Bottle water and cleaning bottles

A

anonymous

New member
I was just reading a post on the adult board and it got me a little freaked out about the way I have been caring for my 10 month old son. I have been using tap water mixed with his formula for his bottles, and at night I clean all the bottles with hot, soapy water. He cultured PA once, but it was eradicated. Now I am totally freaked that we are doing something wrong here. What have you all been doing, or what did you do when you had a little one? When we were doing the neb. during the PA time, I did boil after cleaning, but we have never done that with bottles and we use tap water to mix with formula. I am so nervous I am not doing the right thing. I definitely do not want the PA back!!!

Thanks,
Carrie
mom to Sam 10months
 
A

anonymous

New member
I used bottled water to mix formula. For the first couple months (can't remember how long) I boiled bottle parts. After a couple months I washed and rinsed bottles in hot water and did not boil.

I think the difference with bottle and nebulizers is the with the nebulizers bugs are getting breathed directly into the lungs. Bottles, any bugs would go to the gut and not necessarily infect the lungs. If you really think about it....does anyone ever sterilize all there plates/cups/forks/spoons....... But I am no scientist, it's just my opinion.
 
A

anonymous

New member
Thanks! That is a good point and makes me feel better. He did have his clear throat swab in June with no PA and no boiling, so I guess our water is OK. I am still so nervous though with all this new CF stuff to get used to!
Carrie
 
R

Ratatosk

Administrator
Staff member
For the first few months I washed bottles in hot tap water in the sink and put all the nipples, pacifiers, lids, baby spoons in a little basket in the top of the dishwasher. But with multiple feedings, meds with 10 or so oral syrines and tips every day, got to be too much. Plus I don't run the dishwasher every single day.

After awhile, everything got soaked in the kitchen sink with hot soapy water over the noon hour. I'd boil neb cups at the same time and I'd pour the boiling water over the stuff in the dishdrainer when I was done to give it a good rinse. Then I graduated to the 15 second rule at home -- if it fell on the floor, as long as I picked it up after 15 seconds <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> it was fine.
 
F

folione

New member
We used filtered tap water to mix formula. Soapy water was used for washing all the various cups/bottles/nipples/etc. Anything that would stand up to it was sterilized in the microwave after washing then shaken out before air drying. We used an Avent microwave sterilizer (and still use it for nebulizers)

Despite this, however, our son (now 3) has cultured pseudomonas several times. Which is to say that those little buggers are everywhere and you can't blame yourself for them showing up now and then. The cleaning/sterilizing routine helps us feel like we've got some control and are doing something - but to be honest I think it's a bit silly given that tots will put everything they can get ahold of into their mouths and we can't sterilize it all.
 
R

RiRi

Guest
I think alot of it depends on where you live. Do you have city water, a well or a spring?
 
A

anonymous

New member
Hot water from the tap can often contain more bacteria than cold water. Bacteria don't survive as well in cold water. If you use hot water, let it run for a long time!!! (Of course they die in boiled water)
 
J

Jenica

Guest
We had an appointment with the CF clinic today, and when I brought this up, our doctor said that because we have a well, he would definitely recommend using bottled water for our daughter's bottles. I just began weaning her a week and a half ago, but during that week and a half, we've been using our tap water for her formula.

It's amazing the great information we can all get from this site. Thanks for bringing this up, Carrie!
 
J

Jenica

Guest
I'm sure it's not evil at all, and the rest of our family drinks it happily. But our doctor said it depends a lot on the source of the water. Some city water is very good, others not so much. Because we are on a well, he suggested the bottled water.
 
N

NoExcuses

New member
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>kybert</b></i>

tap water is fine. its not as evil as some have made it out to be ok.</end quote></div>

if you think so, get some tap water and take it to your local microbiologist. Have them test it for bacteria.

you will find out how wrong you are....
 
A

amber682

New member
What's supposed to be better, city or well water. I grew up on city water, but moved last year and now have well water. I think it tastes bad because I'm so used to the chlorine taste of city water. Everyone else thinks it tastes fine. When I lived in my old town I worked at a local restaurant in town. Out-of-towners and out-of-staters would complain about the chlorine taste of the water, or even ask for no ice cubes in their soda because of it. I thought it tasted great!
 
D

debs2girls

New member
We have city water. It has not been what it should be...not up to code or something, they (the city) keeps sending out letters stating that it falls way below the expected mark. I asked dd's dr about it, showed him the letter...he said to get a filter for the faucet and make sure she only drinks filtered water.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top