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Babies are expose or open to illness, may catch infection during their first year after birth. Baby bottle as well as nipples if not properly sterilized and not properly stored, this may increase the chances of exposure of baby to bacteria which may lead to illness.
The parent or baby care giver ensure to properly sterilize the bottle, nipple and its cap. Sterilizing the bottle and feeding equipment or accessories are very simple.
Best to minimize the chances of infection in your baby during their first six, is very simple that is to keep baby on breast feed only, as recommended by WHO & UNICEF. Follow it until or unless there is problem or known established scientific reason.
There are various methods and rules to sterilize baby feeding bottles and it accessories. The techniques use to be same either using glass bottle or plastic bottle.
Please follow below recommendation:
The most common method of sterilization is mostly done by heating.
Is it needed to sterilize baby bottle after each feed?’
If bottle and nipples has been properly sterilized than no need to sterilize after every feed or use. You need to ensure and yourself validate the feeding bottle and accessories are thoroughly cleaned with soapy water as well as running water to ensure no residue is there.
Please assess and know when you need to sterilize again the bottle and accessories.
It is recommended to sterilize once week this prevent buildup of harmful bacteria. Please make sure bottles and nipples are washed properly after use and place these in safe and clean place. If the baby is sick than you need to sterilize it more frequently to avoid catching germs / filth or have new baby bottle.
Properly Sterilize new baby bottle and its accessories.
Exercise extra caution when your baby is sick:
If the baby is suffering or just recovered from cold, flu and fever as parent you need to exercise extra precaution to ensure the bottle and nipples are fully sterilized. This extra precaution you want to take because baby should not be re-infected again.
Watch out for BPA. The baby bottles are commonly made of plastic which contain BPA or other harmful chemicals. Various scientific studies have shown when such bottles are heated these harmful chemicals enter in baby via formula or milk given to baby.
Due to heating method of sterilization it is necessary baby bottle don’t contain BPA.
It is better to choose glass bottles. These are considered safe for babies. But glass bottle use also need to be use with caution because of it breaking properties.
For further detail on BPA please read: linked BPA to development problems in young children.
Baby Bottle sterilization by boiling water:
If you are adopting this method, which is very common in our region where our country Pakistan falls. It is effective method and very economical, which is the need in under develop and developing countries. This is done by placing baby bottle and nipple in boiling water. It is advocated to have dedicated pan or pot for baby bottle sterilization. If you use this utensil for cooking also, than please ensure to thoroughly clean the pot thoroughly before using for sterilizing the baby bottle and its accessories.
When you are ready to sterilize the bottles and nipples in the pan, please make sure to fill the pan with water to the level that the bottle and nipple are fully immersed. If the baby feeding bottle is made of plastic than it is needed that it should be weigh down or fully immerse because plastic has tendency to float due to lighter in weight and it may appear on surface. After immersing in water please ensure then no bubble remain in it. After ensuring it, then cover the pan and boil the bottle and nipple for 6-10 minutes. With this technique of boiling water chances are bottle and nipple get damage earlier as compare to other method of sterilization.
After finishing sterilization, please use proper tongs to take of bottle and needle. Secondly place the bottle and nipple upside down in dry place or pot. In the market there are good drying rack available to place it.
Baby Bottle Drying Rack proposed
Use of Electric Streamer:
Now days it is becoming popular to use electric streamer to sterilize baby bottles and accessories. Now with research and invention in our kitchen there is a solution of each problem or need such as electric or gas oven, microwave, chopper, blender, steam rice cooker and many more list goes on. Same it goes for sterilizing baby bottles and nipples by electric steamer. Method for use of electric steamer is simple and easy, just plug in and you can be busy with your other schedules, after given time duration the bottles and nipples are sterilize. The electric sterilizer work by generating high temperature in shape of steam which is needed to kill bacteria present if any on baby bottle and nipple.
When placing bottle and nipple in it please ensure that openings are facing downward.
There are also options available such as plain steam sterilizer or also it provides deodorant while drying the bottle and nipple.
In market there are variety of electric sterilizer are available and it depend upon your choice and as well as per your need which you will buy.
Baby bottle and nipple sterilization by microwave
Microwave usage is gaining popularity because it is quick and effective to sterilize baby bottle and nipple.
To sterilize by microwave you need to have steam sterilizer to give proper steaming to compltert sterilize and they are sanitized. It is very simple and easy to use, add water to the stream sterilizer, place it in microwave and start it for 4-5 minutes. Microwave will give beep and alert you to take out steam sterilizer from microwave and the bottles and nipples are properly sterilized.
Microwave Steam Sterilizer
This article is written by Mahmood Hussain for Baby First Pakistan website, facebook, twitter, linkedin and other social and digital media.
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