Should i wash bottles before sterilizing

However, you should sterilize bottle parts before using them for the first time, says Erika Landau, M. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , sanitizing is important if your baby has a weakened immune system, was born prematurely, or is less than 3 months old.

Some parents buy a special electric bottle sterilizer, but they're not necessary. Instead, you can rely on boiling water, your microwave, or bleach to sanitize your bottles. If you purchase a microwave sterilizer, follow the manufacturer's instructions for proper use. Note that your microwave must be clean before using the sterilizer. You should also check that all bottle parts, especially nipples and rings, are microwave-safe.

How to Sterilize Baby Bottles. By Nicole Harris Updated January 10, Save Pin FB More. This is the safest, easiest method for sterilizing your baby bottles. Any brush or mat used to clean or dry bottles should be washed and dried regularly.

Bottles need to completely dry before being put away. Assembling bottles and putting them away in a cabinet wet can trap moisture and foster microbial growth.

Sterilizing bottles should be done before they are dried and before they are put away. As far as sterilizing goes, low-tech options are fine. A steam bag is often as good as a fancier, more expensive bottle sterilizer. Sign up for the Fatherly newsletter to get original articles and expert advice about parenting, fitness, gear, and more in your inbox every day.

Please try again. Give us a little more information and we'll give you a lot more relevant content. Your child's birthday or due date. Girl Boy Other Not Sure. Add A Child. Something went wrong. Every few days or at least daily if your baby is less than 3 months old, was born prematurely, or has a weakened immune system , be sure to wash it, sanitize it, and allow it to dry thoroughly to reduce contamination. No studies have shown that babies have become sick from contamination on the outside of an infant formula container.

Also, powdered infant formula is less likely to become contaminated if it stays dry. Avoid using liquid cleaners on infant formula containers to help prevent contaminating powdered formula inside the container. If you want to clean the formula container, use a disinfectant wipe or paper towel sprayed with disinfectant to clean the outside of the container and lid before it is opened for the first time.

Do not submerge the container or place it under running water. Wait until the surfaces are completely dry before opening the container.

Do not clean the inside of the infant formula container. T he safest method of mixing formula is by shaking or swirling the formula and water inside the feeding bottle. Blenders can be difficult to clean, and blenders used to prepare infant formula have been linked to illnesses among babies. Healthy Children. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. What are infant feeding items? Take apart. Separate all bottle parts for example, bottles, nipples, caps, rings, valves. Rinse bottle parts and any other feeding items by holding them under running water. The water can be warm or cold, whatever you prefer. Place bottle parts and other feeding items in the dishwasher.

If possible, run the dishwasher using hot water and a heated drying cycle or sanitizing setting ; this can help kill more germs.