Seeking Advice on Structured Feeding Schedule at New Daycare

Updated on June 24, 2009
M.M. asks from Philadelphia, PA
7 answers

My son will start at a new daycare facility in a month. He will be 10 months old. They will give him a bottle at any time, but they have a strict solid foods schedule - all the babies eat a meal at 10:45 and then again at 2:45. Right now my son eats breakfast at 9:30am, lunch at 1pm and dinner at 6:30. I am not sure how I am going to get him on this schedule. Does this feeding schedule seem normal? I don't think he should wait until 10:45 for breakfast... but if I feed him breakfat before we go to daycare and dinner when we get home, that is 4 meals? Right now it is a lot easier to get out of the house without having to worry about breakfast!

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So What Happened?

Thanks for all your suggestions. We are actually starting on Monday now. I feel so much better with the new schedule after hearing from everyone. Looks like I will be feeding him breakfast before we leave and light meal at 2:45!

More Answers

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E.F.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Is he going every day? If he is, and if he can have a bottle whenever, I'd go with the flow. Maybe give him a couple of crackers to eat in the car on the way to daycare for breakfast? He'll adapt. Just try to keep him on something approaching the schedule on weekends.

They probably have the infants on that schedule because it ISN"T when the big kids eat, but the infants have to be hand-fed. At 10 months, he's still getting the majority of his calories from milk, so don't worry about it-- food's just a supplement at this point.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.P.

answers from Philadelphia on

M.,

I would give him breakfast before he goes in. Let him have lunch at their time and then pack a snack for 2:45, or make sure they are feeding him only a snack. The daycare we used had a schedule too, but they also fed what I said to feed. They gave lunch to the babies at 11am and then had snack after nap time. It sounds about the same to me.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.L.

answers from Philadelphia on

From what I understand about daycare, 10:45 could be their lunchtime. My sister-in-law was just saying how early her son eats in daycare (he is 4 and they eat lunch at 11). So, I think that 10:45 is probably the babies' lunchtime and then the 2:45 time slot is probably a snack. I would do breakfast before daycare. Just my thoughts - I'm sure you'll figure out a routine and then it will seem normal to you! :)

1 mom found this helpful

T.S.

answers from Pittsburgh on

.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.N.

answers from Philadelphia on

That sounds pretty similar to what they do at my son's daycare. He is 15 months old and in the toddler room now and so they provide his food. They give him 'breakfast' at 9 which is usually just dry cheerios so I give him more of a real breakfas at home. He couldn't last until 9 without food since he's off bottles now. I think of the cheerios as just a small snack. Then eats lunch at 11 and snack at 3. If you're brining in his food I would just make one of the meals smaller for a snack. Just from my experience from when my son was in the infant room (12 months and under)they would sometimes give him lunch at 10:30. There were about 5 babies on solids and so one caregiver would feed a couple of the kids while the other played with kids not eating and then switch. As you can imagine this is quite a process and can take a long time which is why they probably start so early. My point is even if they say 10:45 it might be later.

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V.L.

answers from Harrisburg on

I am an early retired teacher. I have been working as a substitute in 2 Day Cares for a year. They feed all of the children between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. and between 11:00 and 11:30. Snack is usually around 3:30 for all of the children. Your child will need time to adjust to your day care's schedule. It may be easier than you think.
One suggestion may be to give small portions of food during the day care center hours if you are staying at home with your son right now.
God bless you in your endeavors.
www.marykay.com/vlawson7

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R.M.

answers from York on

I think that's a weird schedule. Who eats meals at 10:45 & 2:45? You're the paying customer. I'd look for another place.

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