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How do I sterilise and store baby bottles?

During their first year of life babies are most vulnerable to viruses and bacteria. Therefore, keeping your baby's feeing equipment sterile is essential to help prevent infection.
 
1.Wash your hands thoroughly and clean surfaces that you will be using.
2.Use bottle and teat brushes to carefully cleanse bottles and teats with hot soapy water, removing all traces of milk, and teats with soapy water, removing all traces of milk, and rinse thoroughly under a running tap. Dishwashers can be used to clean feeding and preparation equipment provided equipment is dishwasher proof. Dishwashers will not sterilise equipment.
3.Sterilise the clean feeding equipment before you use it. Use one of these three methods:

-Steaming is the best way to sterilise feeding equipment. You can buy plug-in sterilisers or microwave sterilisers. Always follow the instructions.
-Fill a large saucepan with tap water and completely submerge all equipment. Make sure there are no trapped air bubbles. Cover the saucepan; bring to the boil or at least three minutes. Make sure the feeding equipment is fully covered with boiling water at all times.  Cover the saucepan until you need to use the equipment.
-Make up a batch of sterilising liquid (such as Milton) following the instructions. Make sure all equipment is completely covered by the liquid and there are no trapped air bubbles. Leave the equipment covered for the length of time specified on the instructions.
 
4. Wash hands and surfaces before handling and assembling sterile feeding equipment for your baby.
5. Bottles or other feeding equipment should be assembled immediately after sterilisation. Take care to avoid touching the teats and the insides of bottles, sealing discs, bottle caps and collars. Sterile tongs may be used to fix teats into collars.
6. Once assembled correctly, bottles will remain sterile for 24 hours providing that they remain unopened. It is recommended that you continue to sterilise bottles and teats until your baby is 12 months old.
 

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