Is a Bottle Sterilizer Necessary?

History

• Sterilizing bottles by boiling water or using store purchased bottle sterilizers was necessary when water content was less safe. Contaminants in the water supply required safer cleaning practices.

Types

• Bottle sterilizers can be be purchased as plastic bags that you put in the microwave to clean bottles or plastic appliances that use steam. In any form, bottle sterilizers are made of plastic and use extreme heat to burn off germs. They can cost from $10 to $100.

Misconceptions

• Bottle sterilizers are a common item for parents because they give peace of mind that the bottle is free of germs and bacteria. Unfortunately, as soon as the bottle hits the air or are put into the baby's mouth, bacteria are formed.

Warning

• Not only are bottle sterilizers not the perfect germ-busters that they seem to be, they are also dangerous. The high temperatures used to kill germs also makes chemicals in the bottle break down and leak into the liquid that is in the bottle. Debate is ongoing, but Bisphenol-A (a chemical found in many plastics, including bottles) is potentially hazardous to human development. The high heat used for sterilization releases Bisphenol-A (BPA) into the bottle.

Prevention/Solution

• Water and soap cleans better then most people think. Use warm, not scalding, water to clean bottles with a special brush that can be purchased for about $3 at most drug or department stores. This is the safest way to clean bottles and baby paraphernalia.