From the first day of their lives, babies depend on a narrow variety of nutrition due to their age and lack of protection from viruses and germs around them. Breast milk usually is the only source of nutrition during that period, and doctors advice to breastfeed babies as long as possible.
But when breastfeeding is not possible or when the baby is grown enough to be fed by the bottle, safety becomes vital part of that process and plays a very important role. It means that all products you are using to feed your baby using a bottle must be the safest and of the highest quality. Thus, one of the most important products for bottle-feeding is the baby bottle sterilizer that ensures the baby’s protection from bacteria and facilitates parents’ life.
The baby bottle sterilizer refers to a certain device, which is used to clean the baby bottles and pacifiers. Sterilization is essential for baby bottles, as your baby is at an age when viruses and germs are spread via contact with people and represent huge danger. You must always sterilize all parts of your baby’s bottle before giving it to your baby, especially in case it has been in a public place where the number of bacteria is simply colossal.
Generally, there are two kinds of baby bottles sterilizers in the market, and we will describe both of them below. Overall, both types of sterilizers do the same – they disinfect the bottle by boiling it, but they differ in methods used to boil the bottles.
Baby bottle sterilizers of the first type use steam to disinfect the pacifiers, bottles and its parts. Such sterilizers are very helpful and easy to use, as you should plug them in, select the needed mode and let the device do their work. However, these devices are more expensive than those of the second type.
The second type of baby bottle sterilizers is intended for the use in microwave. These sterilizers refer to a microwavable container, which you should fill with water and place in the microwave to disinfect the bottle and its parts. These devices also use the steam, but it is generated by the microwave, and not by the device itself like in the sterilizers of the first type.
Both types of sterilizers do their task very good; however, the non-microwave devices are more ergonomic and will be better in the long-term perspective, despite they are more expensive.
A baby bottle sterilizer is a priceless device in protecting your baby from the germs out there, especially during the flu season, as this illness is very dangerous for infants. But you can protect your baby from this danger simply by using a baby bottle sterilizer.
Disinfection could be one of the most vital things you can do to protect your baby from diseases and viruses, and it is so easy to do with a sterilizer that does all the work while you can play with your baby.
How to Sterilize Baby Bottles
Your newborn baby’s health is so fragile that you need to protect it as much as you can. One of the most important things in keeping your baby safe is maintaining the environment around the baby as clean as possible. Among the items that must be cleaned with especial care are bottles, spoons and pacifiers.
Baby bottles and pacifiers must be sterilized in a certain way to kill dangerous bacteria. The bottles can be sterilized in several ways, all of them being very effective. Below you will find a guide to the most widespread methods of sterilizing baby bottles:
How to sterilize baby bottles in the dishwasher. Choose the hottest mode on the dishwasher (not less than 190 degrees Fahrenheit) and select the drying cycle. The heat produced during the drying works as a sterilizer. If your dishwasher is not equipped with an upper rack, check the user’s manual for options offered for baby bottles cleaning.
How to sterilize baby bottles in the microwave. Microwave sterilization is a great thing if you are a busy parent. Here, you can make use of two techniques. You can either buy a baby bottle sterilizer for microwave, or use a microwave safe baby bottle on its own. In the latter case, you should wash and rinse the bottle very carefully and then put it in the microwave for 2 minutes or so.
How to sterilize baby bottles in boiling water – several decades ago placing baby bottles in boiling water was the only effective way to sterilize them. This method includes boiling a large amount of water, placing the bottles in the water for 10-15 minutes, then removing and capping them. The bottles should be taken from the water by tongs. In addition, you should not dry the bottles with towel, since it can have bacteria.
Using baby bottle sterilizers – and finally let’s talk about the specialized sterilization devices. Sterilizers are dome shaped tools that use steam to disinfect bottles. These can be intended for the microwave or electric sterilizers that use power to generate steam. In less than 10 minutest the bottle will be ready to be used. One of the major advantages of baby bottle sterilizers is the possibility to be used in any place, so they are very useful.
Consult your pediatrician to learn when the full process of bottle sterilizing can reduced. After the baby’s body has obtained the capability to overcome bacteria, the process of cleaning the bottles can be reduced to rinsing them with water. However, you certainly are not willing to take any chances!
Baby Bottle Sterilizing Bags
Baby bottle sterilizing bag is a fantastic and very inexpensive method to keep your baby bottles, nipples and other things sterilized without any extra effort at all. The bags were introduced to the market just several years ago, but they have already gained reputation of effective, fast and easy-to-use portable sterilizers that eliminate 99.9% of the most known bacteria and germs. Below you will find out everything you wanted to know about sterilizing bags, their features and advantages.
Product Description
Baby bottle sterilizing bag comes in a box of five large plastic bags (nearly 8″ x 10″) equipped with a Ziploc seal. You can use every bag 20 times, so with a 5 bag package, you will get 100 uses. The bags can be found in many stores and online, as they are very widespread.
The bag enlarges on the bottom, so it can stand up on its own. It can be used for sterilizing bottles, pacifiers, nipples, pumping tubes, and other items that can be used in the microwave.
The instructions are placed on the back side of the bags, what is very handy, since you don’t have to memorize them, or have the instruction brochures always on hand. In addition, there are pictures as well, making usage of these bags even more pleasant. The bags also have a small area showing how many times each bag, so you can check when it’s time to get a new bag.
How to use baby bottle sterilizer bags
The sterilizer bags are very easy to use. You should rinse bottles, pacifiers, etc., add at least two ounces (but don’t measure exactly two ounces, as the more is the better) of clean water in the bag, then put the items to be sterilized there seal the bag and place it in the microwave for 1.5-5 minutes (depending on the power capacity), and viola! The baby items are sterilized and ready to use. And no cleanup is necessary.
Be careful when removing the bag from the microwave, as it is very hot. There is a small spout on one side to remove the water, but still you should pour the water and take out the stuff, as otherwise you can get burned. It is better to leave the bag open for s minute to let the hot steam out of the bag, before removing the baby items.
In addition, while it is not mentioned in the instructions, be sure to rinse the breast shields and other items right after usage, as in contrary there might be some residue left on them.
Advantages of baby bottle sterilizer bags
The major advantage of these bags is that they are amazingly affordable. A box of 5 bags is selling for about $5, and since you can use every bag 20 times, that brings the cost to as little as 5 cents per use. These bags are portable, so can be used during travels, and they need no set up, as you can use them straight away.
The only disadvantage of these bags is that they are not big enough to accommodate many bottles, like conventional sterilizers.
9 Important Points for Bottle Sterilization
Sterilization of milk bottles and other baby feeding equipment is also vital to avoid bacterial or germ contamination. Here are nine things you should know about sterilization.
Every time a bottle or dining utensil is used, the sterilization process must be repeated. This must be done correctly in order to reduce the bacteria or germs that may contaminate the bottle. Infants may experience diarrhea as a result of the exposure. Baby toys, on the other hand, are frequently soaked in hot water.
There are nine things parents should know regarding milk bottle sterilization:
1. Why is sterilization required?
Sterilization can help keep babies safe from germs and infections. Because babies under the age of one year do not have an ideal immune system, harmful germs can proliferate fast in their milk and in their bodies. Furthermore, sterilization aids in the prevention of newborn mortality. Although sterilization cannot guarantee a germ-free environment, it can lessen the danger for newborns.
2. Should women who directly breastfeed their newborns be sterilized?
If the woman provides milk without the use of a breast pump, sterilizing is not required. If you use a pump, however, all of the equipment must be sanitized to keep it clean. Before sterilization, all equipment, including infant pacifiers, was properly cleansed.
3. Is all sterilization the same?
They are not all the same sterilizer. There are three types of sterilizers: those that use cold water (cold water), those that use electricity, and those that employ microwave steam. Every instrument has advantages and downsides, thus it is important to understand which type is more beneficial. One thing they all have in common is that all bottles must be rinsed before sterilization.
4. Cold water steriliser
To kill microorganisms, this gadget use sterilizing solution or tablets. On the plus side, this gadget does not take a lot of energy and can be easily transported while traveling. However, it normally takes approximately a half-hour and all equipment must be rinsed with boiling water to eliminate contaminants from the sterilizing solution.
5. Sterilization with electric steam
This procedure kills bacteria more rapidly and easily by using steam, which takes only 6-8 minutes per cycle. The benefit is that it does not need to be rinsed again after use and has a high capacity. However, the instrument is not portable because it requires electricity, must be cleaned on a regular basis, and is usually quite expensive.
6. Microwave
The time it takes is determined by the power of the microwave. However, the capacity is not particularly large, and it cannot sterilize equipment and utensils such as metal spoons or bowls.
7. Sterilization for travel
This sterilizer is smaller in size and normally does not hold more than two bottles. In general, cold water sterilizing treatments that do not require electricity should be used.
8. How long does it take to sanitize with boiling water?
If no sterilizer is available, it may be possible to boil in boiling water. To ensure that the bottle of milk is not destroyed by boiling water, place it in a pan of boiling water for 10-15 minutes. After that, quickly raise and drain the bottle, and then store the cleaned bottles in a clean and dry location.
9. How long should mothers use a sterilizer?
These tools should be utilized until the baby is one year old, according to specialists. Babies normally have a better immune system by the age of one year. Furthermore, around the age of one year and up, the baby began to be taught to drink from a glass and to practice motoric motions.
SEE ALSO PRODUCT PAGE: Baby Bottle Warmer and Sterilizer!
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