How to Clean Bottles?

Hi D.. As far as the bottles go I would put them in the dishwasher .. I used to hand wash them but since then I've heard a couple of horror stories so I would put them in the dishwasher at the least. I am an expert on breast milk.. it lasts a month in the freezer..just write the date on there and you're ready to go. The best way fyi to defrost is to run luke warm water on the bag or let it sit in the water. Good job on breastfeeding and keep it up!! Good luck!

D.,
I do not sterilize my baby's bottles after every use...in fact, I only sterilized them before their first use. I don't have a dishwasher. So....it's all about hot water, soap and a bottle brush (which I replace frequently). I use the Born Free bottles which have more than a few parts. I separate all the parts and then scrub and rinse. (I can't wait for the bottle stage to end!)
As for the breast milk in the freezer: I believe it's up to 6 months in a regular freezer, and up to 12 months in a deep freezer. I never had milk that lasted beyond a few days though. :-)

Our pediatrician said that sterilizing bottles is not necessary, especially if you are feeding the baby breastmilk. He told us just to wash them in the dishwasher. That's what I did with both of my kids; never had any problems.

I'm not sure about the breastmilk in the freezer; I never had enough for it to last very long! Hopefully the other mamas can help you with that part. =)

Good luck!

Hello D.!

I too am a first time mommy and have gone overboard on the sterilizng at times, lol. My baby is 10 months now and has just weaned to bottles only. I have 6 bottles that I rotate throughout the day. I sterilized them before first using them. After she is done with a bottle, I go rinse the bottle and it's parts with hot water and leave about 1/4 of water in the bottle and set it aside. When I have all 6 bottles at the end of the day ready to wash, I just rinse again with hot water, wash them out with a bottle brush and wash the nipple, ring and cap with a little bit of dish soap and then hang them on a bottle rack (you can get for about 12.00 at Target). Putting plastic bottles in the dishwasher can release toxins and mix with the milk you put in the bottle when you feed your little one. As for the breast feeding, you can store breastmilk many different ways. In the freezer, they will last 2-3 months in the inside part of the freezer, NOT the door part. Make sure to write the dates on the bags you store them in. Also, something that helped me a great deal, you can add breastmilk throughout the day to a refrigerated bottle and then stick in the freezer at the end of the day. Say you are only able to pump 2 ounces at 10:00 in the morning...then you put the container in the fridge. Then at 2:00, you pump 3 more ounces, you can pour those 3 ounces into the already refrigerated 2 ounces, and so on through out the day, but you can only do this for 24 hours. Then take the finished bottle/ container and transfer from the fridge to the freezer and Whalah! I am a very "must know the right way" or "by the book" way to do things for my baby. I got my information from a place called La Leche League. If you look in the phonebook, call them with any king of question of breastfeeding or storage and they have certified people available at all times. When you call them, it is a recording that names off about 6 certified people with thier names and phone numbers and then you call them directly to thier homes or cell phones....it helped me very much. I have a ton of brand new milk storage bags and a storage container for the freezer if you want them? I ended up staying home and breastfeeding my daughter so i never used them, they are still in sealed packages. I hope it helps. Take Care!

Dear D.,
When my first baby quit nursing and went to a bottle, I was a freak about sterilizing them all the time. But, I found a way that cleans them really well that is not quite so much trouble. I disassembled them and put them in the sink to soak in the hottest water with dish soap. When the water cooled enough to put my hands in it, I used a bottle brush. Then, I put the nipples back in the ring and filled the bottle half way with soapy water and added baking soda and a little vinegar. I put the tops back on and shook the living daylights out of them. The vinegar and baking soda fizz, so hold your finger over the hole in the nipple then point toward the sink because they will spray! But, I knew then for sure that even the hole in the nipple was getting throroughly clean. Then, all you have to do is rinse really well. The bottles will be clean and smell nice and fresh.
Do NOT put plastic bottles in the dishwasher! I have heard studies that show that the heat and drying process bring out toxins in the plastic. Someone sent me an article about it and then I saw a report on TV about it. (If I can find it, I'll send it). Glass bottles are best, but not very practical. Just wash them by hand as described above.
I have no idea how long frozen breast milk is good. I never tried freezing it.

Best wishes!

i never sterilized my kids bottles, just washed with soap and really hot water and a bottle brush. what i did find was that glass bottles came way cleaner than plastic, and i got them for $2 a piece at a website called organic grace.

D., when it comes to the bottles I soak them in super hot water in the sink. I use the kind of bottles you put the disposable liner in, so it really isn't a problem. The nipples, either I do the same and use a nipple brush to clean, or I put them in the dishwasher. I found this little "cage", made by Munchkin at my local drug store. It has a spot for the nipples, you just put them in and put them in on the top rack of your dishwasher. It works great! And as for storage of breastmilk, this is the information I follow, which I got from the Lansinoh Storage Bags:
If your freezer is a compartment inside your refrigerator it will last 2 weeks. If it is in a freezer compartment with a seperate door (like a side-by-side or a freezer drawer on the bottom or top) it will last 3-4 months. If you put it in a seperate deep freezer it will last 6 months or longer. I have a side-by-side so I go with the 3-4 months.

HI! Cleaning bottles can be fun! Once you sterilizes the bottles after you get them as a gift or you buy them, you do not have to sterilizes them again. Best way to clean bottles is use a bottle brush cleaner. Safeway, Babies R Us, Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreen's are the best to go! I got one that you can stick to the side of the sink. They come in cute colors! The best thing about bottle brush cleaner is that they last about 30 or 31 days. They clean the bottles greatly! Also, you can clean them in dish soap. D. is the best.
I hope this help on cleaning the bottles!
J. L. A.

I have only run mine through the dishwasher. There are attachments that are made for the baby stuff to go in to the dishwasher. Other than that I would handwash and use one of those bottle scrubbers.