Infant Sterilizing Bottles

I sterilized them right before the first use (placed in boiling water for 5 full minutes). After that, just hand washed them or put them in the dishwasher. Did that for my daughter and now doing that for my son. Just wash them regularly and you'll be fine.

I only sterilized my bottles right before the first time I used them. After that, I just washed them with hot water and soap.

There is no need to sterilize bottles. Before the first use I used to run everything through my dishwasher and after each use it would be put in the dishwasher. But there is no point. Because, for all intents and purposes, as soon as it cools it is no longer sterile and so she isn't getting sterile stuff. And frankly you don't live in a sterile environment, so your only sterilizing it for a short period of time anyway. Just run it through your dishwasher (if you have one) and that is really good enough.

its hot, soapy water for us. never had any problems with baby getting sick, germs etc..

I never regularly sterilized bottles. I boiled them all before using and once in a while toss them in a large pot and boil them for five minutes if I have the time, but hot, soapy water is really all they need.

Well my daughter is almost a year old and I still boil them every cpl of days. Just to keep em "germ free".

Just once before you use them the first time. Thereafter, hot, soapy water or even in the dishwasher works fine. We did that with my daughter (she's 21 months now) and it worked just fine. Sterlizing after every use is old school and not necessary.

Hi Rose,
There are really no hard and fast rules here anymore. You can ask your doctor but every pediatrician will just suggest something not based on any research. When I had my first baby 14 years ago, my doc said not to even bother! I wasn't comfortable with that, so he said a month. I sterilized bottles, pump parts, etc for 3 months with both of my kids. Good luck.