Sterilising Bottles

Based on our research, we’ve found out that most parents with young babies under the age of one would follow the midwife’s recommendation of sterilising Baby Bottles . This is not a real big surprise as most parents know that until that age, babies often become ill easily and they would not want to take that huge risk.

Every parent we met often wondered whether sterilising bottles is really necessary. It’s something that they’ve been asked to do and have happily done, but there is one big question running at the back of their minds…

Why bother sterilising bottles if bacteria can grow on them once I take them out of the steriliser?Whilst it is true that bacteria grow back on bottles and nipples once you take them out of any type of steriliser, what we should remember is that bacteria need two things to grow back, just like any living creature. They would need a source of food and time to grow.

What sterilisation mainly does is to kill most bacteria present in the bottles and teats. Once the bottles and teats are taken out of the steriliser, the surviving bacteria will then need time to grow back (often 2 hours or more) to a big number before it starts having a negative impact like causing upset tummies. Bacterial growth to a big number follows a few of phases and doesn’t happen in an instant.

Knowing a little more about bacteria and how they grow, it appears that sterilising baby feeding bottle does make sense. But remember that getting rid of the source of food is equally important so washing baby bottles well before sterilising is needed.Also, if you are using steam or microwave sterilisers, remember to regularly wash and air dry them. Because they are always damp, they’re a perfect place for bacteria to grow in!