Can You Boil Glass Baby Bottles?

Plastic Bottles

These days, most parents prefer to use plastic baby bottles. The reasons are apparent. Plastic bottles are lighter in weight, and they do not break easily. Plastic bottles are safe from breaking if a mom drifts into sleep while feeding the baby, and the bottle falls, which is often the scenario. And so parents are fonder of plastic baby bottles. But if you prefer plastic baby bottles, make sure to use newer ones instead of hand-me-down bottles. Plastic baby bottles manufactured before the year 2011 were loaded with Bisphenol A or BPA, a material later known to negatively affect the nervous and reproductive system. Newer bottles are safer as FDA already banned the use of BPA in plastics. To be sure, check the bottle label. Bottles with the symbol #1, #1, #4, and #5 are considered to be BPA-free.

Plastic Bottles with Liners

This type of baby bottle is getting the admiration of many parents due to its practical use. It’s a baby bottle with an inner lining that’s disposable; you won’t need to wash the bottle in between usage. This is great for traveling where washing bottles can be tedious, considering that babies feed multiple times now and then. The removable lining is also made from plastic material that should also be BPA-free.

Glass Bottles

You might think glass baby bottles are obsolete, but a lot of parents still prefer glass bottles. This is because glass is not prone to leaking substances into the milk compared to plastics, so it’s considered safer. The issues with glass baby bottles are that they’re breakable and can be heavy. Some companies now wrap their bottles with silicone covering to prevent bottle breakage. Old is gold as they say, and so a lot of parents still prefer glass baby bottles. But how do you sterilize baby bottles? Can you boil glass baby bottles and other types of baby bottles?

Boiling:

Since boiling is the most common means of sterilization, parents often ask if can you boil glass baby bottles. Here’s the proper way of dealing with baby bottles.

• Make sure to sterilize the glass or plastic bottle before using it for the first time and every after use, especially when using on neonates.
• Include the nipple and attachment ring when sterilizing.
• Make sure your hands are clean when handling baby bottles.
• Rinse the bottle before boiling it. Do so by washing the container and the accessories using baby-friendly dish soap.
• Prepare a large saucepan, place the bottles and the accessories and fill in with water. Cover the pan and bring the water to a boil and keep it boiling for 5 minutes before turning the fire off.
• Let it sit until the water cools. Drain the water, put the bottles in the refrigerator, and take one out only when needed.
• You can also add baking soda to the water when boiling baby bottles to give the sterilization process an added boost.

Sterilization through the dishwasher:

• Place the glass or plastic baby bottles on the upper rack of the dishwasher. Meanwhile, place the accessories in a tray on the top shelf.
• Perform a hot rinse cycle.
• Allow the equipment to dry thoroughly either in the dishwasher or on the counter.

Special Baby Bottles Microwave Sterilizer:

• Make sure the bottle and its parts are microwavable.
• Put a little amount of water at the lower part of the microwave and place the equipment in.
• Run the microwave on high to allow the steam and hot water from the microwave to kill the microorganisms on your baby’s bottle.
• Allow the equipment to cool and store in the refrigerator for later use.