Kit & gear
Steriliser basics
What needs sterilising, for how long, and when you can stop.
3 minute readNewborn · 0 to 3mo3 to 12 months
From the Dad Reckoning manual. General editorial guidance, not professional advice. Follow the sources linked in this guide for specialist and current information. About the manual.
You will sterilise more than you expect. Then, one day, you will stop.
What needs it
- Bottles and teats, for as long as you use them.
- Pump parts, after every use.
- Dummies, until the child is old enough to drop them on the floor and survive.
When you can stop
Around six months, the immune system catches up. Bottles still get washed. Sterilising becomes optional. You will know when.
Keep the steriliser on the counter, not in a cupboard. If it is out of sight it does not get used.