First you give the bottle to Baby, and then you're done. Right? Well, it's not quite that simple, but it's not that complicated either. If you're new to bottle feeding, once you learn the basics, you'll have the hang of it in no time.

Hand washing is very important before initiating any process that involves feeding the baby, says Dr. Lillian Beard, a practicing pediatrician of more than 30 years, currently at Children's Pediatricians and Associates in Silver Spring, Md. Before using bottles for the first time, sterilize them, she says.

"Sterilizing ensures that your baby bottles are free of harmful germs and bacteria," says Goldie La Porte, developmental specialist at Banner Children's Hospital at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, Ariz. "Baby bottle sterilizers are recommended because dishwashers do not reach a temperature sufficient to kill germs and bacteria." Bottle sterilizers come in two types: electric and microwaveable.

The electric version utilizes steam to sterilize bottles in less than 10 minutes, La Porte says. Most typically hold up to six bottles and are easy to use – just add water and plug in. An automatic shut-off turns the unit off when sterilization and cooling cycles are completed. Benefits to this include not having to sterilize bottles as often, and that the bottles remain sterile as long as the unit is closed.

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