In an apparatus for holding components of a nursing bottle assembly in a dishwasher, a loading member has a first opening sized and configured for receiving a portion of a first component of the bottle assembly therein to seat the first component on the loading member, and a second opening separate from the first opening. The second opening is sized and configured for receiving a portion of the second component of the bottle assembly therein to seat the second component on the loading member. The first and second openings differ in at least one characteristic indicative of the respective first and second components to facilitate identification of the first opening as being the proper location on the loading member for placement of the first component and of the second opening as being the proper location on the loading member for placement of the second component.