when to stop sterilizing

Jamie - posted on 07/22/2010

I never sterilized anything and my son has never been sick. How are they supposed to get immune systems if we "sterilize" everything? The world is full of germs its best to get used to them from the start. Just use common sense.

Shelley - posted on 07/21/2010

i always sterilise bottles but not dishes or spoons,

Mary - posted on 07/19/2010

ive heard 4 - 6 months.
my son is 7 months now and i use disposable bottle liners so i dont have to do the bottles but i still sterilize the nipples. it's a microwave one so its easy enough. better safe then sorry and i dont mind doing it.

Kayleigh - posted on 06/28/2010

hi, i dnt really sterilise the botttles, bt i boil the kettle n wash it tho wit dat, bt i aint had a problem hes a healthy lil boy .

Emma - posted on 06/27/2010

I stopped at about 3 months as well and now just use hot, soapy water.

Mercedes - posted on 06/22/2010

I stopped sterilizing at about 3 months. I wash his toys in very warm water with baby soap, so far, no problems. I figured since he's always putting his hands and everything else he can grab into his mouth, he's already eaten enough germs before I can stop him!

Melody - posted on 06/20/2010

when my daughter turned 12 months, that was when i stopped sterilising, and gave her cows milk. from 4 months until 12 months, sterilised bottles and formula..
my son breastfeeds, and is nearly 7 months, he has water from a sipper cup, but i dont sterilise that. i do boil the water though.

Shandell - posted on 06/20/2010

I have three healthy boys, my youngest is 9 and a half months old, i have just started bottle feeding him, i do sterilize at the moment, and plan to for about 5 more weeks.. I sterilized both other boys bottles till they were 15months, and realized i was alittle overboard, and creating more work for myself, i beleive you do whats best for you and ur baby, and what works,as long as ur comfortable with it, and you feel it best for you personally, thats all you can do.

Lou - posted on 06/19/2010

I sterilized my first 3 childrens bottles, beakers, spoons and bowls for the first 12 months and plan to do so again with my 6 month olds things. Its a drag but I want to try and limit the amounts of bacteria she sucks into her tummy. I'm amazed so many of you dont sterilize (and also a bit jealous as its a pain) but its what I feel is best personally. Three of my kids do suck their thumbs (my eldest never put anything in his mouth) and I feel my baby putting her thumb in her mouth is exposing her to more than enough bacteria without me risking her getting more germs from her feeding kit. Obviously kids need to be exposed to germs and stuff but I would feel really bad if they got sick and I thought I hadn't done my best to protect them.

Caroline - posted on 06/19/2010

do you sterilize his thumb before he sucks it?

Roksolana - posted on 06/18/2010

I always sterilize bottles and dishes before first use, but after that I'm trying to wash them in hot water without using soap and sterilize once or twice a week. but if u want to go soapfree u have to wash them right after she is done with her meal. less chemicals is our goal. never had a problem, but a healthy happy baby! good luck!

Lynne - posted on 06/18/2010

ive got a 7 month daughter and still do it but my friend she stopped at about 10 months as there son was putting everything in there mouth. hope this helps x

Areej - posted on 06/17/2010

I think that its better to sterilize milk bottles

Andrea - posted on 06/17/2010

I've never sterilized anything except for hand washing with regular warm tap water and dish soap. My little girl is 5 months old, never been sick and totally happy, healthy and thriving.

Victoria - posted on 06/17/2010

Hi dear, i do not think this is right. As long your baby uses it, you must endeavour to sterilize against germs and diseases.

Beth - posted on 06/16/2010

I have never sterilized my lil one bottles and stuff, just wash with soap and water. Never have had a problem.

Katie - posted on 06/16/2010

I will continue to sterlize, even when my baby is using sippy cups. My dd uses dr. browns bottles. ANd if they arent sterlized then get soo nasty. also have you looked at the stopper for sippy cups? They too need sterlizing

Wendy - posted on 06/15/2010

I am just sterilising everything that comes into contact with milk as that is a beeding ground for bacteria. My son is 5and a half months and just started weaning. Everything he gets his hands on goes in his mouth and you can't sterilise everything!!

Katie - posted on 06/15/2010

I sterilize when things a brand new and then maybe once a month or after we have outside guests over and have played with things. Otherwise with bottles and dishes I hand wash them with hot water and dish soap. I was told bottles should not be put in the dishwasher because of the extreme hot water can slowly breakdown the plastic and cause tiny fragments to mix in with baby's formula.

Belinda - posted on 06/15/2010

I always got told just to wash them in really hot water with bottle brush then put them in the fridge i never really sterilized them just did this and no problem with my happy healthy 6 month old i dont even bother with this any more just rince them out well

Nicole - posted on 06/15/2010

I was told 12 months, so I did this with my son who's now 20 months, my daughter is almost 6 months and I plan to do it til 12 months. A friend of mine who had her daughter at the same time as me at a different hospital was told by the nurses there that bottles don't need sterilized at all any more, as what they get in their immunizations avoids any problems, my friend still sterilized but stopped when her daughter was 4 months old and she's been fine. Any water my kids drink is either boiled or filtered, and sterilizing her bottles isn't a big deal to me, just pop them in the machine and they're done in 5 minutes. Each mother has their own circumstances and opinion on it. But I had a friend who's child was 12 months when she stopped sterilizing, the daughter got a bad tummy bug, the doctors asked about sterilizing and said her daughter's tummy wasn't ready, so she had to continue sterilizing for a few more months, this is part of why I keep doing it, my son already has problems with his tummy, colic and Hirschsprung's disease, don't want to risk any more tummy aches for him!

Amber - posted on 06/15/2010

I have never sterilized my 6 month old son's bottles. The hospital told me that he will be fine if I don't. I just put them in the sink and wash them. Having to sterilize them is extra work for it not really making any difference to the child.

Ntombikayise - posted on 06/15/2010

I only do it when things are new then wash it with soup and water ( maybe sterilize them twice a month), what i heard is that using hot water when cleaning babies bottle can cause bacteria to build up so what i do is use hot water when washing then after i'm finish rinse with cold water but so far i've never experienced any problems

Hannah - posted on 06/13/2010

I never started sterilizing.. but i wash his dishes in really hot water and made sure i got everything before i put it to dry... Mine would never take a bottle, so i didnt worry about that. He only took a sippy cup lol

Andria - posted on 06/13/2010

Maybe because this is my 2nd child, I wasn't so overboard on sterilizing everything. I did intially on the new stuff, but afterward just normal cleaning plus I breastfeed. Either way, But don't stress about it, things will work out just fine.

Candice - posted on 06/13/2010

Here in New South Wales (Australia) I've been told to sterilise till 12 months as it stops harmful bacterias that lead to diarhoea and vomiting bugs. They say wait this long as it helps your baby to build a resistance. Although there is no need to sterilise bowls and spoons used for feeding.

Angel - posted on 06/11/2010

Well I use baby spring water for my son, so i'm not to sure when to stop.

Morgan - posted on 06/11/2010

its important to sterilise before 3 months as before then they don't have the 'good' bacteria in their stomach. After then you can ease up on it

Caroline - posted on 06/10/2010

I stopped sterilising a few weeks ago, my youngest is 5,5 months, and he seems to be fine. but his bottles go through the dishwasher that automatically steames everything at the end of the cycle...

Keren - posted on 06/09/2010

when the baby starts crawling and he meets the floor with his mouth i guess ther is no need for sterilization anymore

Jasmyn - posted on 06/09/2010

were told here in western australia not 2 sterlise cause it can b harmfull even the hospital dont sterlise i did 4 a while and then my daughter got oral thrush just from sterlising since been just washing in hot water n no problems they didnt have sterliser 50 years ago y use them now

Nicole - posted on 06/09/2010

Ive only sterilized bottles, and pacifiers prior to first use and my daughter just turned 6 months june 3rd

Emily - posted on 06/09/2010

I only do it what first bought ( new stuff) and then I wash in very hot water and mild anti bacterial soap. This is my only baby that would not bfed. So I'm new to bottles too lol

Aneta - posted on 06/08/2010

Although I've always sterilized bottles and toys only once a week, what i read is if you sterilize them daily you can stop doing that at 6 months of age. Then you can wash the bottles and baby's dishes in dish washing machine if you wish.

Francesca - posted on 06/07/2010

Several doctors in the US have told me not to bother sterilizing. Soap and water work well enough to clean the bottles. I've been following this and so far no issues.

Ashleigh - posted on 06/07/2010

i have just stopped sterilizing my sons bottles and he is nearly six months old

Jessica - posted on 06/07/2010

i also heard 6 months for stopping to sterilize.

Sarah - posted on 06/07/2010

I have heard from a few sources it is 12 months. Even though they are exposed to bacteria on spoons and bowls from food, it is actually the milk powder from formula which can make them sick. So if there is any still on the bottles that may have been missed despite cleaning thoroughly, sterilizing is just an extra precaution.

Rachelle - posted on 06/07/2010

i was really bad for sterilizing my daughters bottles and she's fine it never caused her to have any problems. but i dont have city water i have a well that is spring water so theres no chemicals the city monitared water has.. i think it all depends on your comfort level when you feel like you should. i think people say 6 months because thats when babies start to drink water and if there drinking it then theres no more point in sterilizing.