Bringing breast milk to daycare-STMs!

Smelh324 · December 2014

Can any STMs share what quantity of supplies they needed in terms of storage bottles, feeding bottles, bags etc. they needed for bringing milk to a daycare every day? Our place actually recommended not bringing bags saying that after frozen they sometimes would leak. Since that's the purpose of those bags, I was a little skeptical of that info, but anyways. Will I just need to bring several individual bottles of thawed milk everyday? A jug? Ha I just don't know how much I'll be lugging around. What was anyone's routine?? Thanks for the help

thompnia · December 2014

I brought one or two bottles and then bags to my family when they babysat. I never used the official milk storage bags, just ziploc brand freezer bags, and they never leaked.

BookitBoo · December 2014

We had moms bring the breast milk in bags (which can and do leak and are quite messy) and we had moms being in premeasured breast milk in bottles. I personally preferred the bottles. She would drop it off daily and pick it up every evening. It's ultimately up to you and what makes sense for your family.

Mrs_Bennett · December 2014

Coming from someone who used to work in a daycare....
It's easiest if you bring bottles ready to go for your LO (in whatever amounts he/she needs). The bags do leak sometimes, and it's generally easier to just grab a bottle that's ready to go and warm it up when baby is hungry--esp if you're trying to feed multiple hungry babies at once!

Smelh324 · December 2014

Oh that's a good point @ExcitedMama2‌ I'm not sure what the policy is on throwing out milk from a previously used bottle. But more small portions sounds like the way to go to be safe! Thanks for the responses everyone, looks like I should buy some more storage bottles and we'll see on the bags. I already have a 100 or so, but messy doesn't sound ideal.

Maebb · December 2014

When DS was a newborn, I sent 4 4-oz bottles. I think when he got bigger, I may have done 3 6-oz bottles or something like that, but they were always pre-measured.

I did use the bags sometimes like if I pumped on a business trip and needed to freeze it, but otherwise I just pumped directly into bottles because I never made enough milk for more than the bottles for the next day.

ShuShubee · December 2014

This is helpful information because our daycare did not specify anything for us. I made sure to have a decent amount of bottles, since I figured they would use a bottle per feeding at daycare.

atrinh11 · December 2014

You will definitely get into a routine with it. It could be tricky at first while you figure out exactly what baby needs when. I always brought in bottles ready to go with the exact amount he should need. I would also suggest not bringing in the bags, as they can leak and can get messy. For me, those were in my freezer at home, but if I needed to use one for day care for any reason, I would pull it out of the freezer the night before and put it in the bottle before leaving in the morning.

In theory, you shouldn't need freezer milk at all for your day care bottles over time. What you pump each day should be exactly what baby needs the next day. So, I would take the bottles I pump into, and put them into the bottles he used at daycare each evening when I got home, it should be just the right amount. I know that is not always a perfect science, but if your supply is meeting baby's demand, then that is how it should work. Freezer stashes are for different circumstances. If you are away for a couple of days, or leave baby on the weekend or something. They definitely shouldn't be needed on a daily basis.

[Deleted User] · December 2014

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Mom2anAngel2 · December 2014

My DC does not allow you to store BM in the center. Their rule was that it had to come in a prepared and labeled bottle. I usually sent in 4 bottles. He usually used 3, but occasionally used the 4th if I was running late.

Ask the infant room teachers how most people send in BM and what method they prefer. It should give you some guidance.

ECATX · December 2014

I agree with everyone else. I sent bottles with the correct amount for each feeding (which can take some time to figure out, but it works out pretty quickly) and and washed them each night. I used bags just for freezing extra milk. I pumped every morning after the first feeding starting at 5 weeks to build a freezer stash & kept it up until DD was 6 months old, so I used lots of bags. I also used the bags when I traveled. Mine did leak occasionally, but I think it was because I over filled them or didn't seal them well. It's a pain when they leak!

jneden · December 2014

My daycare required us to bring pre-made bottles everyday so I wasn't able to use the bags. I think in the beginning I would bring 6 smaller bottles and then as she got bigger I would increase the bottle size and bring less bottles. I would talk to the daycare workers in the classroom and see what other moms do and what they prefer.

mamijr · December 2014

The thought of throwing out that precious milk makes me panicky. Ha! JK
I think I've always brought the bags without any issues.

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