Sterilising baby bottle and breast pump bits

[fidgetsdad]

My wife is about to start expressing using a Medela swing pump and storing the milk using the Playtex drop-in system. We only need to sterilise the teats and pump bits, so are using the Lindam steam steriliser bags. With our first baby, we used a different system and chucked everything into a big plastic steam steriliser, which we no longer have. Does anyone know if it's okay to leave the bits in the bag (there's quite a lot of water left in there), or what you do with the bits once they're sterile storage-wise? Obviously it's inconvenient and inefficient to sterilise before every pump. Any thoughts gratefully received.

Thanks

[Saffron]

> Obviously it's

> inconvenient and inefficient to sterilise before

> every pump. Any thoughts gratefully received.

>

You totally don't need to sterilise before every pump. Simply place the used equipment in the refrigerator between uses. Then you could sterilise, for example at night for use the next day, and everything should be ok in the bag, even if there's water. Or, if you're worried, simply pop all the sterile stuff back in the fridge overnight.

xx

[fidgetsdad]

Thanks Saffron - that's a great help!

[prm]

Thanks Saffron for the tip...I have been sterilising everything before expressing and before every bottle feed for over 4 months and wondering "is this really necessary?" but carried on just to be on the safe side. However a few days ago a French friend told me that in France (and apparently other countries) the health authorities are officially advising that it is not necessary to sterilise, washing thoroughly is enough, even for newborns.

So I am certainly going to be a lot more relaxed about sterilising from now on, especially as at 4.5 months old my baby puts everything in her mouth anyway!

[Saffron]

We rarely sterilised anything for Little Saff. The quality of tap water and detergents are so good nowdays, sterilising isn't really necessary. I think for a lot of people it's more peace of mind. I have read that in Australia and New Zealand they no longer recommend sterilising for newborns also.

Certainly once you see your little bubba licking the carpet or (worse!) eating the cat's foot, sterilising seems far less important!

xx