jmoy

We are travelling to Turkey next month with our eight-month old baby. Is it safe to wash her baby bottles with tap water (after washing, we will sterilise them in the microwave)? Or do we need to use bottled water for washing? Been reading that we should use bottled water even for brushing our teeth so been wondering how we should go about cleaning the baby bottles. Thank you in advance!

shwets

Disclaimer - I am not from turkey, so the answer below is not based on facts about the country but just my opinion.
If you are sterilising after every wash, that would ensure bottles are germ free. So you don't need to bother about washing with bottled water. I am travelling with my 15 month daughter and would be using tap water to wash all her bottles and then sterilising. But then, I am from India and I do the same at home.

otherchelebi

The tap water, at least in istanbul, is perfectly safe, albeit rather too much chlorinated. you can even drink it if you do not mind the taste.

I have been to many cities and resorts in turkey and never came across a location where we needed to brush our teeth with anything other than tap water.

I only heard of someone telling me that the tap water at Gaziantep could result in the runs, after we came back from there in April this year. Since it is unlikely that you will get to Gaziantep, and even if you do, i hope you will stop worrying and follow shwets's advice.

Not that you should need it, but just in case, let me know on this site and I can recommend a pediatrician or two. In any urgency, I suggest the American Hospital.

jmoy

shwets - thank you! I was reading the replies on the thread you started ("need tips for travelling . . ." and getting helpful information there!

otherchelebi - thank you for the assurance! Yes, please post your pediatrician recommendation. We hope that we will never have to use it but it would be helpful to have on hand!