishwasher that has an upper rack water source, you can use it for sterilizing baby bottles. Place the bottles on the upper rack and select the highest temperature option, along with a heat dry cycle. This will be sufficient enough to sterilize your baby’s bottles. If your dishwasher does not have a separate water source for the top rack, you will need to use a different method.

Place bottles, nipples and rings in a pot of boiling water, simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes. You will need to make sure that you have a lid on the pan. If you are using glass baby bottles, it will be necessary to put a clean washrag or towel on the bottom of the pan before placing the baby bottles inside.

There are also sterilizers available that are meant specifically for sterilizing baby bottles. You can get one that is used on the stove and comes with a rack to keep the bottles off of the bottom of the pan, or you can choose an electronic sterilizer.

Another option to sterilizing baby bottles is to use the type of bottles that come with a disposable liner. As long as the nipple and the rest of the bottle are clean, sterilizing should not be necessary, as each time you make a bottle you are using a clean and sterile liner.

As already stated, as long as you are using city water and cleaning your baby bottles after each use, sterilizing them should not be necessary, unless your child’s doctor recommends it. If you have any doubts, consult your healthcare provider for more information.