Sterilising my baby's bowls, plates, etc?

Question

I have just started my daughter on baby rice (although she keeps turning her nose up at it!!!!) and i was wondering if i should sterilise her bowl and spoon before each use. I have been so far but was wondering if i need to. She puts other things in her mouth, toys, etc which obviously arent sterilised.

Answer 1

You could, but you also can start to ease up.

We just wash our bowls and spoons and call it good. After all, we can't protect him from everything.

Answer 2

babys need to have contact with some bacteria and germs. As
they get older they are exposed to all sorts. There is no need to sterilise her bowls and spoons. A good wash in hot soapy water is just fine. My daughter turned her nose up at the rice too! Try the banana and other fruit flavoured cereal.

Answer 3

I've just started weaning my daughter and I haven't bothered sterilising her bowls or spoons. They say you're supposed to but she tries to eat absolutely everything she can get her hands on (toys, newspapers, sandcastles (it's true!)), so I don't see the point really. I still sterilise her bottles though, cos milk can be a bit nasty sometimes, and the bottles do seem to hold the smell for some reason. If you've got a dishwasher that's ideal - I haven't though so I just use antibacterial washing up liquid. So far so good!

Answer 4

My son is 13 months old, when I first bought everything I put it in boiling water, or if he was sick I did. But for everyday use I don't. My son hated the rice too, I added fruit to it (the baby food fruit) and he liked it more then. I also put it in his bottles, because that has calories and will help her gain some weight. Also FYI I just found this awesome yogurt for babies and toddlers. Its called Yo Baby Yogurt. My son loves it and its right in the same section with our yogurt. You'll have to wait a while for that but it is awesome. Good luck.

Answer 5

Hi by the time she's putting other things in her mouth you needn't worry too much about sterilising-The only things that you need to worry about is her dummies and her milk bottles-This is as the milk is stored in the fridge giving any bacteria the chance to multiply-

Answer 6

I wouldnt bother. They crawl all over the floor which is never sanitary, then put their hands in their mouths. as long as you dont leave your bowls with rotting food in them before you wash them, she should be fine. trying to keep a childs environment TOO sterile can actually weaken them. its good for them to be exposed to everyday normal germs, so they build up a tolerance and strength. plus, if you have a dishwasher, they are all getting sterilized anyway. if not, you may just need to boil bottles now and then because the plastic will start to absorb stink. a bowl and spoon, i wouldnt worry about. just keeping your child away from people you know are sick, and keeping her away from dangerous things will be enough. just think of all the years humans have existed before we were capable of sterilizing.

Answer 7

If she's under a year old, then it's best to sterilise her feeding stuff still.

BTW: you could try giving her pureed apple if she's hating the rice. It's nice and sweet (which babies love) but healthy.

Answer 8

I sterlised everything until she was 6 mos then just washed it up and disinfected high chair after every use. I think it is good for kids to be introduced to a bit of dirt here and there but you have to be careful.

BTW just keep persevering with the baby rice, eventually she will take it and then they'll be no stopping her! You could try sweet potato mashed potato, my girls loved it

Answer 9

she'll be fine if you don't sterilize everything. washing it in hot soapy water and rinsing it throughly will do the job.

if she's not taking to rice, she may not be interested yet. wait a few days and try again. she's getting what she needs from your milk or formula, so the rice cereal basically starts out as just teaching them how to eat something more solid. trying to force her to eat before she's ready may start the wrong idea in both your heads that meals are a fight. letting her decide how much to eat (and in the beginning, when to eat) from day one will instill healthy eating habits that will last the rest of her life.

Good luck!

Answer 10

Just make sure the water temp for your dishwasher is set high enough and then wash the babies utensils in it like you do your own. If she's up to eating from a spoon, then the sterilizing part is done. Just use your own common sense.'

Answer 11

I have never steralised bowls and spoons and have been a nanny and mum for the last 12 years! It's still important to steralise bottles as milk can breed alot of bacteria, if you hand wash bottles, I would steralise until she is one, if they are washed in a dishwasher, i would do it until she is 6 months.