Sterilising & weaning?

Question

I began weaning my baby at 18 weeks, she is now 20 weeks. I began early because she is not a "milky" baby. She's never cried for food, and wasn't really interested in her bottle. Someone told me she might be more into food than milk, so as soon as I could, I tried. She loves food. I want to make food for her myself, and also give her jars so that I can take her out and not worry about food spoiling and also because restaurants etc wont heat home cooked food, but will heat jars if necessary.

Anyway, I'm sterilising EVERYTHING when I cook the food myself, because she is still young, and also she has been hospitalised twice with nasty infections, and I can't risk her getting another one.

My question - which bits of the food preparation cycle do I need to sterilise and which ones don't I? I'm sterilising all the cooking utensils, masher, ricer, blender, chopping matts...everything. Part of me thinks I should just use jars until she is a bit older (because its "safer"), but I feel like its a bit of a cop out.

What do you think? I'd really appreciate opinions or experiences. Many thanks x

Answer 1

i think that sounds a bit overboard. i never sterilized anything and never had any major problems. but do what makes you feel comfortable.  

Answer 2

Hello.Just wash up in hot water(wear rubber gloves so it can be very hot).Wipe the chopping mats over once a day with a kitchen spray and once a day wash up in hot water.Just sterilise baby's bowl and spoon.Also wash your hands with soap and water before preparing food.

Answer 3

i have made every piece of solid food my baby has eaten since he started solids at 5 months (except if we are at a restaurant and he has some of my dinner) - and i have never sterilized a thing (just wash things with hot water and soap like i do all of our dishes and utensils).  

it's much healthier to make your baby's food and i don't believe jarred baby food is any safer at all, it can be contaminated in the factory it is made, there are often baby food recalls on jarred food.  i have never bought a jar of baby food and my son is super healthy and never gets sick.

i think what is safer and healthier is buying fresh veggies and meat and making your own you know exactly what is in it.

Answer 4

Don't sterilise anything, you can be too clean you know. Your child has to live in this world - if you go over the top your baby will never gain any immunity

Answer 5

You do not need to sterilise everything. Just washing all the cooking items in hot soapy water is adequate.

There is such a thing as being overly clean, and children raised in these sorts of environments are more likely to develop asthma. Think about it, soon your baby will be crawling around and putting things from the floor into her mouth. My son is only 4 months old and already puts his hands onto restaurant tables and other dirty surfaces then straight into his mouth. It has done him no harm.

You really do need to stop sterilising everything your baby comes into contact with and by doing this you will be letting her immune system develop.

Sorry if what i have wrote seems a bit harsh, but you really do not need to sterilise everything your baby comes into contact with.

Answer 6

I totally understand your being anxious, but others are right, sterilising absolutely everything may well make it worse, she does need to be exposed to some things, to help get her immune system up and better :)

I would sterilise feeding equipment, but not utensils.

Don't use jars, she's better off with your food, though it's perfectly OK when you go out and things to give her a jar if it's more convenient.

Just remember, she puts her hands and her toys in her mouth, and you can't sterlise all of those!!

Answer 7

My God your making me feel bad as I never sterilised anything when my babies went on to solids

I do think your going overboard but this is all I could find for you

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HealthAndWel...

Answer 8

What I think is you may like to consider sterilizing yourself, for obvious reasons.