Bottle feeding is an excellent choice to feed your infant. In this feeding process, bottles play a vital role in providing food to your baby. Therefore, you need to wash them properly before and after every use. Also, baby bottles require sterilization at least once daily. Throughout cleansing and sterilizing, you will be able to keep your baby safe from harmful bacteria. This entire article will guide you to purify baby bottles and other necessary instructions.
Why is it Essential to Wash the Bottle Before First Use?
It’s necessary to cleanse feeding bottles before very first use. From manufacturing to packaging, plastic bottles go through a lot. And throughout these processes, the existence of different kinds of germs is not impractical. Thus, parents should not use feeding bottles for the first time without washing them properly. Boiling for about five minutes is enough; you don’t need to use any soap or brush-like regular wash.
Why Cleansing a Baby Bottle Every Time Before and After Use is Necessary?
The Digestive and immune system of a newborn is delicate and not familiar with the millions of germs we face every day. Though immunization passes from mother to baby throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding, babies’ immature digestive systems are still too sensitive to fight against bacteria. Without proper washing, those bacteria and germs of bottles may generate Diarrhea, food poisoning, vomiting, Hepatitis A, Rotavirus, and other severe health issues. Therefore, pediatricians urge parents to clean baby bottles for the first few months before and after every use. In this way, the invisible germs, bacteria, or viruses hiding in a bottle’s nooks and crannies, will remain away from the baby. And your kid will stay safe from unwanted diseases.
How to Clean Baby Bottles Easily:
- Depart all the parts like bottles, valves, nipples, caps, rings, etc., and hold them under tap water. Rinse every portion carefully.
- Firstly fill the sink with hot water and add soap or dishwashing liquid. You can clean baby bottles with baking soda or with vinegar also. You need to make a solution of baking soda and water or a solvent of vinegar and water.
- Then add every part of the feeding bottles into the water. Pour water into bottles and clean inside of the bottle by brush until the bottle is clean. Remove the water with the nipple hole and squeeze it to clean it thoroughly.
- Thoroughly rinse all the parts under running water to wash away all the soapy water.
- Dry all the parts in a dish drainer.
- Washing a baby bottle in a dishwasher is safe, but try to use hot water and a hot drying cycle. Don’t forget to check the manufacturer’s label to make sure that every bottle item is dishwasher safe.
- Sanitize your hands with soap before removing the cleaned bottle pieces from the dishwasher. Place them on a fresh, unused dish towel to air-dry completely. Please do not use that towel to rub or pat items to make them dry. It may convey germs from the towel to the bottle parts.
How Often a Baby Bottle Needs Sterilization?
There is no need to sterilize feeding bottles every time. Thorough cleaning after every use is sufficient to keep your baby safe from unwanted substances. Baby bottles need sterilization after the purchase or while the baby is using the bottle for the first time.
Sterilize the feeding bottle after your kiddo’s recovery from illness. Otherwise, the presence of a tiny germ can make your child ill again.
If in your area tap water is unavailable, and you get well water, it is wise to disinfect baby bottles after every use. Bacteria that exist in the well water are less harmful. However, you should not take even a single risk while your junior’s health is the concern.
Don’t forget to separate all the parts of the bottles before sterilizing.
One Crucial Fact You Need to Lookup Before Sterilizing:
Make sure that the bottle is free from BPA and other nasty chemicals. Plastic bottles sometimes contain BPA, which may leak when heated. BPA also counter your baby’s normal development, so it’s sensible to use BPA free bottle for breastfed babies.
How to Sterilize Baby Bottles:
Before sterilizing:
- Wash every bottle parts, brushes, and washbasins.
- Sterilize all items by using one of the following methods.
- Check the manufacturer’s instructions to decide which among the following will be the better sanitizing process for the bottle you have.
Sterilizing through boiling:
- Place the dismantled feeding items into a pan and cover them with water.
- Put the pan over the flame and boil for 5 minutes.
- Exclude all the bottle parts with clean pinchers.
Sanitizing through Steaming
- Put all the dismantled items in a microwave or a plug-in steam system. Copy the manufacturer’s directions for sterilizing, cooling, and wiping the things.
Disinfecting by Bleaching:
- Make a bleach solution of 2 teaspoons of unflavored bleach with water in a clean sink.
- Engulf all items, checking that the solution reaches all the parts and there is no existence of air bubbles in the bottles.
- Soak every item in the solution for a minimum of 2 minutes. Release the solution through nipple holes to make the bottle nipple entirely disinfected.
- Extract with clean hands or pinchers.
- After sterilizing, set items on a clean, unused dish towel in an area away from dirt and dust. Any bleach leftover will seize up soon as it dries and will not harm your kid.
- Allow them to become thoroughly air-dry before storing. Do not rub the items with a dish towel to dry. Otherwise, it may transfer germs to the bottle parts.
Never compromise with baby’s health. Be safe, and keep your tot away from germs, bacteria, and viruses. You can follow the same process to clean sippy cups.
