Pregnancy & Baby 

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Sterilising – what, when and how

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Dummies

• Dummies should be washed and sterilised after each use, and should be kept in a sterile container, until you’re ready to use it again
• It’s worth buying several dummies so you always have a sterile one available
• If the dummy falls out of your baby’s mouth into his pram or cot, you can put it straight back in his mouth without washing or sterilising it
• If the dummy falls onto the ground, you should not put it back in his mouth
• You must never put the dummy in your mouth and suck on it as a way of cleaning it. This risks transmitting bacteria from your saliva, which could be even more dangerous to the baby than any germs picked up from the street.

Other points about sterilising

• You should continue to sterilise all your breast/bottle feeding equipment until your baby is a year old
• You don’t need to sterilise the beaker when your baby starts using it at approximately six months
• Nor do you need to sterilise anything when you start giving solids, i.e. spoons, bowls, etc.

One other thing – you can’t rely on the dishwasher to sterilise your bottle feeding equipment. I know they do in the States, but dishwashers here don’t wash at high enough temperatures to sterilise.

  Related Links

• Spare a drop?
• Perfect weaning recipes
• Lactose Intolerance
• Breastfeeding and drugs: a mother's guide
• Pregnancy & Baby Home

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