As if you didn’t already have enough to do as a new mum or dad, sterilising your baby’s feeding equipment is one of those little jobs there’s no getting away from. Our Healthcare Professional explains why sterilising your baby feeding equipment is so important.
Concentrating on establishing breastfeeding at first means there should be no need to use any equipment for feeding, leaving more time for you and your baby to enjoy getting to know one another.
Once breastfeeding is established and you do start to use a breast pump, bottle, soothers or any other equipment that comes into contact with milk and your baby, it’s essential to sterilise it before each use. Germs in milk can be particularly harmful to a baby with an immature immune system. Forgetting to properly clean and sterilise your babies feeding equipment can lead to tummy upset, diarrhoea and an unhappy baby and mother.
Before using your baby’s feeding equipment clean it first, either by hand with warm water, washing up liquid and a baby bottle brush, or in the dishwasher. This makes the equipment clean but to kill off the last of the germs the items must then be sterilised.
Steam sterilisation is quick, easy and efficient, with no chemicals involved – just the heat of the steam to kill off the bugs. To protect your baby from illness be sure to sterilise all feeding equipment for the first 6 months. If you have introduced solids before 6 months it’s wise to sterilise the bowls and spoons. After that time only milk feeding equipment like bottles and breast pumps need to be sterilised until your child is one year old.
Sterilising your baby feeding equipment is all about protecting your baby from harmful germs until their immune system is strong enough. Breastfeeding provides protection too.
Please be aware that the information given in these [articles] is only intended as general advice and should in no way be taken as a substitute for professional medical
advice. If you or your family or your child is suffering from symptoms or conditions which are severe or persistent or you need specific medical advice, please seek professional medical assistance.
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