These are shorter and fatter than standard bottles, but take the same amount of milk. They usually take silicone rather than latex teats and will normally have a self-sealing lid. Autoclaving is a process that destroys microbes and other potentially infectious substances. The process is used to sterilize surgical instruments, labware, media, and other materials before use and to treat infectious waste before disposal. Glass baby bottles While not widely available, these are one to consider if you're concerned about the environmental impact of using plastic bottles. Baby bottle cooler bag These insulated bags keep milk fresh when you’re out and about; single or multi-bottle sizes are available. You may also have a bottle-insulating compartment in your changing bag. I did this in the evening once my daughter was down for the night. It took about 20min, but I was only doing two bottles per day. If I was doing it for an exclusively bottle-fed infant, I’d probably switch to the pre-sterilized drop in liners, so all you had to wash would be the nipples and caps. In that case, it may well be worth it to buy and drag along an actual sterilizer.

Anti-colic bottles are designed to reduce the amount of air a baby takes in while feeding, which is thought to be a possible cause of colic (uncontrollable crying in a healthy baby as a result of wind). This is done through air vents, tubes or collapsible bags for the milk inside the bottle. First rinse the basin or sink you’ll use with boiling water. Then fill the sink with soapy water and wash all of baby’s equipment. If you are travelling and have concerns about formula feeding and keeping bottles safe and sterilized, just remember to prepare beforehand. This is your most crucial step. There are plenty of ways to sterilize the bottles on the go, and you can find water for boiling before your feed times. Cons: Generally these only take four bottles (other types take six or eight), some sterilisers can’t be used in the most powerful modern microwaves, some may not fit in smaller microwaves. Cold-water sterilisers

How to sterilize baby bottles in hotel sink

Pros: Most widely available, most likely to fit accessories such as bottle coolers and sterilisers, the least expensive type of bottle.

As formula isn't sterile, it’s recommended that you make it as your baby needs it, using water that's at least 70ºC, and to use it within two hours. Most bottles will hold 250ml (9fl oz) of milk, although you can get smaller bottles for new babies that are 150ml (5fl oz). Ensure your little one is happy and comfortable during mealtimes by choosing one of our best high chairs for babies and toddlers . Flask' type baby bottle warmers These are made up of two sections: an inner flask, and a lid deep enough to hold a bottle. Before you go out, fill the flask with boiling water and attach the lid. When you need to heat up the bottle of milk, remove the lid, put the bottle in it, then fill around it with the hot water from the flask. Traveling with your baby and keeping your gear sterilized properly can present new challenges that you don’t face at home. However, with the right preparation beforehand and the knowledge of what to expect, you can easily keep your baby gear safe and your mind at ease.Plastic scoop bib These have an in-built curved ‘catch’ tray at the base of the bib, so food falls into the tray rather than into your baby’s lap. Bottle brush You'll need a bottle brush to clean your bottles properly before sterilising, and a teat brush to get into the tips of the teats. So while sterilising on the move might seem like a lot of hassle, with a bit of forethought and choosing what works for you will make it less trouble than what it sounds - promise! Read on:

The pace at which milk goes into your baby’s mouth, known as the 'flow rate', depends on the number and type of holes in the tip of the teat. It may be an old-fashioned method, but the advantage is that you can do it anywhere, as long as you have access to a hob. You’ll just need to wash your bottles by hand, place them in a pan with a lid, cover them with water, bring to the boil and then boil for at least 10 minutes. The bottles will stay sterile as long as the lid is left on the pan. Some sterilisers can be used with more than one method of sterilisation – for example, microwave and cold water. This can be useful if you need to sterilise away from home. Sterilisers with drying cycles included mean you can use the bottles straight away, rather than waiting for them to cool down.Doidy cups are a good starting point for some babies. These plastic cups have handles and a slanted side which helps the baby to see the contents of the cup and guide the drink to their mouth. Whether or not you need a bottle warmer depends on whether your baby wants heated milk, and how happy you are with just using a jug of hot water to raise the milk temperature. Types of bottle warmers Standard bottle warmers Here are some options for safe and relatively convenient bottle sterilizing while you are away from home. This is easy if your baby is down to only a few bottles per day, as havebabywilltravel.com explains:

The lids to these are often screw-on, so are easy to remove, but don’t come off when the cup is thrown on the floor. Tablets or liquid containing diluted bleach are placed into a measured amount of cold water inside the steriliser tank. Bottles must then be completely immersed in the solution, making sure there are no air bubbles where bacteria could survive (you need to be especially careful about this if the bottles are sterilised lying on their side). You can store your used bottles in your carry-on and then sterilize them once you arrive at the hotel. John Lewis offers bottle feeding accessories as well as weaning products in its baby and child range. You can even book an appointment with one of its nursery advisors (in store or virtually) if you need help with what to choose. These types of steriliser use UVC rays. They typically come as boxes with reflective surfaces inside, which allow the UV light to cover all surface areas on the objects where you put it. As with other sterilisers, it's crucial to wash your bottles and teats in warm, soapy water before placing them in. This is because any dirt left on the bottles and teats will make the UVC rays less effective.

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Autoclaves and sterilizers reach and maintain a temperature of 121°C for at least 30 minutes and use saturated steam under a minimum pressure of 15 psi.