Milk is a perfect place for germs to grow, and a newborn's tummy is sensitive. Clean equipment, clean hands and fresh feeds prevent most feeding-related tummy upsets.
Washing bottles: every time
- Wash your hands with soap first.
- Take bottles, teats, rings and caps apart and rinse them in clean water.
- Wash in hot water with a little washing-up liquid, using a clean bottle brush that you only use for the baby's things. Scrub inside the teat and the ring threads.
- Rinse well, then leave to air dry upside down on a clean rack or a clean, dry cloth.
Replace the brush and teats when they look worn or cracked.
Sterilising: how and for how long
Many guidelines suggest sterilising for at least the first few months, and always if the baby is premature or unwell. Your paediatrician can tell you what suits your baby. Common methods:
- Boiling: put the washed parts in a deep pan, covered fully with water, and boil for at least 5 minutes. Keep the pan lid on and take items out with clean tongs.
- Steam steriliser (electric or microwave): follow the maker's time exactly.
- Sterilising tablets or solution: follow the label, and rinse as the instructions say.
Once sterilised, store the parts closed or covered and use them soon. Re-sterilise if they sit for a long time.
Making formula safely
- Wash your hands and clean the surface first.
- The WHO advises making powdered formula with water that has been boiled and then left to cool, but still hot (not below about 70 °C), which helps kill germs that can live in the powder. Cool the made-up bottle quickly under running water before feeding and test a drop on your wrist.
- Measure exactly as the tin says. Too much or too little powder is not safe for the baby.
- Make each feed fresh. Throw away what the baby leaves, and do not save it for the next feed.
- Do not use a microwave to warm bottles, because it heats unevenly and can scald.
Storing breast milk
The CDC's general guide for healthy full-term babies:
- Room temperature: up to about 4 hours
- Fridge: up to about 4 days, at the back, not in the door
- Freezer: best within 6 months
Label the container with the date. Thaw in the fridge or in a bowl of warm water, never by boiling. Use thawed milk within 24 hours and do not refreeze it. Shake gently and test the temperature before feeding. Indian summers are hot, so use the shorter end of the room-temperature window when the weather is warm.
If you are breastfeeding
Wash your hands before feeding or expressing. You do not need to scrub your nipples before each feed: a normal daily bath is enough. Clean breast-pump parts that touch milk after each use, following the pump maker's instructions.
When to call the doctor
Call if your baby vomits repeatedly, has loose or bloody stools, a fever, refuses feeds, or seems dry (fewer wet nappies, dry mouth, sunken soft spot).