Washing and disinfecting baby bottles – a priority for infant health

[28 September 2010 - 16h09]

Milk is a very rich environment and consequently one in which micro-organisms can easily multiply. These include staphylococcus and streptococcus bacteria, fungi and viruses such as the rotavirus. It is therefore extremely important to maintain the highest hygiene standards when taking care of baby bottles and teats. These need to be rinsed, cleaned and then sterilised to avoid any danger of contamination.

When your baby finishes his bottle, if you don’t have time to clean it properly straight away, start by giving the bottle and teat a rough rinse in hot water. Later, when you are ready to deal with them properly, wash the bottle with a suitable cleaning product, using a bottle brush. Once you have finished, rinse everything thoroughly to get rid of all traces of the washing liquid. The bottle brushes must also be cleaned with a food-safe disinfectant detergent after each use so that all milk particles are removed.

Disinfection. To eliminate all risk of germs and bacteria proliferating – and in turn infecting your baby – the bottles and teats must be sterilised. You should get into this habit and continue with it until your baby is at least 4 months old. There are several different methods you can use. The most common is to boil the bottles and accessories. You can immerse the equipment in boiling water for around twenty minutes. Another option is to use an electric or steam steriliser. Whichever you choose, make sure the bottles are well drained to avoid stagnant water.

When travelling. If you’re not at home or are unable to boil water, the cold sterilisation method can be used – whatever the circumstances – and is an easy way to disinfect baby bottles. This method uses chlorine-based effervescent tablets. These are dissolved in a container of cold water, then the equipment is immersed for around 30 minutes. For further information, speak to your pharmacist.

Source : Centre de Coordination de Lutte contre les Infections Nosocomiales (CCLIN) sud est CHU de Lyon [South-east Coordination Centre for Hospital-Acquired Infections, Lyon University Hospital], August 2010; Société française d’hygiène hospitalière [French Society for Hospital Hygiene] , August 2010.

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