It goes almost without saying that breast is best whenever possible.

Unless there are known medical contra-indications every mother should try to breast feed her baby. Not only is it easier and more economical – no mixing of formula at 2 am. And you don’t have to chase around the shops spending a considerable amount of money, but antibodies against a number of diseases will be passed to baby via the breast milk. And you will of course spend a lot of time bonding with your child.

Also you are less likely to give baby infections passed on by careless sterilization methods or baby mixed formula. And after all, you are trying to raise a human being, not a calf or a billy goat. Consult the Breastfeeding Bible for practical advice about getting the most for your baby.

You may also want to ready the baby food guide for more information.

That doesn’t mean that you don’t need bottles because there will be occasions when you want to express milk or to give baby a drink of water. And until your baby is crawling around, playing with a kitten or putting just about anything in his mouth, bottles and other equipment should be sterilized.
 
You also need to be able to keep prepared feeds in a cool place such as a fridge. Very young children just do not have a well enough developed immune system to contend with all the bugs that live unseen in even the cleanest kitchen. You can give up sterilizing once baby is crawling at about 9 months of age as you would just be wasting your time. However everything should of course still be as clean as you can make it.