Sterilising Bottles, Microwave Steriliser, Sterilise Feeding Bottle.

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Baby Feeding » Sterilising Bottles

Although commercial steam sterilisers are widely available today, they can be rather costly. Mother's, who are on a budget, can still sterilise bottle-feeding equipment simply by using a pot.

•	Place the bottle and other items to be sterilised in a pot of water and boil for 10 minutes.
•	When done, drain the equipment and keep them covered until use. You may choose to fill all the bottles needed for a 24-hour period and put them in the refrigerator until they are needed. When you take a bottle to use, warm it in a bowl of warm water until it is room temperature.

Alternatively, mothers can use a microwave steriliser solely made for this purpose. Just remember to rinse the equipment in boiled water and allow the bottles to dry; they should not be wiped.

HOW TO STERILISE FEEDING BOTTLE

Bottlefeeding requires conscientious hygiene. All sorts of bacteria thrive in warm milk so you will need to sterilise the bottles, teats and spoons you use to make up the feed thoroughly in one of three ways:

Chemical sterilising -The steriliser you buy may be a tank or bucket shape. It must have a float to put over the bottles and teats to keep them completely submerged in a solution made up according to the manufacturer's instructions with water and sterilising liquid or tablets (available from chemists and baby care shops). The washed feeding equipment can be kept in the solution until it is needed, but it's important to check that there are no air bubbles in the bottles, as these areas will not be sterilised. Change the solution every 24 hours and rinse the bottles and teats with cooled, boiled water to remove all traces of the solution before making up the feed.

Steaming - An electric steam steriliser which stands on your worktop is the simplest way to sterilise. You can buv special models designed for use in a microwave.

Boiling - This is a useful method in an emergency, such as when you have to make up an extra feed unexpectedly but it is very time-consuming. You need to boil all equipment for 15 minutes, making sure no air bubbles are trapped.