How often should I sterilize baby bottles?

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asked Nov 22, 2023 in Baby/Newborn by Alpileanyu (870 points)
How often should I sterilize baby bottles?

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answered Jun 9 by callfromme (15,390 points)
You should only sterilize baby bottles every few days or so if needed but you don't always need to sterilize baby bottles.

You should not sterilize baby bottles every time as there is really no need to do so as long as you wash the baby bottles and nipples after every use and the baby is healthy.

You don't need to sterilize bottles every time unless the baby is sick or the bottle nipple has fell on the floor etc.

If you don't sterilize baby bottles the baby bottle and nipple could contain bacteria which can make some younger babies that are 6 months and under sick.

However for babies 6 months of age and older there's no need to sterilize baby bottles unless the baby is sick or the nipple has gotten on the floor or ground.
Boiling pacifiers is safe as long as you just simply use some tongs to dip the pacifiers in the boiling water for a few seconds at a time.

Don't leave pacifiers in a pot of boiling water as it can melt the pacifiers.

Boiling pacifiers does kill germs and bacteria although you don't want to boil the pacifier too long or the nipple and plastic shield of the pacifier could melt.

To boil a pacifier to sterilize it you should get the water boiling and then use a pair of tongs to dip the pacifier in the boiling water for a few seconds at a time.

You can sterilize pacifiers in the dishwasher using the top rack and a mesh back and using hot water or the hot setting on the dishwasher.

You should only need to sterilize pacifiers when your baby or child is sick or if they've fallen on the ground, floor etc.

Pacifiers don't need constant sterilizing although it's recommended by some doctors to sterilize pacifiers daily or every few days for baby's up to 6 months of age but it's not always necessary.

To sterilize a pacifier in the microwave fill a microwave safe bowl or cup with water halfway and run the microwave for 2 minutes with the pacifier in the container of water.

Then flip the pacifier over again after 2 minutes and microwave for another 2 minutes.

Just use caution when removing the pacifier as the water trapped in the plastic of the pacifier or nipple will still be hot.

It is necessary to sterilize pacifiers if they've fallen on the floor, the baby or toddler is sick or if you just bought the pacifiers.

However you don't need to sterilize the pacifiers all the time or after every use as long as they have not fallen on the floor or ground etc.

If the pacifier was simply in the baby or child's mouth then it will not harm them to use it again without sterilizing it.

I've always at least rinsed off my child's pacifiers when they had them out of their mouth but just to get the saliva off of it to keep it smelling good.

I've never sterilized my child's pacifiers except for when they were sick, first bought them or if they fell on the floor.

Even bottles and the nipples do not need sterilization all the time unless the child or baby is sick.

Simply washing them between uses or even washing the pacifier is enough between uses.

Doctors actually only recommend boiling the pacifiers before the first use - not subsequent cleaning.

If your dishwasher has a hot wash and hot dry cycle, it can double as a pacifier sterilizer.

Place pacifiers in the dishwasher, ensuring they are secure in a mesh bag or dishwasher basket.

Use the hot wash and dry cycles to effectively clean and sterilize the pacifiers.

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