Baby bottles are the main feeding equipment used for babies and maintaining a high level of hygiene can prevent unnecessary illnesses. Most doctors recommend that you clean and sterilize the bottles before each and every feeding time, to ensure that the bottles are free from germs.
Babies can be affected by a lot of illness and their small bodies don’t cope well with infections. So sterilizing your baby’s bottles and feeding equipment prevents diseases and is an important thing to keep your baby healthy and happy.
But what is the best way to sterilize a baby bottle? This article compares four methods for baby bottle sterilizer (microwave bags, electric steam, cold water tablets and boiling).
How Do You Sterilize a Baby Bottle?
Sounds like this question would be easy to answer, doesn’t it? But there are actually numerous ways for sterilizing a baby bottle, all of which come with their own advantages and disadvantages. If you asked a group of mothers you would probably get a slightly different answer, with each one having their preferred way of sterilizing baby bottles.
Now there are many different methods that you can use to sterilize your baby’s bottle. And depending on where you are located and what facilities you have available you may have to use different techniques at different times. The different methods include boiling, cold water sterilizing tablets, steaming, microwave sterilizer bags or electric sterilizers.
1. Boiling
For many parents, the most convenient way to sterilize baby bottles will be by boiling them for a period of not less than 10 minutes. This is very effective in killing bacteria and germs that might be on the bottles.
This way of sterilizing bottles is ideal for people who can’t afford or make use of the other methods because of the equipment involved. This method has been used since the beginning of time and is also the most commonly used by low-income earners particularly in third world countries.
2. Steaming
Steaming is very similar to boiling but has the bottles above the boiling water. This could be either a regular pot steamer or electric steamer. There must be a lid on the steamer to create a small amount of pressure and ensure that the temperature stays at 100 degrees Celsius (boiling temperature). This requires about the same length of time.
3. Cold Water Sterilizing
Where heat or electricity is not available, the cold water sterilizing tablets are the way to go. These would be useful for people in remote areas, or people who are camping or traveling. The tablets are added to pot of cold water, the bottles are placed into the water and you simply wait for the specified time as indicated on the instruction on the packet.
4. Electric Sterilizing
Electric sterilizers are a fancy way of sterilizing and this is the most expensive method by far. They look good and get the job done very fast.
5. Microwave Sterilizing
Electric steam sterilizers, cold water sterilizers and boiling in a pan are the typical ways to sterilize babies bottles. However, the most convenient and quickest was to sterilize your baby bottle would have to be microwave sterilizer bags. This is now a brilliant alternative to the traditional type of sterilizers that have been available.
Second, it is convenient. Microwave bags are easy to carry and are reusable. When you are on the move, these bags are a convenient solution for baby bottle sterilization. The individual bags are light and are easy to carry. All you need to do is find a microwave where ever you are going, and have a small amount water (100ml) on hand.
By far the easiest, cheapest and most convenient way of sterilizing baby bottles has to be microwave sterilizer bags. These bags are very easy to use – just a small amount of water in the bag (100ml), put in the feeding equipment, seal the bag and put in the microwave on a high setting for 3 minutes (or whatever time is recommended for your type of microwave), and it is done!
The bags are cheap to buy and can be reused up to 20 times. And individual bags are a thin A4 size and go easily in a baby bag, and are perfect for traveling. So this method really is quick, simple and cost effective.
Conclusion
It is impossible to say that only one method works the best in all situations and circumstances. Any of the methods are ideal at one point or another. Nor can anyone can say one method of sterilization is better than the other, as all of them work effectively to sterilize babies bottles and prevent disease.
How to choose the best way for you to sterilize baby bottles depends on different things: where you live, your budget, what facilities are available etc. The most important thing is to keep your baby healthy, so remember to sterilize your child’s bottles.
David Johnson is a versatile content writer known for his ability to breathe life into words and create engaging narratives on diverse subjects. With a passion for effective storytelling and a keen eye for detail, David crafts content that resonates with readers and sparks their curiosity. He is dedicated to delivering high-quality, informative, and enjoyable content, making him a respected voice in the digital landscape. Beyond the keyboard, David enjoys exploring the outdoors, immersing himself in literature, and finding inspiration in everyday experiences.
Loading…