Sterilizers
Mothers who decided to bottle feed their children must have an adequate bottle sterilizer to keep the feeding bottles always clean. There are bottle sterilizers which work by placing them in a microwave. These types are the cheapest and it is their greatest advantage but before using them you have to make sure that your microwave is clean, especially after cooking there some spicy food. If not, you have to clean it. And if you decide to go somewhere it will be a bit problematic to take the sterilizer and the microwave with you. Its portability is far from being perfect. The best choice but a more expensive one is purchasing an electric bottle sterilizer. It is very simple in use. First you have to wash the bottle then place it into a plastic tray and then place the tray into the sterilizer. Pour into the sterilizer some water – not more than is recommended by the manufacturers and your electric sterilizer will do the rest. There are also types of sterilizers which can work both as electric and microwave ones; this means you can put the plastic tray with the bottle in the microwave as well as in the electric equipment.
Cleaning
Before using any type of sterilizer you have to wash the bottle very thoroughly. There is a special brush made for bottle cleaning. A feeding bottle has to be washed in warm soapy water and the teats have to be cleaned with salt to disinfect them and peel the film of remained milk. And before sterilizing make sure that the teats and the caps of the bottles are not left on.
Some more suggestions
Sterilizing is not the only thing mothers have to follow to keep baby feeding germ-free. Formula milk can provide perfect conditions for bacteria to thrive if it stands in a warm place for a long time. If you bottle feed your baby you must mix the milk powder with water just before feeding and never give your baby the milk which was prepared for a previous feed. Formula milk has never to be made in advance, if you are going to have a long trip, take with you some warm water in a thermos flask and the baby powder milk and mix it when you need it. Your hands have to be washed well before making your baby’s formula.
Every baby has to have his or her personal bottle, so never share it with another one, because it can be a good way to share germs as well. Containing more sugar than breast milk baby’s formula can become a real problem for your baby’s teeth – cause decay. To a void it you should never put baby to bed with a bottle giving him or her opportunity to suck the bottle for hours, because the sugary liquid flows over the baby's upper front teeth and dissolves the enamel.
Bottle feeding is as safe as breast feeding if you follow the guidelines above and it gives your baby all the nutrients he or she needs.