Guide for cleaning & sterilising baby bottles
Cleaning Bottles
- After you have finished feeding the bottle of milk to baby,
rinse out the bottle. Dismantle the lid and teat and also
rinse these out thoroughly.
- Wash the bottles, teats, lids, caps (everything that comes into
contact with milk) with hot soapy water and a bottle brush.
There are soft
bottle brushes available which are skinny
enough to get through the rim of the bottle, but can reach down to
reach all the walls. You must also wash out the teat and
bottle neck with the brush to remove all milk traces.
- After you have finished scrubbing, rinse all the items with
cold water.
- The next step is to sterilise all the equipment
Sterilising Baby Equipment
There are a couple of options for sterilising baby bottles and
equipment.
- Boiling: place bottles, teats, caps, lids into
a large saucepan and fill with water. Bring to the
boil. The water must be boiling for 4 continuous minutes
before the items are sterilised.
- Microwave Sterilisation: Special
microwave sterilisers are available. Follow the
instructions provided. Typically these require you to add all
items of equipment upside down, add 200mL of water, and microwave
on high for 4 minutes. Depending on the type of steriliser
that you have, the contents may remain sterile for up to 24 hours
while the lid remains on. *though please read the instructions for
your device as this will vary*
- Electronic Sterilisation: There are
electronic sterilisation devices available
also, that sit on bench top.
- You can also purchase chemical sterilisation
tablets, just make them up using the instructions on
the packet.
If you are using glass bottles, the best way to sterilize
these is by boiling in a saucepan, or you should check with the
retailer. Glass bottles should not be sterilized in microwave
or electronic sterilisers
What to do when the items are clean and
sterile?
It is important to consider what you will do after your items
have been cleaned and sterilised. Some people will remove
items and store them in an airtight container, or others will
assemble the bottle (without milk) and store the empty bottle in
the fridge until required at feeding time.
The microwave sterilisers or electronic sterilisers, depending
on the brand, will keep the contents sterile for x hours provided
the lid is secured and is not opened.
It is also recommended that whenever you touch bottles and
teats, you wash your hands first. In particular, try not to
touch the tip of the teat.
At what age can you stop sterilising
equipment?
It is suggested that you continue to sterilize all baby bottles
etc until your baby reaches 6 months of age.
This information applies for all baby feeding equipment that
comes into contact with milk, formula, & breast milk -
including breast pump equipment.