Do I need a steriliser if I’m breastfeeding?
Do I need a steriliser if I’m breastfeeding?
It can be very exciting for expectant parents to go shopping when getting ready for their new baby. But it’s also easy to feel overwhelmed by the range and variety of what’s available. Deciding on what is a ‘need to have’ as distinct from a ‘nice to have’ can be difficult. But having a steriliser, or sterilising equipment is a very good idea.
Even if you’re planning to breastfeed, it could be useful to have a steriliser for pumping, expressing, feeding and other equipment, including dummies.
Why is sterilising important?
Germs and bacteria can grow easily in milk which is a perfect environment for germs to multiply. Because young babies have an immature immune system, they’re not able to fight off infections as easily as they will when they’re older.
For the sake of your baby’s general health, it’s important to wash and sterilise any feeding equipment, including bottles, teats and screw caps until your baby is 12 months of age. Sterilisers generally fit on a bench top but it’s also possible to buy a portable steriliser. Cold water sterilising tends to be simple to manage and takes only 15 minutes sterilising time.
Bottles and equipment used to store breast milk also need to be cleaned carefully and sterilised every day.
What does a steriliser do?
A steriliser kills the majority of bacteria which could cause a baby to become sick.
What are the different ways of sterilising feeding equipment?
There are a few ways to sterilise feeding equipment – boiling, steaming, solution, ultraviolet (UV) and microwave sterilising are the most popular.
Each sterilising option has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some take longer to work than others and each has its own pricing structure. It can be helpful for parents to do their own research around what works for them and their baby. Speak with your healthcare professional if you’re unsure.
Pros and Cons of different sterilizing options
Types of Sterilisation
1. Boiling
Pros:
- Simple and reliable
- Economical
Cons:
- Risk of burning
- Can be more damaging to teats than other methods
2. Steam
Pros:
- Quick and economical to use
- Steam spreads across all surfaces of feeding equipment
- No odour
Cons:
- Risk of burning
- Cannot use with metal
3. Solution
Pros:
- Easy to prepare
- Comes in liquid or tablet form
- Can store feeding equipment in solution until ready to use
Cons:
- Needs to be kept away from child reach
- Need to ensure all feeding equipment fully submerged
- Can have an odour of bleach
- Can only be used on plastic or glass equipment
4. Ultraviolet (UV)
Pros:
- Unit fits on benchtop
Cons:
- Currently no national or international guidelines for the use of UV sterilisers
- UV light only effective when shining directly on the surfaces containing bacteria
- Long sterilising time – up to 1 hour
- Not all bottle manufacturers recommend UV sterilizing on their products
How do I clean equipment used for expressing breast milk?
First, you’ll need to wash and rinse everything in warm soapy water before sterilising it all. Warm water, a bottle brush, teat brush and detergent are the basics. It’s possible to buy detergent which is specially formulated for baby bottles and feeding equipment to clean off milk residue.
What will I need to clean?
Anything which comes into contact with your expressed breast milk (EBM) needs to be sterilised. This includes:
- The milk collection parts of your pump or milk catcher.
- All containers which you use to collect or store your breastmilk.
- Bottes and teats from feeding your baby expressed breast milk (EBM).
A step-by-step guide to sterlising your breastfeeding equipment
- Wash and dry your hands.
- Take apart (separate) all containers, lids and the bottle which collected your milk.
- Rinse everything first in cold water.
- Using hot water and detergent, use a bottle brush to carefully remove all traces of milk. Clean thoroughly inside each teat with the teat brush and squeeze water through the teat holes. Use the bottle brush to clean carefully inside the screw caps and around the rim and inside the bottles.
- Rinse everything carefully with hot water.
- Sterilise the feeding equipment by following the manufacturer’s recommendations.
- Drain all of the equipment on a paper towel or a clean tea towel. Allow everything to air dry. If you’re using a cold-water steriliser option, you can leave the equipment in the solution until needed.
- Check the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning if you’re using an electric pump.
How do I store my feeding and expressing equipment?
Store all of the dry, sterilised feeding equipment in the fridge in a clean container with a lid. You could also store the clean dry expressing equipment in a new plastic bag, or clean covered container until you need to use it again.
The sterilised feeding equipment can stay sealed up in the fridge for 24 hours. Sterilise your bottles every day whether you use them or not.
Make sure you wash and dry your hands before you assemble any bottles.
Written for Milton by Jane Barry, Midwife and Child Health Nurse, September 2024.