Cleaning and sterilizing bottles

Rinse bottles and nipples right after each feed to stop milk residue drying on. Milk dries into a stubborn film that harbors bacteria — an ounce of prevention here saves half an hour of scrubbing later. Wash daily with hot soapy water using a bottle brush that reaches the base and a nipple brush for the small openings. Air-dry on a clean rack, not a towel. Sterilize once a day for the first three months — five minutes of boiling, a steam sterilizer, or the dishwasher's hot cycle all work. After three months, daily washing is usually enough for healthy full-term babies. Preterm, immunocompromised, or ill babies need continued daily sterilization. Replace nipples every 2–3 months, or immediately if you spot cracks, discoloration, or unusually fast flow.