Day care packing question

jd614

My 7 month old starts day care on Monday . Besides bottles and diapers/ wipes and food what should I be packing ? Would u send a whole tub of formula or just make the bottles he will drink and that's it ?

jlaOK

I leave as much stuff at daycare as possible:  extra clothes, formula, wipes, diapers.  Basically all I bring now is bottles every day.  If your LO is eating solids, I prefer to label and bring in food each day that way I had more control over how much they are eating.  I might leave some puffs or crackers or something as "snacks" but that would be the most.

litzo27

Can't help on formula but for the other things: LOTS of extra clothing, so you can keep taking home the dirty ones and just replenish once in a while. Including a warmer sweater or jacket, hat, socks, bibs, etc. Diaper creme if you are using it. Do they provide sheets for cribs and such? Do you use pacifiers?

jf198400

I would ask your DCP about the bottles.  I think most require you to prepare the bottles ahead of time, although you can probably leave an extra can there for days LO is extra hungry.

emberlee3

My DCP had us bring a can of formula to leave there. We brought clean, empty bottles each day. Love not mixing up bottles at night!

Mustardseed2007

I agree that asking DC about the bottles is best. They probably have a system. It would be NICE if you can leave a can or tub there, though.

I agree with the extra clothing, including socks and a jacket. Sometimes the rooms get cold even if it's warm outside.

You should also ask them about the sleeping arrangements. Most daycares have cribs for them at that age, but many ask that you bring your own crib sheet on Monday and take it home to wash on Friday.

ccam

I would ask DC for some sort of list. For DS, I brought diapers (they supply wipes), diaper cream, extra clothes, lots of bibs and a few containers of puffs all labeled to leave there. Every week I have to bring back his sheet and blanket washed. Each day I brought the number of bottles he'd drink and a dispenser of formula (although I could have left a container of formula there) and his meals all labeled. I used the dispenser so I had some control and also didn't want last minute requests for more formula when I didn't have any at home. I also asked his actual teachers if there was anything I should change or do differently once we started.

jf198400

Also I would make sure you have 2 crib sheets not just one in case LO spits up or has a diaper leak.

Karla CS

It really depends on your daycare. We bring diapers and cream every few weeks and they let us know when we're running low. Any bottles they give the baby are required to be prepared - they don't allow us to have frozen milk or unmixed formula. We also keep a ton of clothes in her cubby and replenish whenever they run low. 

RissNRuss

Our DCP supplies diapers, wipes, formula, bottles/nipples, butt cream and crib linens.

A's daily bag (which is our regular diaper bag) always has: diapers, wipes, travel size baby toiletries, a burp rag, a light blanket, her paci (which she won't take at home), two backup outfits and a light sweater/jacket. Also a sunhat and sunglasses.

Each day I add in her cooler with her BM bags (frozen) and empty, clean bottles. Our DCP thaws and uses on an as needed basis.

aibrean

We brought:

• Tub of formula (they date it when they open and the tub is reusable so we take home, clean, and give them back with a package of unopened new formula when done)
• 3x of clothing to stay
• Tub of wipes
• Cloth diapers (5 inserts per day and 2 shells, plus daily liner for the pail)
• 6 bottles and any BM I have
• 2 pacifiers (one stays as a backup and the other is changed daily)
• A toy (we have one of those blanket "friends")
• A blanket (switched out weekly)

bionic4me

It really depends on the DC.

Our DC provides all of the formula, baby food, bibs, burp clothes, and crib sheets. Every parent is to bring 180 wipes at the beginning of each moth to be used in the infant room for diaper changes, wipe faces & hands, and as needed for other purposes.

For DD, I provide the diapers, change of clothes, pacifier, blanket, and bottle. The bottle stays at DC, because they wash & sterilize it after each use.

Check with your DC for a list of items to bring and find out what they provide.

ASmallWonder

I'm very fortunate - our daycare keeps our bottles and runs them through the dishwasher each day and they also have their own stash of bibs and utensils/bowls/etc.  So we bring nothing each day and bring a tub of formula, pack of diapers and wipes when asked.  We leave a supply of extra clothes, a swaddle, some socks and a binkie in his cubby.