Should everything that a baby eats be sterilized?

No

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by Sandra Seigle

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Aside from taking up entirely too much valuable time that would be better spent tending to the baby, sterilizing EVERYTHING could actually be harmful.

Our bodies don't form immunity to things they're never introduced to. The longer it takes for our immune systems to be introduced to certain things, the worse the effects of it can be. Babies are far more resilient than people (especially new parents - trust me, been there)give them credit for. Their bodies are in a crucial stage of development and, while you definitely don't want to expose them to potentially harmful bacteria, there are natural bacterias in certain foods or drinks that actually play a key part in the development of baby's growth. Rob them of those helpful bacteria, and you've got a whole new mess of problems to deal with.

So what should be sterilized? Toys (especially if other children play with them, and even more so in a daycare or school environment), bottles (which can be sterilized by boiling them in water), and bottle nipples, which should be thrown away and replaced if there's any pitting or scratches in them anyway, since plastic holds germs worse than just about anything else.

Pay close attention to anywhere your baby spends a lot of time, such as their crib, high chair, bouncer, swing, or playpen - especially when they get into the stage of wanting to put everything in their mouth. It's places like these where sanitary wipes definitely come in handy - just make sure the area is dry before putting your little one around it, because the wipes contain alcohol and can make them sick.

Instead of going crazy trying to sanitize everything from ceiling to floor in your house, be confident that, unless your baby has a condition that calls for more careful means, they're pretty safe as long as you practice normal, consistent hygiene. Frequent hand washing, sanitizing wipes, and hand sanitizer (for you or anyone that handles your baby) are a huge help with keeping baby away from nasty germs, especially during cold and flu season.

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