Hi, my baby is going to be 2 in May. I have not stopped sterilizing bottles yet…(yes baby only gets one bottle at night) I like the sterilizer bc it drys the bottles. The passed three days I washed the bottles and left them on drying rack and they are still wet a little. I’m nervous about mold growing. Ugh. I want to stop sterilizing but I like the way it drys the bottles… any suggestions
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2 should be using sippy cups. My great neice is 8 months old and uses both bottles and sippys
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I have never sterilized bottles after the initial boil when first using them & my daughter has always been healthy. But it sounds like it’s more of a mental thing for you rather than the actuality of it. It’s hard to convince yourself that the chance of that happening is almost zero but hopefully all these comments are reassuring that it will be fine to stop!
Make sure you don’t set the bottles directly on the towel or drying mat. I recommend a bottle drying rack, that way the bottles have a chance to breath and dry properly. I have never had an issue.
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I am pregnant with my 4th child and have never sterilized a bottle in my life. Regular hot soapy water just like the cups we drink out of 
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Soon they start eating cherrios they find under the dryer and other weird sht. You’ll be alright. Promise. Lol
You do you mama💚 It’s been working for you for 2 years💚 Just enjoy your little one💚
My baby is 6 months and I have never sterilized her bottles. Same with my first and she is 7 years old now 
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I’m a mom of a 12 yo, 11yo, and 2mo…I’ve never sterilized bottles. I do wash baby’s stuff separate from everything else and put on bottle drying rack. If still wet when I’m ready to use them I dry with paper towel instead of dish towel. Everybody is fine but that’s just my experience. I relate to being anxious/maybe a little OCD about certain things that feel minor to others…do what makes you comfortable but also free yourself from this task if you can 
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Hand dry the bottles?? With a cloth??
So I never sterilized my bottles and my kids our fine. I just washed them.
My dishwasher has a sterilizer option so see if yours does too then they just go in with all the dishes! Makes it soooo much easier
I had four kids how do you sterilize
Bottles? All mine are extremely healthy and grown
I never sterilized bottles with my two children. I recently started babysitting a 2 month old and I love the sterilizer his mom suggested! With that being said I still wash my 2 year olds cups and let them dry on the bottle rack 
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I never sterilized bottles. And by age two she should be on sippy cups or regular cups
Just put them in the dishwasher.
Stop using bottles. Problem solved.
You should do what you feel most comfortable with. I will say… I have kids 22, 19, 17 and I never, not one time, sterilized anything. I washed and put top down on a drying rack.
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Please get rid of the bottles because she’s 2. But I never sterilized my bottles I did a few times than got fed of it and never did it again lol. And something is going on that is making you become obsessive with sterilization maybe ocd or anxiety or something traumatic and cause the bottles haven’t dried for 3 days you’re now in frenzy over it. Honey it’s okay I promise just get a towel and dry them. Your daughter will be fine. She has more of a chance of catching a virus outside the home than she ever will or does at home from you washing her bottles normally and hand drying them. I promise mama you’re doing great.
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I never sterilized a single bottle, even when my daughter was a newborn. She’s almost 2 and has had 2 short lived colds since birth.
Germs aren’t bad 
unless born with a compromised immune system.
I’ve had three kids and I don’t think I’ve ever used a sterilizer…they’re not going to grow mold. If it makes you feel better, wrap a clean, dry wash cloth around a bottle scrubber that is reserved for that purpose and use it to dry out the inside of them. You could also probably just pop them into a microwave for a few seconds and achieve the same thing, but it’s highly unlikely that they would grow mold—so long as you are using soap and water to thoroughly clean them. At 2, I imagine you will be stopping bottles soon, anyway.
I never knew this was even a thing 
somehow my child has made it to the age of 8 without bottle sterilization…
By the time u have your last child you’ll look back & laugh at the things (like this) u used to stress over:rofl:
trust me girl, those bottles are just fine!!
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Start her on a sippy cup with a soft top.
I was a nanny for 15 years, rarely did the families do sterilization of bottles(including a fairly well known Doctor I nannied for) all the kids are grown, healthy, college graduates….I never sterilized mine either, my son is a junior and just got straight A’s I promise it will be ok, and fun fact about me I’m actually a germaphobe who uses wet wipes in public settings😊but not in my home😂
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I never sterilized my daughters bottles and she’s now 5 and has always been in good health! We just washed them and put them on the side of the sink to dry
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Idk I’ve never once sterilized a bottle. Didn’t even know that was a thing. If it really concerns you keep doing it but I think it will be fine if you stop. Plus at 2 I’m sure they are eating from other things that aren’t sterilized. You could always dry the bottles off with a cloth after washing them.
At 2 it’s fine not to sterilize anymore. Could also graduate to a sippy cup, as bottles aren’t recommended for tooth development.
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When my soon to be 2 year old was a baby I use to sterilize the bottles but I don’t any more and yes he still uses bottles because he is not ready for cups yet both me and his father have been trying to get him to switch to a cup and he just won’t do it. And for everyone that is telling her to get her off the bottle maybe her kid ain’t ready to switch to a cup yet like my kid ain’t ready to switch to a cup.
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Had 3 kids. One is now 18 and twins are 8. Never sterilized one bottle.
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How about just stop the bottles?
Stopped after 3 months. My 4 are all healthy
I learned something new about this when I had my second kid: you do not actually need to sterilize with anything other than high temp-water and dish soap. Rinsing everything well to avoid residue and keep a separate sponge for only baby stuff. I mean if baby is sick with a communicable illness then you could sterilize but Sterilizing kills the good bacteria if done too often.
Dish soap and hot water! The best for killing germs. A nurse taught me this 20yrs ago and I swear by this method of cleaning even for a kitchen and various household surfaces.
*edited cause I missed the part about the child being almost 2. You certainly do not need to worry about the sterilization of the bottles, just put them in with the other dishes to wash!
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Not sure what your Dr recommends, but my 15 month old has not used a bottle since he was 11 months old. Our pediatrician recommended no more bottles after 1 year.
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Switch to a sippy cup and omg I stopped sterilizing after 2 months lmao that’s extra af if they can lick a dirty toy off the floor they don’t need sterilized cups for your toddler (not baby lol)
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When my adult son was 2 we had a ceremony we threw his bottles away he screamed for 2 days and nights from then on sippy cup.
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I stopped sterilising when my 1st was 3months old…I caught her chewing on her father’s manky old slipper . 2nd one I sterilised till one month . Take the bottles apart, turn teats inside out and wash everything in hot soapy water …just like any other dish…then rinse well in clear hot water. Turn upside down on a rack and let them drip. If you’re bothered…rinse in hot water before making the bottle up at night.
When your child is ready you can get a sippycup shaped teat. It’s still soft and fits in your bottle just like a teat…there is absolutely no rush . Just like everything else …every child is different. Stress only makes the child miserable and you frustrated
One big reason why we have anti-biotic resistant stuff is because parents now feel the need to sterilize everything!! It is not necessary to continue this.
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U should worry about it because should be using a cup.
Switch baby to a sippy cup
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Girl, throw the bottles away and go to hard tipped sippy cups. She may be your baby, but she is a toddler now.
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A 2 year old should not be having a bottle at all anyway so no need to sterilize something they aren’t getting. Take away the dang bottle…
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Other moms: sterilizing bottles to be extra clean and hygienic
Me: here’s a sweaty nipple take it or leave it
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If you’re scared to stop just keep doing it
I never sterilized anything other than pump parts
we’re supposed to be sanitizing our bottles religiously?!?! Ohhhh nooooo…. How did my 4 kids ever survive?!?! 
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You’re worrying about the wrong things you need to be worrying about getting your two year-old off of a bottle
She’s still taking bottles? That’s the first thing….
I dishwasher my dudes bottles now at 18 months
Sterilizing bottles is just time wasted. Unless you are packing the bottle to stay sterile, like a docs office, there is no point.
Do you sterilize every single thing she touches and puts in her mouth. Probably not so why sterilize her bottles. At 2 she shouldn’t even be on a bottle she should be using sippy cups to drink from.
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I have 4 children, all happy and healthy, ages 20, 20, 15 and 10, and I’ve never sterilized a bottle in my life.
Also, your child is two. Get rid of the bottles!
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First thing is you need to take her bottles from her. It’s very very bad on her teeth. Second I have 3 kids and never sterilized their bottles and they are fine.
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Wait how do you wash your own dishes… same thing right? Do you sterilize your own dishes?
I sterilized my youngest child’s for a little bit but it was a hassle honestly so I stopped and he’s a healthy plump little dude
I only sterilized up until about 6ish months to prevent thrush. By that point theyre better with bacteria. By 2 they shouldnt be on a bottle at all. Sippy cup of milk is fine. Im sure your toddler is quite well acquainted wirh bacteria by now. Itll be alright.
You really don’t need to be doing that! Actually, just stop the night bottle altogether too, it’s no good for their teeth. Just wash and clean things normally, little one needs to develop their immune system.
I’m sure he’s put worse in his mouth at that age. When they start to eat stuff off the floor is when you stop sterilizing bottles lol
Way too old for bottles. Should be using a sippy cup. What’s wrong with you?
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I never sterilized bottles just washed them like the rest of the dishes why does she have a bottle at 2 though that is very bad for their teeth.
At age two throw them in the trash with the sterilizer and be done with that part of your life. Go buy a brand new nighttime water cup and new bottle brush.
We switched to sippy cups at 12 months per doctor recommendation. No need for bottles.
Five kids, I only sterilized my oldest’s bottles until he was 3 months old because my mother-in-law was adamant about it. The other four? Never.
Ur toddlers prob put worse things in their mouth that they find lying about house that haven’t been sterilised, no need now
I’m not that person but remember that a woman’s real nipple is not sterilized outside of the shower. Just saying. Bottles don’t need to be sterilized with anything more than hot soapy dishwater. Let them air dry.
I never did with all 3 kids. Also get rid of the bottles time for cups.
Baby will be ok it’s washed bottles
Stop giving a 2 year a bottle it will wreck her teeth
Even one bottle at night can ruin your childs teeth. Not only cavities but it can buck teeth and cause jaw malformation. Please just drop the bottle. If he/she HAS to have something to drink at night use a sippy cup with water. And you can still sterilize the cups to put your mind at ease on that topic.
I have noticed if the bottles are standing straight up they tend to not dry completely, even on a drying rack. Make sure they have at least a slight tilt to them. If you want to try a good sippy cup for transitioning these worked great!
Nuby No-Spill Clik-it Soft Spout Sippy Cup, 10 fl oz, 2 Count Nuby No-Spill Clik-it Soft Spout Sippy Cup, 10 fl oz, 2 Count - Walmart.com
From time to time I put the bottles in the top rack of the dishwasher. I’ll wash them by hand afterward bc they don’t rinse well in the dishwasher but the heat is good for them. But I don’t do it all the time and people eat off unsterilized things all the time, such as forks, plates, serving bowls etc. Your kid will be fine. Kids play on the floor and put their hands in their mouth etc. Even to this day people don’t have dishwashers.
I mean…by 2 they should typically be off a bottle anyway…
I literally have never sterilized bottles for either of my kids, just washed them normally with hot water…They’re both perfectly fine and healthy.
Trust me your kid is going to put some vile shit in their mouth as soon as they get the chance I would not worry about a drop of day old water
I stopped sterilising bottle when baby was 12 weeks she’s almost 12 honestly dishwasher will dry them better if you have one
I am with above comment…once you finish having kids you will look back and think what was I thinking…we have 5 kids…did the anal sterilizing with 1st then second as he came 10yrs later…then smashed out 2 in 2yrs then another gap and the last…I was 42 and 8mths last 1…the old nurses drilled the younger mums badly…I ripped one who was just horribly to a new stressed out mum and bottles being sterile…she was going on like an old bitch to be honest…had this mum shaking and crying…I started with 40+yr old sarcasm at this nurse…it then turned to what that solution crap does to the inside of the babies mouths, yes love it’s called thrush…I learnt 3rd 1 in hot soapie water is enough…mind you my hot is close to boiling…give yourself as break…wash them with straight hot shoalie water before you wash the rest of the dishes…little 1 will be fine…after 2yrs you need a medal and a break…Xxxx…Kez…
Use the dishwasher instead
I put mine in the dish washer or clean and let air dry never had mold in mine
A two year old can use a sippy cup.
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I wash my grandchild’s bottles in the dishwasher now ( she’s 2 ) . Then they go to a drying rack for a couple days . When I pulled them out of dishwasher and put them together without drying rack, mold did settle in the nipples . I , thank goodness , noticed and that will never happen again . I just leave them on the drying rack for two or three days unless I need to use them first
Whatever you need to do to feel like you’re giving your baby the best, is what you should do.
I would just switch to sippy cups, mine were breastfed but they were using cups for water & juice well before 2.
Oh please please don’t give a child over 1 a bottle at night only a hard top sippy with water. I have permanent damage on my teeth from that and I have a degree in early childhood development.
Never used a sterilizer, hot water with soap is fine…
Never new anyone who sterilized bottles…I think that went out when whiskey on the gums for teething did😆
I suggest getting off the bottle
I’ve never sterilized a baby bottle ever for any one of my five children and never had a mold problem. Do your other dishes get mold?