My daughter is going to start daycare in few weeks and I just found out that they do not allow the lunch boxes to be stored in the refrigerator at her center, rather make us keep the food in insulated lunch boxes with ice packs. I am planning to send her with breast milk (she'll be 4months old) and I am not really sure how to do this safely. Does any one know how best to bring the breast milk? It has to be ready to feed in bottles for the center. I would like to avoid freezing and bringing because it loses some of its protective immune properties. I do have a frozen supply in bags for "in case" situations, but they are not in ready to feed bottles. Does anyone know if I can thaw it, put in the bottles, and then keep it in a cooler with ice packs for the day safely?
*Thanks everyone for the helpful responses so far:) She will be in daycare for about 9-10hours a day and I will be working 2-3days per week. I questioned the same thing about the fridge because it does not make sense to me. It apparently has to do with Connecticut State daycare laws that food from home can not be placed with the centers supply for snacks, etc... I do not really know why they don't just purchase a small fridge for the "food from home" and keep the center's supply in a different fridge, it seems silly to me. I would not even consider them because of this if I did not love the nurturing, safe care they seem to otherwise provide. The other centers I looked at, and trust me, there were MANY had the separate fridge, but seemed to have care providers that were not as attentive and loving, I just want the best of both worlds and do not know how to get it:( Planning for starting back at work has stressed me out so much that I haven't slept well in several nights, I so appreciate any of your help and support:)
Thank you all so much for your support and ideas! I spoke again with the director and infant teacher and went with the buying and donating fridge idea, which they were happy to accept! Thanks again for all your help! I feel so much better! I just may now be able to get some sleep and enjoy the rest of my time exclusively home with my baby:) I also appreciate the support and reassurance about the coolers with ice packs, I feel better about transporting my milk to and from work now also (I have a long commute home).
You can thaw, put in bottle and kept very cold in an insulated pack with
ice packs. I would only send what she needs for the day and any extra
I would discard. My feeling is when in doubt throw it out.
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I thought the "baby rooms" had to have their own fridge? Well, I don't know about CT, but, I'm pretty positive they have to here in TX. Any daycare I've seen has their own fridge in the "baby room" because the moms send their own milk for the babies. Makes sense, ya know?
I quick overview of CT licesing requirements for childcare centers show that a licensed center MUST provide a refridgerator for bottles and it states that bottles must be provided by parents. Check 19a-79-10. Under three endorsement
I think they are misinterpreting the law and you should insist that you breastmilk is stored properly. Call your licensing agency for any additional information
I would look again for a daycare center, ones that cater to infants should have a refrigerator to keep babies' bottles, whether with breastmilk or formula in them.
What if you purchased and donated a small fridge for this purpose? If you dontate it, it's a tax writeoff for you.
Purchase your own small mini-fridge (they have cheap ones available for college dorms this time of year) and take it in there. Make sure it's labeled with your name and make sure that they know that it's your property. If they give you trouble about it, ask if they would refuse special apparati for a special needs child....I'm sure they'll take the point.
BTW, you should try to find the law yourself online. I don't think the law was intended to cover BREASTMILK!! I think it's intended to cover any potentially ALLERGENIC foods.
Here's a link for a mini-fridge from Wal-mart that's $87.88
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Haier-2.7-cu.-ft.-Compact-Refri...
I would question a center that requires that for infants. My center has the milk in the fridge in the room, and frozen milk in the main freezer. They have to sign it out when they give it to verify that it goes to the right child and they treat it as a bodily fluid. I they don't have procedures for breastmilk for a 4 month old to make sure that it is kept at the right temperature, etc., I would worry.
they are supposed to have a fridge for bottles if they dont you need to find a diff day care.
With the thousands you'll be spending in daycare, why not just buy them a frig for everyone to use?
I put the breastmilk in a bottle for my son, then put in an insulated lunch box with an ice pack - it worked every time.
Hi J.,
I haven't read your other answers yet, but why not buy a little frig and donate it to the daycare center? Other moms who are in the same pickle might want to pitch in on the cost, but they couldn't be that expensive and it would give you a lot of peace of mind, wouldn't it?
Good luck!
"Grams"
from the Pocono Mts. of PA
I think you need to check with the licensing agency in your area. I believe child care centers are required to have refrigerators in their baby rooms, or very close to their room, to keep formula and breast milk cold.
Store your bottles in their refrigerator. Its just like keeping the milk in your own fridge at home. When I did this with my breast milk, I would make the bottle the night before and put the bottles in my diaper bag while I drove her 5 mins down the road and immediately put the milk in their fridge. You wont have a problem with it spoiling.
Frozen Breast Milk is only good for 24 hours once thawed. I would get a little cooler, Not a ;lunch bag but a cooler(beer cooler) and put in how ever many bottles you need (you do not mention how long the baby will be there for) and put in as many freezer packs as it will fit. Then I would ask daycare if they can store extra freezer packs in their freezer so they can exchange the freezer packs out 1/2 way thru the day. Also you could look at electric coolers Ithat you can plug in there and keep it cool.
( http://www.target.com/s/191-###-###-####-###-###-####?_en...)
I hope this helps, and good luck
Breastmilk lasts for a fairly long time, even at room temperature. A good insulated bag and high end cold packs should keep it cool for the whole day. Get a Coleman hard cooler if you are concerned. We use those for camping over an entire weekend, and have never had a problem.
Check out Kelly Mom for details on storing breastmilk. The Madela site also probably has info.
I agree that the lack of fridge is odd, but the good thing about it is that your milk will be clearly separated, so less chance of confusion. And I assume you are mostly worried about solving the immediate problem.
Buy a small fridge and bring it there and plug it in. They are $100- the size of one that goes into a college dorm. Small price to pay to assure unspoiled milk.
I don't understand that, I run a daycare and the moms who used breast milk brought them in a insolated bag, with the breast milk frozen, I put it in my freezer and heated it us as needed, I ve been doing that for 13years with no problems. Why they won't store it for you is beyond me. J.
