Bottle propping again in infant room

financialdiva · January 2014

Remember this post from a while back?

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12068201/how-would-you-handle-this-re-daycare-infant-room

Well, I walked in yesterday to find another infant with their bottle propped. He was sleeping in the swing, and the bottle was being held up by a blanket. I didn't say anything, and the bottle was removed right after I walked in.

There are four main teachers and two of them where in there yesterday at pick up, both of whom I like. This wasn't the girl discribed in the post above (who has actually been great and getting better btw).

What do I do?

DS2 is old enough to hold his own bottle, so I am not concerned they are propping his at all.

We are still happy overall with the daycare. If I make waves, like reporting them, I wonder if they will know it's me and that would kind of suck. But on the other hand, God forbid something happens to another child......ugh.....

thedash · January 2014

Oh I would be livid. That is a genuinely dangerous thing to do. I really believe that you have to look out for the safety of other kids at daycare and trust that other parents would do the same if they saw something dangerous happening with your child. This is not the time to MYOB.

The younger employee from your last post obviously learned this stuff from the other teachers there. It's a practice that they must stop. I would report them at this point.

jlaOK · January 2014

I'd also report them. I'm sure you can do it anonymously. They'll only get fined but hopefully it will be enough to get all the teachers to change this practice.

emberlee3 · January 2014

I would report it. In my state, child care regulations stipulate that all infants up to 1 year of age must be held for bottle feedings. Even if the child holds his/her own bottle, the caregiver must hold the child. I would also talk to the director AND I would be looking for a new daycare. You have seen this from multiple caregivers on different occasions. It's just unacceptable.

Maybride2 · January 2014

I'd report it and seriously, seriously start looking for new childcare. If they are so ignorant as to continue bottle propping, who knows what else they're doing?

82Sonia · January 2014

I'd report them too. This is dangerous. I'd also consider alerting the parent of the child that I saw with the propped bottle. I'd start looking for other daycares too. I couldn't help but wonder what other things they are doing wrong.

ccam · January 2014

I think I would report them, too, especially since this is not the first time. Like @emberlee3 said, regardless of age, in our state, infants are to be held for each feeding.

jjdillie · January 2014

At the risk of sounding like an idiot (in my defense, I'm a FTM), why is this dangerous? Is it because the child can't pull the bottle away if he/she begins to choke? I bf so I never given DS a bottle and I've never seen this happen at my DC so I'm just wondering.

jesuisfatiguee · January 2014

Maybride2 said:

I'd report it and seriously, seriously start looking for new childcare. If they are so ignorant as to continue bottle propping, who knows what else they're doing?

This, definitely, no matter how much I liked the teachers. Like PP mentioned, you have to look out for the other babies in that room.

cecilyandgautam · January 2014

I remember your first post. I would report it. You already said something to them before, you already alerted their director, and it's still happening. Did you get the sense that they removed the bottle simply because you had walked in? Can't tell by what you wrote but if it seems like they're tiptoeing around you because they know you care about this issue - seems like they themselves don't actually take this issue seriously. Perhaps the authorities need to be the ones to break it to them that this is indeed a big deal.

@jjdillie - Yes, it's a choking/drowning problem. A kid that small can't take the bottle out. It's even worse if the kid is asleep. A kid holding their own bottle while sitting up is totally different than reclining in a chair while a bottle is propped up by a blanket and the kid is falling asleep.

groovygrl · January 2014

Any chance your daycare has webcams & you can point it out the director? if she was truly as upset as she seemed to be in your first post and talked to them, I would think she'd want to know it was still going on and would like to see proof so she could take action (and by take action I kind of mean replace the teachers.). Just an additional thought.

financialdiva · January 2014

Thank you all for your responses.

I spoke to the director with one of the owners sitting right there. They both said it is something the mother requested for the child to help him go to sleep. He is 10 months and can hold his own bottle. They both agreed they were not a fan at all, but were aware it was happening and thanked me for bringing it up. I said isn't it a licensing issue? They stated they have a note from the mother and assured me again they have stressed to the teachers many times not to do this with other children.

This request does not surprise me from the mother since I gather she is not very bright based on the interaction I have had with her.

Maybride2 · January 2014

A note from the mother wouldn't excuse it. They'd still get fined by the state licensing board.

emberlee3 · January 2014

What??? We had to get a doctor's note and special permission from the state so that DCP could put DS in a bumbo seat because of his plagiocephaly. DCP posted the letter from the state in DS's classroom in case of any surprise visits from inspectors. How is a note from the mother acceptable in any way?

laurakaz13 · January 2014

I'd report them. I just read your response and I cannot believe they would put a child in danger just because they have a note. I do realize the baby is 10 months old, but they shouldn't allow dangerous practices at all. Period.

LoCarb · January 2014

At minimum, I want to lecture the mom!

I would think given the dangers of bottle propping a doctors note would be required and I cannot imagine a dr doing this. Regardless, I think the DC is being lax on their policy and not adhering to state laws. I'm also assuming it's illegal in your state (I haven't researched). I'm curious and would probably call the state and ask if a parental note is acceptable.

Kudos for speaking up and asking the Director!

cecilyandgautam · January 2014

Wow, how strange! I'm surprised the daycare is willing to accommodate this. My husband and I had a very specific way of patting our daughter to sleep and we showed it to our daycare provider. She listened and was honest with us that she's can't practically do that while tending to the other children, but she explained her method of putting kids down for naps, which was very reasonable, and assured us all the kids in her care have adjusted within a week; if ours wasn't adjusting, we'd revisit our options. Sure enough, our daughter learned things are different with DCP than they are with us and she was happily napping according the the daycare procedures by day two.

I mean, don't daycares *have* to follow sleep rules? Just because mom & dad cosleep at home, let baby sleep on the tummy, propped up with a pillow, covered with blankets, sleep with a bottle, etc - don't daycares have to follow all the rules? And practically speaking, the kids adjust and quickly learn norms at daycare are different than norms at home. I mean, there are plenty of things I'm sure we all do at home that wouldn't fly at daycare, nor should they.

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