This article is all about best ways to feed your child breastmilk in daycare.
Joining back work as a nursing mother is one of the biggest challenges after the maternity leaves. As a mother, you worry about leaving behind your child, his health, and his feeding schedule.
But with proper planning and organization skills, it is pretty much possible. Many nursing mothers are pumping and feeding their children even after joining back work.
According to acelleron’s latest Human resource report,90 percent of nursing mothers are pumping or planning to pump at work.
Here are a few helpful tips to make sure you pack everything required to feed your little one with breastmilk in daycare.
Things to keep in a diaper bag
Dropping your little one to daycare as you have to join back work will be stressful. You might worry if your child will get the best nutrition during your absence or not.
Trust me, being well-organized can make it easier. You can also talk to the caretaker of the daycare and discuss your schedule.
It is best to research and look for a daycare that caters to your nursing needs. You can ask your fellow moms for their recommendations and check for reviews of different daycares to make a wise choice.
Here are a few things to keep in your child’s diaper bag so that his caretaker has everything needed to feed him.
Pumped breast in storage bags:
You must keep the pumped breast milk labeled and dated in storage bags. It will help the caretaker to decide which milk should be used first.
Breast milk must be stored at a cool temperature. You can use a portable cooler on the way to daycare and make sure the caretaker keeps the storage bags in the fridge.
Most daycares have trained staff and, they know how to keep the breast milk but, there is no harm in discussing it to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Breast milk storage guidelines
You can keep a printed breast milk guideline in your baby’s diaper bag. Don’t stress yourself if you don’t have one, as you can verbally talk to the caregiver about the instructions and your concerns.
As mentioned earlier, the daycares have trained staff and, they are mostly aware of it. You can discuss it with them.
- They must use the breast milk kept at room temperature within 4 hours.
- The breast milk can be stored and used accordingly in the refrigerator within three days.
- If the milk is frozen, it can be kept safe and used within six months.
- Never refreeze the breast milk.
- The milk thawed after refrigeration can be used within 2 hours at room temperatures and within 24 hours in a refrigerator.
Extra bottles, teats, and caps:
keep plenty of clean bottles, teats, and covers in the diaper bag for cleanliness and health concerns. It will also help record the baby’s milk intake during the day.
Bibs and cleaning accessories
Bibs are vital for keeping your child’s clothes clean during feeding. You can put a lot of them in the diaper bag to make sure your baby’s neck and clothes stay clean and dry.
It is good to provide cleaning wipes in the bag so that the caretaker can clean the bottles, toys, or anything that comes in contact with the baby.
Baby feeding schedule journal
Daycares usually provide a daily feeding schedule for the baby. You can also keep a journal in the diaper bag and ask the caretaker to keep it updated.
Things to discuss with caretaker
It is best to discuss your feeding expectations and health concerns with the caretaker. Here are a few things to discuss.
Feeding schedule
Please inform the daycare about your child’s feeding schedule. As a nursing mother, you can tell the caretaker about the times and number of feeds your child takes.
It will help her keep in mind the amount she needs to feed her child.
Introducing solids
It is also a good idea to discuss introducing solid foods. Some nursing mothers want to wait till six months of age to start solid food and minimize the number of feedings in a day. You can discuss all of this with the caretaker and settle the amount of pumped milk you provide at the daycare accordingly.
What food baby had
You can also discuss the food choices for your baby. The caretaker can also keep you updated if your baby has tried a new food item so that you can keep an eye out for possible reactions and allergies.
Final thoughts
Joining back to work after your maternal leave is a daunting and intimidating experience. You have to prepare yourself to juggle work, taking care of your baby, and nursing together.
With good organization and communication skills, you can always continue nursing your child, even if you are not 24/7 available for him.
