Thursday 22 November 2012

Sterilize Baby Mouth's Equipment

The reason to sterilize baby feeding equipment is to ensure microbes (e.g. bacteria, fungi, virus, spore, etc) are destroyed before passing to baby for feeding or playing. Such equipment are baby bottles, nipples, pacifier, teethers or anything that baby's mouth touches.

And if the baby equipment are not cleaned, then there is a possibly infections that can cause discomfort to the baby as baby immune system is still weak after birth. Example of infection are oral thrush

By 6 months old, baby would have taken most of the vaccination jab. The continuation of sterilizing baby equipment depends on:
- Water condition at home whether it's clean or dirty (Some home have a rocket filter)
- Baby condition whether baby get sick easily

There are few ways on how to sterilize the baby equipment.
1) Hot Water
The old conventional which is to use hot water to kill the microbes. Back many many years ago, the baby bottle are made of glass and it's very safe to use this old convention methods. However nowadays most baby bottles are made of plastic and it's dangerous which can release a chemical call BPA which can disrupt the kid's health system.

2) Hot Water and Salt
This method is similar to method (1) but using salt to clean the bottle nipples.

3) Electric Steam Sterilizer
This method uses steam to sterilize the baby equipment.

4) Microwave
This method uses Microwave to sterilize the baby equipment. Ensure the baby equipment can be microwave

5) Sterilizing Tablets
Dump the sterilizing tablet in a 2 liter water with normal temperatures to create a sterilizing solutions. Put the baby equipment in the sterilizing solutions for 30 minutes and wash the baby equipment using clean waters. Another thing, we could use sterilizing tablet to clean big stuff like baby toys, playmat and etc.

Here are the summary:
No Method Cost (RM) Duration to Sterilize (Minute) Leach BPA in Plastic
1 Hot Water Water Cost
Electric/Gas Cost
Water Pot
10 Minutes Possible
2 Hot Water and Salt Water Cost
Electric/Gas Cost
Water Pot
Salt Cost (~RM2)
10 Minutes Possible
3 Electric Steam Sterilizer Electric Cost
Little Water Cost
Electric Steam Sterilizer (RM 100 - 350)
2 - 6 Minutes No
4 Microwave Electric CostMicrowave Oven (RM 250 - 450)
Microwave Sterilizer Container (RM 70 - 150)
4 - 10 Minutes (Include Cooling Time) Possible
5 Sterilizing Tablets Water Cost
1 Box (RM 17 for 56 tablets)

30 Minutes No
Note:
- For method 5, the example cost is Pureen Sterilising Table. Assuming 1 day uses 1 tablets for 24 hours, therefore it would cost RM 68 (6 Months x 31 Days x 1 Tablets = 186 tablets = 4 Box).
- If parent want to save time and have bigger budget, then best option would be Electric Steam Sterilizer.
- If parent are organized, clean baby equipment after use, then best option would be sterilizing tablet.

Resources:
http://www.parenting.com/article/toxic-baby-bottles

3 comments:

  1. Great! Thanks for this worthwhile information. These ways are really important especially the new born babies.

    -PackLessPlayMore.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. It is really important to sterilize things the baby will use, particularly the ones that they will have to put in their mouth. With that said, make sure you choose the right cleaning method for each particular circumstance to avoid possible mishaps concerning the baby.

    Carmella Eaglin

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for the information... I really love your blog posts... specially those on Niceneotech

    ReplyDelete

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