One of the most commonly used tools in baby feeding is bottles and bottle nipples. Bottles are used to give expressed breast milk to the baby and are also used for follow-up milk when breast milk is not possible. In the following period, bottles are also preferred for drinking water, milk or other liquid beverages. At this point , it is as important to be careful in bottle use and to clean the bottles as it is to choose a bottle.
How to clean a baby bottle is an important question for parents. Because the answer to the question of how to clean baby bottles is important for baby nutrition. Baby bottles, which have been used since the newborn period, are an important part of babies’ feeding routine. Cleaning them after each feeding is also of great importance for baby health. So, how should the baby bottle be cleaned or what should be considered in bottle cleaning?
What Should Be Considered When Cleaning Baby Bottles?
First of all, every product involved in baby feeding should be carefully cleaned. Baby bottles, pacifiers if used as bottle nipples, baby food containers and breast milk expressors should also be carefully cleaned.
Baby bottle cleanliness directly affects the quality of liquids such as breast milk, follow-on milk, milk and water that the baby receives in the feeding routine that varies according to the baby’s month . For example, if there is milk residue left in it, this residue can be harmful for the baby. So, what should be considered when cleaning the bottle?
- Rinse the bottle immediately after use, before the contents dry out. To do this, first separate the bottle and teats from each other. All parts should be separated so that cleaning is more effective.
- If the bottle you are using is suitable for washing in the dishwasher, wash it using the relevant program of the machine and the correct detergent option.
- If the bottle you are using is not suitable for washing in the dishwasher, you can clean it with hot water, a bottle brush and bottle washing detergent. Then rinse very well and let it dry on a dry, clean cloth.
- Do not try to dry the inside of the bottle with a cloth. This can cause dust and thread particles to get into the bottle. Drying on its own on a clean surface is recommended.
- You can also use a sterilizer to clean the baby bottle. You can provide the necessary sterilization in a baby bottle sterilizer. But before this process, you need to clean without residue.
- It is also necessary to clean the bottle nipples correctly. Bottle teats with indented and protruding bottle nipples leave a lot of residue. Breast milk and follow-on milk residues are very suitable for the production of bacteria over time. For this reason, bottle nipples should also be cleaned very well.