At what age should you stop sterlising every thing

Stacey - posted on 07/18/2009

I have read that you should sterilise bottles and teats, and use cool, boiled tap water until 12 months, but I dont worry about food utensils or toys.

Stacey - posted on 07/18/2009

I have read that bottles and teats should be sterilised and babies should be given cool 'boiled' tap water upto the age of 12 months, but I dont worry about sterilising food utensils or toys.

Kristie - posted on 07/15/2009

My daughter is 9 mos. and we still sterilize everything. However we have never boiled anything. We have always used the microwave sterlization bags. It only takes one minute 30 seconds and it comes out blazing HOT! They are sold by Munchkin. We love them...they are fast and perfect for sterlizing baby items.

Shannon - posted on 07/14/2009

Quoting Emma:

Quoting Shannon:

You mean like bottles? I stopped sterilizing them at 3 months when I could start mixing his formula with tap water. As far as toys go, I just try to keep them clean but they don't need to be sterile. Babies' immune systems need to be exposed to germs to develop properly.

You cant mix formula with tap water babys cant even have water strate from the tap it all has to be boiled first untill they get to 6months old and then the only time they have water strate from the tap it only for a drink you still have to boil the water for the formuler even if your baby is 1year old and you give them the growing up milk formula you still need to boil the water first to make the bottles even the doctors, nurses, midwifes and health visitors will tell you that it even tells yo that on the hipp organic baby website www.hippbaby.co.uk it even in the baby books you get from the hospital

Actually in Canada it's perfectly acceptable to mix formula with tap water. The public health nurses and any doctor will tell you to go ahead after 4 months. 

Shannon - posted on 07/14/2009

Quoting Emma:

Quoting Shannon:

You mean like bottles? I stopped sterilizing them at 3 months when I could start mixing his formula with tap water. As far as toys go, I just try to keep them clean but they don't need to be sterile. Babies' immune systems need to be exposed to germs to develop properly.

You cant mix formula with tap water babys cant even have water strate from the tap it all has to be boiled first untill they get to 6months old and then the only time they have water strate from the tap it only for a drink you still have to boil the water for the formuler even if your baby is 1year old and you give them the growing up milk formula you still need to boil the water first to make the bottles even the doctors, nurses, midwifes and health visitors will tell you that it even tells yo that on the hipp organic baby website www.hippbaby.co.uk it even in the baby books you get from the hospital

Actually in Canada it's perfectly acceptable to mix formula with tap water. The public health nurses and any doctor will tell you to go ahead after 4 months. 

Annette - posted on 07/14/2009

Up until my my baby was 8 months, I sterilised her bottles before each use. After rhat, I just sterilise them once a day.



New clothes and toys get washed before they are used.

If we go out and a toy falls on the ground or on the floor of a restaurant etc, then I'll wash it.



As for the boiled water issue: I only use boiled waer for Sofie's formula, and a bit of a boiled water/ filtered water mix for drinking.

Dannielle - posted on 07/13/2009

depending on the childs age...though my opion is that a big pot of water bring it to boil 4 at least 5 mins and its sterile...sterilizing is over rated how is the child meant to fight of things when everything is sterile u need not to stress so much about it and let your child play with like u want...

Zojoho - posted on 07/12/2009

For ALL 3 of my Babies, I stopped sterilising bottles/teats etc. from around 8 m.o. I figure once they start crawling around and putting anything and everything in their mouths, then I no longer need to sterlise the bottles or dummies.

I found this bit of info on boiling water..and hope it helps..

QUOTE: Remember to:

Boil the water until your baby is at least 6 months old.

When an electric kettle automatically switches off is fine.

Kettles with no automatic switch-off should be turned off within 30 seconds of boiling.

Water that comes from a tap with a filter also needs to be boiled (until at least 6 months of age).

Add fresh water to the kettle each time you make up formula.

Let the water cool before you use it so it is lukewarm, or about room temperature.

If you would like to keep boiling tap water for your baby until 12 months of age (when you will change from formula to cow's milk), this is fine.

Spring, bottled or rain water does not have fluoride in it. Tap water in some country areas also does not have fluoride added. If you can't use tap water with fluoride for your baby's formula or are often using tap water without fluoride, spring, bottled or rain water, speak to your dentist about your baby's teeth.

Spring or bottled water should only be used if you can't use tap water. It needs to be boiled for babies until they are 12 months old.

If you have a rain water tank and can't use tap water, the rain water needs to be boiled for all babies and children until they are 5 years old.

If you are making up more than one bottle at a time and storing the water or formula in the fridge for later, boil the water until your baby is at least 12 months old.

Never use mineral water for making up formula. It has high levels of salts and minerals. This is not good for your baby's kidneys. QUOTE.

This info came from: http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTo...

I still boil Holly's water for her formula as I use Rain water in my kettle due to the high levels of Calcium etc. in our tap water (it ruins washers, taps, water pipes, kettles..), but for drinking water, she has water straight out of the tap - no boiling.

Jennifer - posted on 07/12/2009

I have never heard anything abot no tap water. I've been mixing the formula with water out of a water purifier and tap water at the in-laws. SHe's never had any problems. Why do you have to boil anyway?

Leanne - posted on 07/07/2009

the book says 6 months.. but I have heard several of my friends range from never sterilizing to still sterilizing @ 10 months..

Rachael - posted on 07/05/2009

Quoting Jennifer:

Quoting Rachael:

The only reason I continue to do it is because she likes to share her toys with the dog. When they go in the dogs mouth they get washed.

Perfectly understandable, hope you didn't think I was dissing you. My mum thinks I'm a terribly lazy mummy for not sterlising everything that goes in Molly's mouth, I just feel I've got better things to do with my time! She about passed out in shock when I told her I gave Molly tap water at 5 months!

I give my daughter water from the thingy in the fridge door and have been since she was probably about 5 months too. She kept stealing my water bottle and trying to drink out of it so I bought her cups with straws and she loves it. Ice water has been a life saver when she's teething. She doesn't drink nearly as much as she lets drain right out of her mouth but she will sit and munch and suck on the straw without crying. It works so I don't really care if she makes a mess. 

Emma - posted on 07/05/2009

Quoting Shannon:

You mean like bottles? I stopped sterilizing them at 3 months when I could start mixing his formula with tap water. As far as toys go, I just try to keep them clean but they don't need to be sterile. Babies' immune systems need to be exposed to germs to develop properly.

You cant mix formula with tap water babys cant even have water strate from the tap it all has to be boiled first untill they get to 6months old and then the only time they have water strate from the tap it only for a drink you still have to boil the water for the formuler even if your baby is 1year old and you give them the growing up milk formula you still need to boil the water first to make the bottles even the doctors, nurses, midwifes and health visitors will tell you that it even tells yo that on the hipp organic baby website www.hippbaby.co.uk it even in the baby books you get from the hospital

Jennifer - posted on 07/05/2009

Quoting Rachael:

The only reason I continue to do it is because she likes to share her toys with the dog. When they go in the dogs mouth they get washed.

Perfectly understandable, hope you didn't think I was dissing you. My mum thinks I'm a terribly lazy mummy for not sterlising everything that goes in Molly's mouth, I just feel I've got better things to do with my time! She about passed out in shock when I told her I gave Molly tap water at 5 months!

Rachael - posted on 07/05/2009

The only reason I continue to do it is because she likes to share her toys with the dog. When they go in the dogs mouth they get washed.

Jennifer - posted on 07/05/2009

Sorry I forgot to answer the post! The only thing I ever sterilised was my breast pump, but I gave up on that at about 4 months and just shove it in the dishwasher on the rare occasion I use it. It didn't even occur to me to sterilise her toys although I do stick the stuffed animals in the machine if they get grubby looking. I am of the same opinion as Shannon as regards to exposing them to help their immune system. I've seen research that suggests the reason behind so much childhood asthma/ allergies etc is an obsession with cleanliness and sterilisation.

Kelly - posted on 07/05/2009

I breastfed so didn't sterilize at all since she was over 5-months old before she started eating solids. Plus she puts all sorts of gross stuff in her mouth before I can stop her so non-sterilized dishes are the least of my worries.

Rachael - posted on 07/04/2009

I sterilized everything when I take it out of the package. I'll throw her stuffed animals in the washer and her other hard plastic toys in the dishwasher about once a week. I used to do it a ton when she spit up on them but she has stopped spitting up now, YEA!!!

Brenda - posted on 07/03/2009

I sterilized when we bought the bottles, at three months, and that's it. We just throw everything in the dishwasher. My baby has never had a problem with not sterilizing more often.

The term nipple in the US stands for both the "bits at the end of your boob" and the teat (I think that's what you call it- the silicone tip at the end of the bottle the baby drinks from).

Trudi - posted on 07/03/2009

Hi there!

I wondered about that too, and was told by our Childrens nurse to stop sterilising around 8 months and to keep boiling her bottle water still.

I guess it is up to the individual, but it was great to understand that I don't need to panic about her bottles so much

Cheers

P.S the nipple thing made me laugh as well.....well, actually choke and laugh

Niki - posted on 07/03/2009

well i am glad that i could give u good a laugh today :) lol

Jennifer - posted on 07/03/2009

Quoting Niki:

the only thing sterilize is her nipples and i do that about once every 2 weeks just to keep them clean, and for her toys the ones that i can throw in the washer i do when she vomits on them, and for the plastic i throw them in the sink once a month with a cap full of bleach and just let them soak for 2 mins rinse then i am done

I take it by nipples you are referring to something american and not actually your daughters baby boobs? I now have a very strange and funny picture in my head.

Jennifer - posted on 07/03/2009

Quoting Niki:

the only thing sterilize is her nipples and i do that about once every 2 weeks just to keep them clean, 

Okay, you'll need to excuse me for being british, and I'm sure you'll all have a good laugh at my expense, but "nipples", are they something else in america, because here they are the bits on the end of your boob? I about choked on my drink when I read that.

Niki - posted on 07/02/2009

the only thing sterilize is her nipples and i do that about once every 2 weeks just to keep them clean, and for her toys the ones that i can throw in the washer i do when she vomits on them, and for the plastic i throw them in the sink once a month with a cap full of bleach and just let them soak for 2 mins rinse then i am done

Stephanie - posted on 07/01/2009

Yikes I never sterilized any of my babies feeding stuff....neither of my children got sick or anything so why do we sterilize the stuff....just curious.

Peanut - posted on 06/10/2009

I didn't sterilize anything with my 2nd baby who was born 10/31/08. I did use the dishwasher and used the sanitize option. I sterilized everytihng with my 1st born, and I stopped at 4 months when I added formula to her diet and started solids

I think if you feel like your missing time with your baby due to cleaning, just stop the deep cleaning. To erase my guilt I thought of other countries where people aren't as lucky as us, who share their home with their animals, most of those babies grow up healthy and those moms are great too! Don't beat yourself up, they are only young once and the doctor is just a phone call away!

Nancy - posted on 06/09/2009

I stopped sterilizing at 4 months! Everything is washed in hot soapy water and rinsed thourghlybut I have been known to pick her pacifier off the floor and pop it back into her mouth....My mom washes my floors and I have a strict no shoes on my floor rule so they are clean. As Shannon said, they need to be exposed to some germs for their immune systems to develop.

Elizabeth - posted on 06/09/2009

thanks for the help

Shannon - posted on 06/09/2009

You mean like bottles? I stopped sterilizing them at 3 months when I could start mixing his formula with tap water. As far as toys go, I just try to keep them clean but they don't need to be sterile. Babies' immune systems need to be exposed to germs to develop properly.