How do I send a breastfed baby to daycare?

Preparing Your Breastfed Baby for Daycare
Sending your breastfed baby to daycare can be a significant transition for both you and your little one. However, with careful planning and preparation, you can make the process smoother and more comfortable for everyone involved. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate this important milestone.
Understanding the Transition
The first step in sending your breastfed baby to daycare is to understand the emotional impact it can have on both you and your child. Babies thrive on routine and familiarity, and entering a new environment can be daunting. It’s essential to approach this transition with patience and love, ensuring that your baby feels secure even in your absence.
Choosing the Right Daycare
Selecting a daycare that accommodates breastfeeding is crucial. Look for facilities that have a supportive breastfeeding policy and staff trained in handling breast milk. Consider the following factors when choosing a daycare:
– Accreditation and Reviews: Research licensed daycares with positive reviews from other parents.
– Staff Training: Ensure that caregivers are knowledgeable about breast milk storage and feeding techniques.
– Flexibility: Choose a daycare that allows for flexible scheduling to ease your baby into the routine.
Preparing Your Breast Milk
Once you have selected a daycare, the next step is preparing your breast milk for your baby. Here’s how you can do it effectively:
1. Pumping: Start pumping breast milk ahead of time to build a stash. Aim to collect enough milk to cover the initial days at daycare.

2. Storage: Store the milk in BPA-free containers or breast milk storage bags. Make sure to label each container with the date and time it was expressed.
3. Transportation: Use an insulated cooler bag with ice packs to keep the milk fresh during transportation to daycare.
Introducing Bottle Feeding
If your baby hasn’t used a bottle before, it’s essential to introduce bottle feeding prior to starting daycare. Here are some tips to facilitate this process:
– Timing: Start introducing the bottle around 4-6 weeks before daycare starts to give your baby time to adjust.
– Choose the Right Bottle: Experiment with different bottle types to find one that mimics breastfeeding. Look for nipples that are slow-flow and soft.
– Have Someone Else Feed: Let another caregiver, such as a partner or family member, offer the bottle to help your baby associate it with someone other than you.
Establishing a Routine
Routine is key for both you and your baby. Here’s how to establish a feeding schedule that aligns with daycare:
– Consistent Feeding Times: Try to keep feeding times consistent at home to help your baby adjust.
– Communicate with Caregivers: Share your baby’s feeding preferences and schedule with daycare staff to ensure they follow your routine.
– Practice Separation: Gradually increase the time your baby spends away from you to help both of you adjust to the separation.
Emotional Preparation
Both you and your baby may experience emotional challenges when transitioning to daycare. Here are some strategies to ease anxiety:
– Practice Short Separations: Engage in brief separations to help your baby adjust to being without you.
– Stay Calm: When dropping off your baby, maintain a positive and calm demeanor. Your baby can sense your emotions, and staying relaxed will help them feel secure.
– Establish Goodbye Rituals: Create a special goodbye routine that you can do each day, which can make separations feel more predictable and less intimidating.
Conclusion
Sending your breastfed baby to daycare is a significant step that requires thoughtful preparation and care. By choosing the right daycare, preparing your breast milk, introducing bottle feeding, and establishing a comforting routine, you can help ensure a smoother transition for both you and your little one. Remember, this process takes time, and it’s perfectly normal to experience a range of emotions. With love and patience, you can navigate this new chapter with confidence.

What is the 5 5 5 rule for breast milk?

Something I recommend to moms is the 5-5-5 rule. Try and use milk within five hours at room temperature, five days in the fridge, and by five months in the freezer.

How long should a breastfed baby be away from mom?

If the breastfeeding relationship is to be protected, it is important that mother and child not be separated for lengthy periods (2-4 hours). Some babies will refuse bottle to wait for mommy’s milk, so they will go hungry until breastfed.

How do I know how much breastmilk to send to daycare?

Say your baby drinks 3 ounces of milk at every feeding and eats every 2-3 hours. If you’ll be gone for an eight-hour workday, sending 10 to 12 ounces of milk is a great starting point. Hey, you know your baby best—send the amount you feel comfortable with. Any extra milk can be used after pick-up.

How do you go out with a breastfed baby?

Breastfeeding when you’re out and about
A lot of mums find slings and carriers useful for breastfeeding when you’re out. They let you carry your baby around close to your body, keep your hands free and can make breastfeeding almost invisible. The sling in the Baby Box is great for this.

What is the 120 breastfeeding rule?

The 120-minute rule is a helpful guideline for exclusive pumpers. It suggests spending at least 120 minutes (or 2 hours) each day pumping. How you divide that time depends on your baby’s age.

Can I send breastmilk to daycare?

Some daycares are fine with you sending clean bottles and bags of breast milk, but many others prefer that you prep the bottles yourself.

How to put a breastfed baby in daycare?

Tips for when your baby starts daycare or has a babysitter. Prepare a schedule that allows your baby’s feedings while you’re away to fit in with your feedings at home. For example, if you will pick up your little one at 5 p.m., instruct your childcare provider not to feed your baby for 1 to 2 hours before you arrive.

Is it safe to give my baby donated breast milk?

Risks for the baby include exposure to infectious diseases, including HIV, to chemical contaminants, such as some illegal drugs, and to a limited number of prescription drugs that might be in the human milk, if the donor has not been adequately screened.

How do daycares handle breastmilk?

Most daycares will want you bring in prepped bottles that are ready to feed. Some may ask you to bring in clean bottles and bags of frozen milk. Other daycares may want you to bring in one clean bottle for feeding and Thermos-type container of milk that they will pour into the bottle.

Does breastmilk lose nutrients when pumped?

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), freshly expressed breast milk can be safely kept at room temperature (77°F or colder) for up to 4 hours. Generally, when freshly pumped, breast milk is at its peak regarding nutrients.