We have added bottle sterilizers to the Z Report at the request of many readers; they are now included in the directory listing of their manufacturer. All of the ones we identified are BPA-free, except one. But we still don't consider them to be completely safe, and we want to tell you why.
Abusing Your Plastics...
Most bottle sterilizers are designed for microwave use. We don't recommend microwaving any plastics. In fact, we think the term "microwave-safe plastic" will be applied to fewer and fewer plastic types as our cultural awareness of these substances advances. Remember, polycarbonate plastic was (and often still is) touted as "microwave-safe," a claim major companies are backing away from as quickly as possible.
The only stand-alone bottle sterilizers on the market today are expensive (Avent's Electronic Steam Sterilizer) or highly unreliable (see the First Years sterilizer's customer reviews on Amazon). Avent's also ships with bottles that contain BPA.
But stand-alone bottle sterilizers like Avent's are often designed to reach and sustain temperatures higher than those achieved by your dishwasher's standard cycle. Since we recommend that all plastics be washed exclusively in your dishwasher's top rack, we'd be remiss not to mention this disconnect.
So what's a safety-conscious parent to do? Well, we have some good news, but it may be hard for some parents to swallow. You don't need to sterilize baby bottles at all.
...For No Good Reason...
WebMD has an excellent and succinct article on this issue, sourced from a 2001 article in Contemporary Pediatrics.
"Thorough cleaning with soap and water gets rid of almost all germs," it reads. "And once on the bottle, the nipple begins to pick up all the germs in the environment, so a 'sterile' nipple and bottle is just a pipe dream anyway." It says a bit more about sterilizing water, which is also no longer necessary in the U.S., but the gist of it is simple: Don't bother sterilizing your bottles; just wash them well. You can read it here.
Is Bad.
Given this assessment and our thoughts on the proper handling of consumer plastics, we view bottle sterilization as a practice similar to the use of excessively toxic household cleansers - it is not just unnecessary, but is capable of undermining our health and safety rather than enhancing it. We recommend against using a bottle sterilizer of any kind, and using a good bottle-cleaning brush instead, and wash them as most manufacturers now recommend - in warm, not scalding, water with plenty of soap. If you wash bottles in a dishwasher, put them in the top rack and consider using a natural dishwashing detergent like Seventh Generation.
That said, here's a shortlist of BPA-free and BPA-containing bottle sterilizers.
BPA-Free Sterilizers 
Avent
iQ24 Electronic Steam Sterilizer, $75 (currently $54 on Amazon.com)
Includes bottles which are not BPA-free
[Buy on Amazon | Z Report listing]
AventMicrowave Steam Sterilizer, $25
Includes bottles which are not BPA-free
[Buy on Amazon | Z Report listing]
Born FreeMicrowave Sterilizer, $45
No bottles included
[Buy on Amazon | Z Report listing]
Dr. Brown'sFour-Bottle Microwave Steam Sterilizer, $30
Includes bottles which are not BPA-free
[Buy on Amazon | Z Report listing]
The First YearsMicrowave Sterilizer, $20
Includes bottles which are not BPA-free
[Buy on Amazon | Z Report listing]
MunchkinSteam Guard Sterilizer, $18
[Buy on Amazon | Z Report listing]
Sterilizers Containing BPA
The First YearsAll-Purpose Sterilizer, $50
Lid is polycarbonate
[Buy on Amazon | Z Report listing]
Note: Updated May 28, 2008 to correctly identify First Years Microwave Sterilizer as BPA-free and add BPA-containing First Years All-Purpose Sterilizer. Z Recommends regrets the error.
15 comments:
So, I assume the same reasoning holds true for breast pump parts - especially since many are polycarbonate plastic?
We made use of bottles, pumps and the breast when my son was still nursing and the best advice I ever got was -- why would you sterilize all that equipment when you are just going to stick it on your dirty boob?
"...dirty boob"???? Sounds like the most ridiculous statement I've EVERY heard!
About every other week I sterilize my medela breast pump parts in the microwave using their sterilization bags. Medela's BPA free, but is this still a good idea?
I'd like to know your views on cold water sterilization using Milton?
I'm a bad/good mom. I figured eventually my son would be drinking from a cup, which I would not sterilize, so I decided not to sterilize his bottles. I washed them with soap and water and called it good.
I did use the Medela bags to sterilize my pump on occasion... maybe once a month?
Jenny G: A clarification -- the advice I was given (the dirty boob comment) was a humerous way of saying that the breast isn't sterile so why sterilize the bottles and pump parts? At any rate it made lots of sense to me and I haven't sterilized a bottle, cup or flange since!
I have never sterilized anything. My dishwasher has a sterlization option and I did that few times, but only washed bottles in the dishwasher or with soapy water. I see no reason to be so germ-phobia with babies unless their is an immune system issue or risk of RSV, etc. Pacis,baby toys, etc... I swear my babies have sucked on plenty of dirt!
the todd family: that makes sense (blush) I get it now :) Thanks for taking time to clarify that.
I do not use a "typical" sterilizer. I have used a standard vegetable steamer for years after washing with soap and warm water I put the bottles and breastfeeding attachments, pacifiers etc... in the steamer for about 5 - 10 minutes. I didn't want the residue from the dishwasher soap on these. I've known about the toxic concerns with plastics in the microwaves for years/amazed it is just becoming more public.
I just want to point out an inconsistency in your information on the First Years Microwave Sterilizer. Above you write: "Lid is polycarbonate." On the linked page of your report you write: "the sterilizer is BPA-free, the Soothie bottles are not." I have this sterilizer and have been using it (apparently far too much) to sterilize my pump parts for 9 months and the lid appears to be polypropylene or something similar.
My doctor told me that the bacteria which comes from milk/formula is one of the worst kinds of bacteria...so although your bottles may not be sterile because they are still getting bacteria from the air and other things that the nipple touches...at least it kills the bacteria in the milk/formula, which you may not necessarily kill if you wash with warm water and soap. In fact, my doctor's opinion was that you should sterilize for at least a year and that is what is recommended by the Canadian Pediatric Society (I think the U.S. has the same recommendation). Also, once you sterilize your bottles they are not supposed to air dry because they will get bacteria from the air. You are supposed to put them in the refrigerator immediately. It doesn't matter if there is water residue as that water is sterile.
Thank you. Websites have started listing BPA-free bottles but I have not seen anything on sterilizers until today. This was very helpful!
With my first son I didn't know how often I should sterilize. I started doing it more when my son started getting finicky about how the nipple smelled/tasted. Once my husband hadn't rinsed the soap completely off the nipple and my son cried. I smelled the nipple and after rinsing it again, I still smelled soap residue. The sterilization helped with any additional smells/tastes after that. With my second son, I sterilize every time.
I would check with the manufacturer of your breast pump to see if their parts contain BPA. I just called Avent and purchased the replacement BPA-free parts for my breast pump (ISIS Twin Electronic Pump). It was about $25 w/shipping. Worth it since those things are so expensive.
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