5 Healthy Ways To Sterilize Baby Bottles

The best way for a new mother to establish a nurturing bond with her baby is through breastfeeding. But sooner or later, you will have to switch to other alternatives for feeding your baby. Nursing becomes quite inconvenient when you are running low on breast milk, are in the throes of illness, or are nearing the end of your maternity leave and have to shuffle between work and home.
While most experts agree upon the importance of sterilization, there are varying opinions regarding how many times it should be done.

If your baby is otherwise healthy and you wish to keep it that way, washing the bottles in a dishwasher with a heat cycle or scrubbing them by hand in hot, soapy water as soon as your baby is done feeding should suffice to keep the germs away.
* Boiling

The mechanism behind sterilization through boiling water works by raising the temperature high enough to kill any bacteria left over after washing. This is perhaps the simplest form of sterilization and does not require any special equipment. A basic kitchen pan or pot and clean water are all you need for this method to work.

* Microwave

Microwave sterilization works on the principle of using steam power to sterilize baby bottles and teats. As microwaves that are in regular household use invite a lot of food spills, they are often hygienically unfit for conducting a sterilization process.

* Bleach

Bleach offers another nifty way to sterilize your baby’s bottle when you’re in a crunch situation, without any access to the basic amenities required for standard sterilization such as boiling water, steam, or a dishwasher.

* Cold Sterilization

Parents who are always on the move and rely on a baby bottle sterilizer may find themselves without access to electricity or boiling water while being out and about. Cold sterilization is perfect in such situations.

* Electric Sterilizer

An electric sterilizer is one of the most convenient tools for sterilizing your baby’s bottle. This device gets the job done in no time and with minimum effort. High-temperature steam is used to kill the microorganisms in the bottles and teats.