Sterilizing Baby Bottles

This is similar to what is used in the hospitals. This method takes about ten minutes. First, unwrap all the bottles, nipples, and pacifiers from their package. Now, separate the nipples from the nipple rings, if applicable 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 the 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 is efficient and doesn't take much time.

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 in this water.

Let the water boil, keep the 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.

Clean your microwave properly, because the food cooked in your microwave might infect the nipple and further upset your baby's stomach. Add water to the base of the microwave sterilizer, the quantity varies slightly according to the brand.

Put the rack in the base and place the bottles, nipples, and other parts in the sterilizer. Now, place the lid and lock it properly and place it in your microwave.

These microwave sterilizers use steam to sterilize, 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 nipples are microwavable, you can skip the given procedure. 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.

Tablets for 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.

Never leave sterilized bottles in the open for too long, as they lose their sterility. So, once the sterilization is done, make the baby's feed and store it. When you purchase a sterilizer, get the one that's designed to work in your microwave.

You can also use sanitizers to clean 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 your baby's bottles with bleach is also a procedure similar to the given methods, but bleach is known to be harmful, so it is better to avoid it.

You can opt for any of the aforementioned methods before each use for safe baby feeding. Remember that sterilizing the bottles, nipples, utensils, and pacifiers properly is extremely important.