If you’re clueless about the difference between the cleaning capability of a bottle sterilizer and a dishwasher–we’ve got you covered. We will even take it a step further by comparing the different cleaning processes: sterilization, cleaning, and sanitizing. Distinguishing one from the other is essential in preventing bacterial infection from wreaking havoc on your baby’s health.
I recall a friend of mine who had postpartum anxiety when she gave birth to her son. She was consumed with worry, quite uneasy due to a debilitating fear of her child contracting illness due to infections. If you’re suffering from the same condition, please consult your doctor.
Did you know that babies already have a growing number of protective antibodies which help them fight against harmful bacteria? I know I didn’t before I had my baby. Even though they may have protective antibodies, they can still get an infection since their little immune systems are still growing and maturing. Thankfully, you can handle the risk of your baby getting these infections by maintaining proper hygiene.
Let’s start with their feeding bottles.
Babies’ weak immune system makes them vulnerable to gastrointestinal diseases, often caused by bacterial infections. More often than not, a germ-filled feeding bottle is one of the culprits.
Formula or milk bottles are prone to attracting germs, especially if they’re not properly cleaned and sanitized. Bacterial outgrowth in feeding bottles causes milk spoilage that can negatively impact your baby’s gastrointestinal tract. Thus, keeping your baby’s milk bottles cleaned, sanitized, and sterilized is crucial to keeping harmful bacteria at bay, ensuring your child’s health is always at its best.
Understanding Sterilization Vs. Cleaning Vs. Sanitizing
Cleaning
Cleaning is the process of discarding or getting rid of all the impurities or dirt visible to the naked eye, such as filth, grime, slime, etc., seen on surfaces of various items, utensils, furniture, and others.
Sanitizing
Sanitizing items or surfaces means to reduce the amount of bacteria attached to surfaces to a safe level. It means there’s still the presence of bacteria, however, they don’t progress beyond a level that poses a threat or any risk that could jeopardize a person’s health
Sterilizing
We have this preconceived notion that there’s no distinction between sterilizing and sanitizing– that they’re just simply the same thing. We couldn’t be more wrong. While it’s true that sanitizing aims at killing germs to a safe level, sterilizing targets and eliminates all microorganisms at their molecular core, dismantling all harmful bacteria that can otherwise cause various infectious diseases.
Baby Bottle Sterilizer Vs Dishwasher
Baby bottles can be sterilized more effectively when using bottle sterilizers, as they are designed to eliminate all forms of bacteria. A dishwasher can only clean and sanitize dishes up to a point but cannot 100% eradicate microorganisms and pathogens lurking in your baby’s feeding bottles and breast pump components.
A dishwasher usually runs at around 65.5°C to 70°C, and a rinse cycle of 82°C– is quite efficient in sanitizing baby bottles but falls short in sterilizing stubborn germs.
How Often Do You Need to Sterilize Baby Feeding Bottles?
Concerning the frequency of sterilizing milk bottles, you may have to consult your pediatrician. Sterilizing the bottles after every use may be required for premature babies, infants that are less than 3 months old, or if your baby has certain conditions that make him predisposed to contracting infections.
How to Sterilize Formula Bottles?
Here are the steps to follow if you want to sterilize bottles the old-fashioned way.
- Clean the bottles using dish soap and baby bottle brush
- Boil water in a pot. Make sure you put enough water to cover all the pieces.
- Turn the burner on max. Let the water come to a boil.
- Add in your baby bottle, nipple, and the rim
- Use a pair of tongs to move and turn the parts around, ensuring everything is evenly sterilized.
- Turn off the stove and transfer all pieces to a dish cloth or any clean container.
Note: All pieces have to be boiled for 5 minutes. And please exercise caution when taking those pieces out, as they are scorchingly hot to the touch.
Disinfecting baby feeding essentials using the traditional method is effective. However, bottle sterilizers are available on the market to help you conveniently rid your baby’s feeding bottles and accessories of germs with just a push of a button.
Do You Need a Baby Bottle Sterilizer?
Should I buy a bottle sterilizer? Is sanitizing feeding bottles not enough? These are the questions new moms often ask. Doctors suggest, including my sister’s pediatrician, that feeding bottles of babies less than 12 months old must be sterilized as infants at this age are still prone to contracting bacterial infections.
To put it simply, if your child is 12 months old and above, sanitizing feeding bottles is enough, as there is no need to use a bottle sterilizer because their immune system is now more developed and capable of fighting off viral diseases.
However, if you’re always on the go or frequent disinfection of your baby’s feeding bottles is required, you may want to consider owning a bottle sterilizer like Baby Brezza’s Bottle Steriliser and Dryer. It can disinfect your baby’s formula bottles, pacifiers, breast pump parts, and accessories without the hassle. It automatically washes, sterilizes, and dries baby bottles and other breast pump parts with just a push of a button.
Thus, there’s no need to contend with scalding water to kill germs as it can sterilize 99.9% of harmful bacteria with its natural steam cleaning device. Baby Brezza Sterilizer is spacious enough to accommodate four bottles, pump parts, and other feeding accessories. This sterilizer comes with two removable water tanks that are built-in to the backside which allows you to refill them at ease whenever you want. It also comes with wheels to allow you to transport the sterilizer easily. And the heating plate? It’s made with stainless steel to ensure it stays pristine and rust-free. It’s also worth mentioning that this bottle sterilizer also comes with a Hepa filter – ensuring your baby’s feeding essentials will dry in a sterile environment, free from any microbial contaminants.
The downside? There’s a need to repurchase the cleaning tablets. However, the Baby Brezza comes with 60 free tablets upon purchase.
All newborns have bacteria at birth, the majority of which are benign. Nonetheless, most are predisposed to germs due to their underdeveloped immune system, making them less likely to fight off infections. As such, having good hygiene habits when caring for your baby must take precedence in your list of top priorities, ensuring he is protected from harmful bacteria that can adversely impact his health and well-being.