Sterilizing Baby Bottles Is a Waste of Time. Here's Why You Should Stop

Laura Leavitt is a personal finance and wellness writer for CNET. Her work has been published at NextAdvisor, Bankrate, The Simple Dollar, MoneyGeek, Business Insider and more.

Newborns are a true bundle of joy. They look so cute, and all they do is eat, sleep and poop. But they're also at their most vulnerable growth stage, which makes it essential for caregivers to understand the baby's needs. Part of that is keeping everything clean.

Newborns have a developing immune system, which has led people to believe that sterilizing baby bottles, pacifiers and other items is necessary to protect them from germs and infections. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention only recommends sterilization early on; as your baby grows, it becomes unnecessary. This guide is to help you ...