Parents risking baby sickness by not sterilising, survey shows

03 Apr 2008

One in ten parents neglect to sterilise their infant's feeding equipment, leaving them at risk of sickness and diarrhoea caused by harmful bacteria, a new survey has found.

Research conducted by sterilising experts Milton revealed that out of 3,000 UK parents 36% sterilise equipment once daily rather than the NHS recommendation of before and after each feed.

The survey revealed that a quarter of parents stop sterilising their baby's utensils at six months - when an infant's immune system is at its weakest.

As a result of poor guidance and information, half of the parents surveyed claimed their babies had suffered from up to three tummy upsets in their first year.

Surprisingly, under half of parents would sterilise a dummy once it has fallen on the floor.

On a lighter note, when asked what the strangest things babies have put in their mouths parents admitted to objects ranging from snails and spiders to conkers and seaweed.

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