by Thriving Mama

Created on: August 16, 2009   Last Updated: August 20, 2009

"Microbes" sounds like such a scary, unhealthy thing, especially in association with our baby's foods. But first it is important to understand that microbes are found all around us. Microbes are simply microscopic living organisms. Most are helpful to human life, but some can cause illnesses, often known as food poisoning. It is particularly important to protect our infants and toddlers from these microbes as their digestive systems are still forming and they do not have fully developed immune systems. Microbes that cause food poisoning are very easy to avoid by careful cleaning, single serving and religious refrigeration.

Careful cleaning sounds easy enough, but often soap and water are not enough. Baby feeding implements like spoons, containers, bottle pieces and reusable breast milk storage containers should be sanitized after each use. Most homes are equipped with a dishwasher and the temperatures reached during the washing cycle will usually suffice to sanitize your items. If you are not sure if your dishwasher will clean at a hot enough temperature, consult the manual for details. Inspect all items carefully after they have been washed in the dishwasher. If they have not been rinsed thoroughly and bits of food are left, hand-wash the item and run it through the dishwasher again. If you do not have a dishwasher, you can sanitize your baby's feeding items by placing them in boiling water.

Microbes can be passed from baby's mouth to the contents of a bottle or jar of food if the spoon is used directly in jar. It is highly recommended that you remove a serving of food from the container with a clean spoon and serve your child from a separate bowl. Food which has not been in contact with a baby's saliva can be refrigerated for up to two days. Food that has been in contact with your baby's saliva should be discarded after one hour. The same holds true for bottles. If your baby does not finish his or her bottle, saving it for later may not be a wise decision, especially if the formula or milk has already been warmed. This can be a breeding ground for microbes. It is better to prepare a fresh bottle each time your child needs a feeding.

The growth of microbes is inhibited by colder temperatures, so religiously refrigerating baby food items can help protect your foods from contamination. Once you've opened a new container of baby food, refrigerate it as soon as you've removed your child's serving. If you've prepared a bottle in advance or have pumped breast-milk, these items should be refrigerated immediately if they are not going to be used promptly.

With a few safeguards, you can keep your little one safe from the microbes that cause food poisoning. Just remember to keep feeding implements clean, so prepare single servings and to refrigerate open food items immediately.

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