Baby bottle basics

When you start to feed your bottle formula milk, there’s so much to learn and think about. It can feel a little overwhelming for new parents, especially in the beginning stages, but once you get the hang of it, it soon becomes pretty easy.

To make things a little simpler for you in those first few weeks, we’ve put together the guide to everything you need to know about baby bottles below:

1. Cleaning

You’ll need to clean your baby’s bottle and nipple after each use. It’s important that you do this properly to prevent them from picking up any germs which could possibly lead to infections or illness. As young babies are so susceptible to picking up germs, once you’ve cleaned the newborn bottles, you’ll need to sterilise them too.

When cleaning always follow the below steps:

• Soak the bottle and nipple in hot soapy water
• Using a bottle brush to remove any dried milk
• Rinse with clean water
• Allow the bottles and nipples to air dry on a clean surface

Cleaning bottles thoroughly is really important to get rid of any milk residue, but it doesn’t get rid of all the germs. If you want to put your baby bottles in the dishwasher to clean them you can do this too but you’ll still need to sterilise bottles afterwards.

2. Sterilising and sanitising

It’s vital that you sterilise all your baby’s feeding equipment before you give them a feed. This gets rid of any germs and bacteria which could cause your baby to become ill. It’s recommended by healthcare professionals you sterilise all their feeding equipment until they are at least 12 months old so it’s something you’re going to end up doing a lot of.

There are a few different ways to sterilise your bottles, depending on where you are and how many bottles you need to clean.

• Boiling – boiling all your bottles and nipples in a pan or in the sink for at least ten minutes is one way to get rid of all the germs.
• Using cold water sterilising solution – this involves using a solution to soak the bottles for 30 minutes.
• Using an electric steriliser – the most common way to sterilise bottles is using an electric baby bottle steriliser. It’s quicker, easier and does all the hard work for you. Always make sure you put the bottles and nipples in facing downwards to make sure they get cleaned properly.

Always remember to thoroughly wash and dry your hands before handling any sterilised equipment. Having hand sanitiser at the ready can be a good way to make sure you’re not passing on any germs you’ve picked up throughout the day.

3. Storing bottles safely

Where you store baby bottles is really important, especially when it comes to keeping them clean.

• Allowing them to air dry before you put them away is the first thing to do as it prevents any bacteria or mould from growing on the bottles.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before handling the bottles and putting them back together.
• Store them safely in a clean kitchen cupboard which is only used to store clean baby bottles to prevent them from getting contaminated with any germs.

While it can seem like a lot to get the hang of at first, especially with having a new baby to look after too, once you start to get into a routine it will all seem really easy. Cleaning, sterilising and storing your baby bottles properly are just a few of the new skills you’re going to acquire on your journey as a parent.

This content is sponsored by Philips