Daycare Won't Continue to Use Expressed Breastmilk

WHAT????? I was a director in a daycare/preschool in another state. I am shocked that the state has this policy. Ask the daycare to show you the policy from the state in writing. Also, call the health/child care licensing. Good luck!

Hello, I have very strong opinions on others telling me how to parent. I believe that I am the parent, and I decide what is best for MY child. I apologize if this sounds too harsh.

That said, I must ask you how important is it to YOU that your baby continue to drink breastmilk at daycare? Before you give up pumping, I suggest that you research the matter further to make sure the situation IS what the daycare says it is. If they don't give you satisfactory answers, you might contact the Health Department and ask what the policy REALLY IS.

Otherwise, if you are okay with the decision to stop pumping, to avoid discomfort, you might pump less each day to taper off your pumping. To help your baby make the change, you could give her less pumped milk each day and transition her to other drinks during the day. Then you could continue to nurse whenever you are with your baby.

For the record, my baby is 23 months old and we are slowly weaning. We are down to only nursing about 4 times a day--early morning, early evening, bedtime, & once during the night. However, I am stubborn and unwilling to let someone else tell me when to stop giving my baby breastmilk. That is a matter between my baby and me. Here are a few questions I would want answered.

--What made it okay in one classroom, but not in another? If the Health Department policy allowed you to bring in pumped milk until now, then what's the problem? Why can't you continue to do so?

--Is this a "no outside food" policy where you cannot bring in food for your child? Would you be able to bring in "outside food" options if your child had a specific dietary need or restriction?

Even if they DO have "outside food" restrictions, you should still be able to determine your own child's food options. For example, years ago, I worked at a daycare where we had a child who did not eat animal products. To avoid any confusion, her parents brought her lunch, beverages, and snacks every day. This was a family choice they were unwilling to compromise on. I personally applaud their decision to make their choices known and expect the daycare to understand their position. After all, it's not like we had to DO anything special to meet this child's needs.

If I didn't get adequate answers as to why they are refusing pumped milk now, I would be concerned that someone has a negative opinion of babies taking breastmilk after 12 months. However, I would NOT voice this directly to them until I was sure that was the case. I would find out what my options were BEFORE pressing the issue so as to NOT make any enemies until my hand was forced.

Whatever you decide to do at daycare, if YOU are NOT ready to stop pumping or nursing, don't let someone else force you to do so, even if you have to limit breastmilk to outside of daycare. Keep doing what you know is right for your baby!!

I'm sorry if I sounded like a "militant mommy." I did NOT intend to come across so harshly. I just feel very strongly about parental choices and freedoms. =0)

The following is the indiana state law stating that they are to incourage mothers ot breast feed.
470 IAC 3-4.7-136 Breast milk
Authority: IC 12-13-5-3

Affected: IC 12-17.2-4

Sec. 136.

(a) Prior to serving breast milk to an infant, the center shall have on file a written parent agreement as follows:
(1) The parent shall agree to provide breast milk in sterilized bottles or sterile nurser bags.
(2) The parent shall agree to store the milk in a single serving size.
(3) The parent shall assume responsibility for maintaining the milk at forty-one (41) degrees Fahrenheit or below during home storage and transport to the child care center.
(b) The center or the mother must supply sterilized bottles or disposable nurser bags.
(c) The mother shall store her milk in a bottle or bag and refrigerate the milk.
(d) The milk must be labeled with the child's name and the date and time collected.
(e) The bottles must be brought to the child care center in a clean, insulated container that keeps the milk at forty-one (41) degrees Fahrenheit or below.
(f) The center shall use fresh, refrigerated breast milk within forty-eight (48) hours of the time expressed.
(g) Staff shall not thaw or warm breast milk in a microwave oven.
(h) Staff shall discard any breast milk remaining in a bottle after a feeding.
(i) Centers shall support mothers who are breast feeding.

(Division of Family and Children; 470 IAC 3-4.7-136; filed Aug 11, 2003, 3:00 p.m.: 27 IR 157)

You need to decide how important it is for you that she has breastmilk during the day. The law is on your side. However, if you force the issue it may cause friction with the staff. That may not matter to some people but some people want to be on the 'good side' of the staff. Switching daycares isn't as easy as some people make it sound - especially if you've found a great one (except for this one thing).

What is their reasoning? Is it no outside food allowed or just breastmilk? If no outside food allowed (that is common because they want the kids to be eating the same thing to cut down on jealousy over the kid who brought in 'good' snack) then ask how they handle kids with allergies - who often have to bring in their own food/drinks. If it's just no breastmilk then the law is definately on your side.

I breastfed all my kids until at least 18 months old. My youngest will be 2 in a couple months and still nurses a few times a day. That said... by the time my kids were 14-15 months old, they were nursing just in the morning and evening and rarely during the day. That's typical of most nursing toddlers I know so going without breastmilk during the day wouldn't be a big deal. She could have regular milk and food during the day and nurse in the evenings/mornings and you could continue that for many months so there's no reason to wean just yet if you don't want to.

I'd call your health department. It seems very odd to me that they can restrict what YOU choose to have YOUR child eat or drink at daycare. Honestly other than that I'd find a new sitter, unless they are just so great that it is worth giving up pumping for.
Also if you stop pumping you run the risk of drying up thus ending your breastfeeding.

I would definitely fight for it. Breastmilk's benefits do not stop after 12 months. I have four children. My youngest is 7 months and still breastfeeding. I have nursed all of mine until between age 2 and 3 1/2.

I absolutely love my daycare, and there is no way I'd let them tell me when to stop breastfeeding my child!! I stopped at 7 months, so this is a bit different, but this is YOUR decision. If they have to "for health reasons", then have the old classroom teachers but the expressed milk into the cup & carry it into the new room. This is definitely NOT their call. You do what you are comfortable with! If you are comfortable with this time frame, then I do think that 2 weeks is enough time for your darling to convert -- but make it what you want to do.

This is absurd!!!!! I would be looking for a new daycare.

Hey M.,

I think it's great that you are still able to do that for her but I would also tell yourself it's OK to let that go. We as Moms think we must do this or that but also it's tuff to let something go. I could barely breast feed for 4 months, you are a champ but also wonder if your efforts could be redirected? Just a thought...

I would cut back to pumping every other day for a week and then try not pumping at all....see how that works out.
Your child probably will do fine at daycare at this age.
I would just keep your schedule at home and certainly be sure to nurse before going to daycare and right after you get home.

my guess would be it probably has to do with some law regarding outside food being brought into the toddler room. I would think that most of the toddlers are solely on table food by the time they move to this room, so outside food being brought in becomes less of a necessity for this daycare aged group. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the infrant room had its own fridge microwave etc... just for this reason. I would probably decide how important getting upset about this is to you. Can you/your daughter survive on breastmilk only at home, or do you need to find a new provider?

If you are asking advice on how to stop BF, then I would think that going from one pumping a day to none is not exactly 'cold turkey' as I am sure at one time it was many more times than once a day. You do not mention whether or not your daughter nurses at home at all, even if she does it is recommended to wean by cutting out one feeding at a time so cutting out that one pumping session would just put you and her a bit farther along on the 'weaned' scale.

Good luck with whatever you decide
~J.

Dear M.,

I haven't read all the responses, so forgive duplication please.

Call La Leche League. Ask your pumping questions, also ask about legal questions.

Someone said it might be a storage issue and what if your kid got someone else's breast milk--LABEL the container for gosh sakes! (Or do they hire illiterate workers?). If kids pack lunches or snacks, those are labeled, right?

Try getting doctor to write prescription for "special diet" (breastmeilk) and see if they bite on that.

I'd ask to see the regulations.

Keep nursing at home. Good for you for nursing and pumping this long!

K. Z.

i would explore further into that.....there should NOT be health code restrictions on breast milk!!!! the government agencies all push breastfeeding!! fight it mama!

That is CRAZY!!!! What business of theirs is it if it is cows milk or your milk????? Just put it in a sippy cup and give your child the BEST thing you can give her!

Is the issue here perhaps that they don't want her to have a BOTTLE in the next room? It sounds like she is going into a toddler room which is typically where they start giving kids sippy cups instead of bottles. Most daycares don't provide organic milk, so I'm assuming you bring that in for her too. It is not up to the daycare what you choose to send for your child as far as milk is concerned. If it is there rule that it has to be served in a sippy cup, so be it. If I were you, I would meet with the administrators of the center and express your concerns to them. You may also want to point out to them that the American Acadamy of Pediatrics as well as the World Health Organiation recommend breast feeding until AT LEAST 18 months, but 2 years is preferred. You don't just have to give up because one teacher wants to be difficult.

I wonder if it has to do with storage and safety. While your breastmilk is great for your child, how would you feel about your child getting someone else's breastmilk? Some wouldn't care, some would be appalled. They may not have this come up very often in the toddler room, and not have the storage facilities to make sure only your daughter gets her breastmilk. In Indiana, I'm pretty sure the Health Dept. requires seperate storage for breastmilk and formula/cows milk.
I don't see where they are telling you you can't breastfeed, or how to parent. Your daughter already takes organic milk, so now she will be taking only organic milk while she is away from mom, and getting breastmilk while she is with mom. Daycares have rules that may be different from your own, rules you don't have to have at home, i.e. Nap time is now, no you can't stay up another 1/2 hour because you slept later this morning. THat is what makes them run smoother. I would think this milk choice falls under Daycare rules that help the daycare run smoother. Doesn't mean they are trying to tell you how to parent.
R.

OK, first call the health department. Since all medical associations are now recomending at least a second year ot BFing, I can't believe that you don't have the right to feed your child BM at daycare. There is nothing hazardous in milk after 1 year that wasn't there before so it sounds like a crock of shi* to me. If they confirm it then you take the two weeks to slowly stop the BM. Try giving her cows milk all the time unless she gets upset and then let her have small amounts of BM if she's upset and finish with cows milk.
Good Luck:) And PLEASE give us an update on this one. I'm very interested to hear what comes of it!

Um...that's crazy! There is no reason why they can't give your daughter breastmilk!!!!!! I am really interested to hear what they're REAL reasoning is!

Wow...let me first just say how impressed I am that you are still pumping this long. That's a lot of hard work! I'm not sure why the daycare can't provide expressed milk but if you're willing to cut her off (at least at their facility) then so be it. When I switched my daugther from breastmilk to formula (around 6 months) she did just fine, I dind't need to do half and half (infact I was warned against that) and I didn't do it one feeding this week and two the next. I would just try it and see what happens. You can continue to pump and store/freeze the milk for her to use at home. As for you stopping pumping, my doctor told me I could either slowly stop (meaning expand the time between pumping/duration, etc.) or stop cold turkey. He said that it was up to me if I wanted to be in pain for a day or several days. I tried to wean myself off and then just decided to quit cold turkey. I did go buy some cabbage leaves to put in my bra and that helped tremendously. Not sure why, but it helps dry you up. It worked for me. Good luck!

OK this sounds really bizarre to me. What difference does it make if it's cow's milk or human milk? If it's not a big deal to you then 2 weeks should be OK to just stop. It will probably be uncomfortable for a couple days but other than that you should be fine. Now if you are wanting him to keep getting breast milk I would call the Department of Health and verify this information and if it's true find out why. I think that is outrageous. Since when is cow's milk better than human milk? It doesn't require pasteurization like cow's milk so how is it a health issue?

One of my girlfriends has a 16m/o that she still nurses maybe once a day & doesn't pump if he's not around. She's been doing that for the 2-3 months & it's been easy for them both. So if you continued to nurse each night before bed or something that could be your transition. Kudos to you for making it this far. My son got too busy for nursing around 11 months. Good luck!

If you're not ready to stop pumping, don't. Just alter the breastmilk schedule or you could switch daycares. I nursed and pumped for my first two boys for 18mths and plan to do the same for my third son. I would like to know just what those "restrictions" are. I was always told that the milk had to be in a name labeled cup/container so there wasn't a mixup. Could you re-use a milk container from home? Or mix the organic with breastmilk before giving it to daycare? Call le leche to ask about your legal rights about this. Mabye there is a compromise not yet known. Good luck

I agree that it seems crazy that they won't allow breastmilk.

That being said, I do have a question for you? How long is she at daycare each day that she's getting 4 servings of milk while she's there? Is she also getting more milk when she's home? It seems like a lot of milk - not that its bad, but maybe she doesn't need so much. Maybe she could have the organic milk at daycare, and breastmilk at home? Just a thought.

I so don't want to judge your choices - I firmly believe that a parent is who really trying to do best for their child, usually is doing what's best. Please know that this is just a suggestion, and not me condemning you for a choice you're making.

I also think its great that you're still breastfeeding, even with working - that speaks volumes to your commitment as a parent!

This is why a nanny is better than daycare. Your parenting style and wishes are carried out for your baby or child. If this option is feasible for you, I'd recommend that you consider a nanny for your baby so that she can enjoy breast milk and later healthy home-prepared food later. The food at daycare centers are geared to "feed the masses" and not exactly put together to create a healthy eater of foods lower in fat, sugar and salt. In any case, the institutional plan for daycare is certainly not made for individual choices and needs.

My opinion, find another daycare..don't let someone tell you that you can't feed your baby breast milk. I would also call the health dept and verify that information. There is a great website called Care.com where you can find great daycare providers who are background checked. Good luck to you and keep doing what your doing!