Sterilizing Baby Bottles

Everything used to feed your babies needs to be sterilized as their immunity levels are very low. So it goes without saying that sterilizing baby bottles is one of the most important part of baby care which you must follow before the first use and after each use. Now, are you wondering is sterilizing baby bottles necessary before the first use? Yes, even if you have bought a new bottle, it needs to be sterilized before use as it may contain bacteria harmful for your kid's health. Here are some methods of sterilizing baby bottles.

Sterilizing Baby Bottles: Steam Method
Sterilizing baby bottles using electric steam is similar to what is used in the hospitals. This method takes about ten minutes for sterilizing baby bottles. First, unwrap all the bottles, nipples, and pacifiers from their package. Now, separate the nipples from the nipple rings, if applicable and and gather all the items together. Place all these parts upside down in the steamer to ensure proper sterilization for ten minutes. Now, remove the lid of the steamer carefully because its interior is extremely hot. Sanitizing baby bottles in this way will ensure that there is no smell or taste and if kept covered, the items will remain sterile for three hours. This process of sterilizing baby bottles is efficient and doesn't take much time.

Sterilizing Baby Bottles: Boiling Method
Take out the bottles, nipples and pacifiers from the package. Also, separate the nipples from the nipple rings, if possible. Now place a pot filled with water on the stove and turn the heat on to high. Make sure the pot used is big enough to hold all the bottles. Place all the separated parts of the baby bottle in this water. Let the water boil, keep the above mentioned items for ten minutes in boiling water before taking them out. Now use a set of tongs and take out the things from the hot water and place them on a dish rack or paper towels and let them dry. Make sure that the rack used is a clean one.

Sterilizing Baby Bottles: Microwave Method
Before you start the procedure of sterilizing baby bottles, clean your microwave properly because the food cooked in your microwave might infect the bottle nipple and further upset your baby's stomach. Add water to the base of the microwave baby bottle sterilizer, the quantity varies slightly according to the brand. Put the bottle rack in the base and place the bottles, nipples and other parts in the baby bottle sterilizer. Now place the lid and lock it properly and place it in your microwave.

These microwave baby bottle sterilizers use steam for sterilizing baby bottles and the process takes only a few minutes. Each model requires different time for which the microwave needs to be set, you need to follow the instruction manual for these settings. Once the process is over, let it cool in the microwave for 2 minutes. Now, remove the lid carefully staying away from the steam. The bottles and accessories might still be hot so remove them with care.

If your bottles and bottle nipples are microwavable, you can skip the above procedure of sanitizing baby bottles. You can place the bottle and its parts in the microwave for 90 seconds to ensure that they are sterile. Keep the bottles open while the microwave is on, they will sterilized on their own in the microwave. Remove the bottles after 90 seconds.

Sterilizing Baby Bottles: Cold water and Tablets
Tablets for baby bottle sterilization are easily available in the market. Dissolve the prescribed amount of tablets in the water to form a solution that is effective against bacteria. You can make this solution in a bucket with a lid, which is used for this purpose alone. Place the bottle and its parts in this bucket, the bottles should completely submerge in the solution and make sure that there are no air bubbles in the bottles. Sterilization should be complete in half an hour, but it is recommended to keep the items in the solution for 24 hours to get the best results. Remember, to make a fresh solution everyday. Also, wash your hands before removing the sterilized items.

Sterilizing Baby Bottles: Tips
Never leave sterilized bottles in the open for too long, as they lose their sterility. So, once the bottles are sterilized, make the baby's feed and store it. When you purchase a baby bottle sterilizer, get the one that's designed to work in your microwave. You can also use baby bottle sanitizers to clean baby bottles. You can use special bottle brushes or sterile cotton swabs to get into hard-to-reach, small spots in nipples while cleaning them. Remember to dry the items thoroughly after sterilizing before putting them away as moisture helps the germs thrive. You must sterilize pacifiers on a regular basis to avoid bacteria spread, especially if the infant has a cold or the pacifier has been dropped on the ground. Throw away the pacifiers and nipples that are cracked and stained.

Sanitizing baby bottles with bleach is also a procedure similar to the above methods but bleach is known to be harmful, so it is better to avoid it. You can opt for any of the aforementioned methods of sterilizing baby bottles before each use for safe baby feeding. Remember that sterilizing baby bottles, nipples, utensils and pacifiers properly is necessary for a healthy baby.