While compiling your baby list, you may question the necessity of some of the things you’ve included. An item in question is a device used to sanitize baby feeding bottles: a baby bottle sterilizer.
Description Of A Sterilizer
A bottle sterilizer is an appliance that helps purifies baby items like bottles, pacifiers, teethers, and bottle nipples. They operate on electricity and sanitize items using UV or steam.
While some may view this product as a space-waster, many parents find it a beneficial resource. A baby bottle sterilizer is one of the best methods to guarantee that your baby’s bottles and other feeding tools are free of harmful bacteria and germs.
Sterilizing bottles is especially important for infants, whose weak immune systems cannot fight infections. UV light or steam is used in a bottle sterilizer to kill viruses, bacteria, or other microbes that could cause illness.
These appliances can rapidly and safely sterilize nipples, bottles, and other feeding equipment for the first few months of your baby’s life, usually in less than 5 minutes. They take up valuable counter space, but they often prove to be quite useful.
Electric, microwave, and steam sterilizers are the three main categories of sterilizers with the most popular kind being electric ones.
However, if you don’t have much counter space, microwave sterilizers are a good choice, although they can be less efficient than their electric counterparts. If you want a portable sterilizer, steam sterilizers are a wonderful choice, but they take more time to use.
Choosing the Right Sterilizer for Your Baby’s Bottles
What should you look for in a good sterilizer to ensure your baby’s safety and cleanliness?
- The Capacity
It is important that the unit accommodate all the baby bottles. Breastfeeding mothers who supplement their infants’ diet with bottles on an as-needed basis can get by with a smaller unit that stores fewer bottles.
Moms who give their newborns formula will have more items to wash during the day. They should therefore search for a larger sterilizer that can accommodate a greater quantity of bottles. Shop for one that suits your needs the best as some can sterilize a whole day’s worth of bottles at once.
Another reason to go for a larger sterilizer is if you have more than one child, or are planning on using the sterilizer for other items like pacifiers and breast pump parts.
- User-Friendly
If you want something easy to use, it is advisable to get an electric sterilizer especially if the setup process or the number of options overwhelm you.
- The Cost
Sterilizers can cost anything from $20 to $100. The type of sterilizer, the capacity, and the features will all influence the cost.
Being a parent can strain your finances, so it is natural to want to save money whenever possible. Compared to other forms of sterilizers, microwave ovens tend to be more affordable while using sterilizing bags, is the least expensive option but can add up in the end due to having to throw them away after a certain number of uses.
- Features
Make sure you know if you can dry your bottles in the sterilizer. Most can, but microwave sterilizers leave bottles damp, so you will have to dry them once you remove them. Additional features offered by some sterilizers include timers, drying capabilities, and dishwasher compatibility. Although they are not necessary, some of these features can be useful.
How Often Should I Sterilize My Baby Bottles?
Ensuring all feeding supplies are clean and sterile when bottle feeding is crucial. Each bottle, teat, and screw cap must be cleaned and sterilized after each wash. It is therefore important to have multiple bottles so you sterilize them once a day.
What Is The Best Sterilizer For Baby Bottles?
A safe, sterile bottle is the result of a using a good sterilizer which for most parents depends on personal preferences and way of life.
If you like the low-cost choice
Consider:
- The dishwasher method
- The diluted bleach soak
- The boiling water method
- The use of a microwave oven
If looking for ease and convenience
Consider:
- A microwave steam container
- An electric steam sterilizer
- A UV sanitizer
If you are going to travel
Consider:
- A compact UV sanitizer for use on the go
- The use of ice water
Can I Sterilize Baby Bottles In The Microwave?
Baby bottles can be safely sterilized in the microwave, despite popular belief. But you should take care to read the bottle manufacturer’s directions before using a microwave to sterilize.
Directions While Using A Microwave To Sterilize Baby Products
A microwave steamer is quite comparable to an electric steamer, with the exception that it is a standard kitchen device that heats water and produces steam.
- Ensure that your microwave is cleaned. A microwave should always be cleaned to help keep it germ-free.
- Half-fill the bottles with water and then microwave them.
- Handle accessories with caution. Any rubber nipples and additional accessories should be placed in a glass bowl with water that is deep enough to cover them.
- Microwave for one and a half minutes, on a “high” setting, and then let them cool.
- Before taking them out of the microwave, let them cool. Always remember to wash and dry your hands before handling an item that has been sterilized.
How Long Do Bottles Stay Sterilized?
After the process of sterilization, if you leave your baby’s bottles in the sterilizer equipment with the lid on for 24 hours, they should still be sterile. The bottles will lose their sterility when you remove them and expose them to the air. But this is fine because they are not intended for surgical use. Always wash your hands before handling the bottles, and avoid touching the insides if possible.
If you are using proper hygiene, your baby’s bottles should be fine until the following feeding.
Provided that you maintain a high standard of personal cleanliness, the bottles you use for your baby should continue to be clean and free of any sort of contamination until feeding time.
Things To Note When Cleaning Baby Items
Keep this in mind so that you can clean everything thoroughly.
- Reassemble bottles, cups, and other things only after ensuring their parts are dry. The reassembly of still-wet materials encourages mold growth.
- Before putting anything in the dishwasher, check the manufacturer’s guidelines. Some things might do better when loaded on the top shelf, while others might be okay at the bottom.
- Take everything apart before putting it through the sterilization process. Remove the valve, sipping mechanism, handles, drinking straw, and lid to ensure that every part of a baby straw cup gets thoroughly cleaned.
- Thoroughly also clean any tools you use (such as bottle brushes or washbasins) before sterilizing them. Brushes and little wash basins can be cleaned in the dishwasher (if they are the proper size) or by hand with soap and warm water. Like infant bottles, you can disinfect them by soaking them in a bleach solution, steaming them, or placing them in a pot of boiling water.
The extra work involved in properly sterilizing your baby’s items is worth it when it comes to preventing illness in your child. So figure out what helps you, and keep in mind that this is only a temporary process until the baby is older.
Best Find
When creating a clean and risk-free environment for your child, one of the most important things you can do is get a baby bottle sterilizer of the highest possible quality.
Using one of these remarkable appliances will allow you to put your child’s well-being first while making your life easier. Find the best baby bottle sterilizer that meets your needs, and you can start your adventure as a parent without any anxiety.