In Australia, unfortunately although our national infant feeding guidelines for health professionals state that parents should boil water and sterilise bottles and teats it is common for health professionals (including those employed in hospital maternity units) to advise caregivers that this is not necessary.
Our feeding guidelines advise against use of hot water to reconstitute infant formula because the industry body has told them that the risk of scalding is too great (yes, they state that the recommendation is based on advise from industry !!!)
Every bit of research that I have seen on formula feeding has shown that recommended practices are routinely not followed, that adequate cleaning of feeding implements occurs in a minority of situations and reconstitution errors are common. It makes me wonder how much of the increased rates of hospitalisation in formula fed infants is not due to the formula or absence of breastmilk per se but due to poor hygiene.
Karleen Gribble
Australia

On 08/01/2012, at 5:44 PM, Jean Ridler wrote:

> I am finding this discussion interesting.  We only have powdered infant
> formula here and have always taught mothers to used boiled water and the
> importance of sterilising bottles and nipples.  No health professional would
> consider suggesting tap water (even though we have excellent quality tap
> water).  Bottles are sterilised by boiling or by emersion in a cold
> sterilization liquid. In more affluent areas (and hospitals), steam
> sterilisers are used.  I know that in some poor areas, sterilization does
> not take place on a regular basis (if at all) and this really is a cause for
> concern and does contribute to increased levels of infection.
> 
> Jean Ridler  RN  RM  IBCLC
> Cape Town, South Africa
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