Nursing Mamas

[mamaof4]

Lately here, there has been a call to have daycares welcome mothers who are nursing to come by and feed their children during the day instead of expressing milk for them and having the daycare provider feed the child a bottle.

In my admittedly limited experience I think this would be a HUGE disruption. For older kids I could see it becoming a "why does x's mom come and see her, and mine does not" for little ones I could see it become an upsetting thing.

How would you handle it?

[Judy Trickett]

How would you handle it?

I wouldn't. I understand that breast is better and I am all for breast milk over formula. BUT, this is daycare and I simply can NOT and will not have a parent dropping by every day disrupting my day. Besides, these parents are basically strangers to me. I do not allow parents to come into my house and hang out or have access to the other kids in my care.

Every parent interviews and sits in my living room and wants to see background and police checks on me, my husband and anyone else in my home. They want references and proof of insurance - all those things to PROVE I am a safe and trustworthy person who has sanctions in place to protect their child. And every Early Years centre (essentially funded and run by the government) and every government website concerning daycare tells parents to check for these things, to ensure their provider has it. But then those same parents and the same government turns around and expects me to allow a virtual stranger into my home DURING daycare hours???

How does that even make sense??

Perhaps the government and the parents and those who "call" for this could provide ME with background checks, police clearances and personal liability insurance on every PARENT before they talk out of both sides of their mouths.

Where is MY assurance?? Why am I, as a provider, constantly asked to be the one to put control and safety measures in place and then AGAIN asked to accept the additional responsibility of allowing strangers into my home while I care for the kids I am legally on the hook for should anything happen to them?

So, answer me THOSE questions, provide ME with all the check and clearances and insurance and THEN I might consider allowing you to hang out in my house during daycare hours to breastfeed the very child you chose to place in daycare.

[Emilys4Guppies]

As a breastfeeding mama I *want* to be able to support the idea but it's not something I'm willing to do within my business model.

It is a large disruption in the day for us to be here every day for that mama's lunch break (we usually are, but sometimes picnic at the park, ect). It is a large disruption to accept someone into my home daily while I'm working. It is a large disruption for the babies to see Joey's mom (or Sally's mom) come to visit their baby but not them.

I feel that in the US, where moms typically go back to work at 6-12 weeks of age, it is IMPERATIVE that breastfeeding mamas have access to their babies whenever possible. I do not think that it is imperative for a one year old to have breast access during the day. And, please, bear in mind that I say that as a mama who breastfed all her 4 kids, nursed through pregnancies, tandem nursed and allowed self-weaning in toddlerhood.

I also echo Judy's sentiments concerning the safety of my dayhome children, as well as my own. Any adults who are in my home during daycare hours (right now it's just DH) are required to have a criminal record check with vulnerable sector, as well as CPR/First Aid training.

[playfelt]

I have had a parent that did it at lunchtime. She was a teacher at a nearby school and chose my daycare based on the proximity to the school. She would come and take the baby up to my daughter's room and feed him and then settle him into bed while I fed the other kids lunch. It worked really well and saved me the hassles BUT....this was back when maternity leave was only six months long and he came into care at 3 1/2 months cause mom wanted to start the September semester teaching and she did this the entire school year so he was only a little over a year when summer came. He didn't come for the summer but came back in Sept and she had weaned him to just morning and night and he used a cup of regular milk here during the day.

With the one year now I doubt I would allow it simply because it is also important at that age that a child be learning to drink from a cup and what better place to do that then with me since there is no option since mom's breast isn't available. I think from that standpoint it would be counterproductive.

[Sarah]

I personnally did it when my daughter was going to a center daycare.(don't really know how you call it!.)

I was breastfeeding my daughter right there, in the room, sitting on the floor, and the other kids were all happy to see me. It never bothered them, and never bothered my daughter either. It took her a few days to understand and accept that I was leaving after feeding her but it work great.

My work was just next door, so I would go to breastfeed at lunch and mid afternoon after the nap. They would call me at work to let me know kids were ready for snack and milk.

Really was great.

We were the first to be doing it in this installation!

Some providers didn't like it, one in particular, but never said anything wrong.

[Judy Trickett]

I personnally did it when my daughter was going to a center daycare.(don't really know how you call it!.)

I was breastfeeding my daughter right there, in the room, sitting on the floor, and the other kids were all happy to see me. It never bothered them, and never bothered my daughter either. It took her a few days to understand and accept that I was leaving after feeding her but it work great.

My work was just next door, so I would go to breastfeed at lunch and mid afternoon after the nap. They would call me at work to let me know kids were ready for snack and milk.

Really was great.

We were the first to be doing it in this installation!

Some providers didn't like it, one in particular, but never said anything wrong.

But the centre environment is completely different. First, off, there are multiple caregivers. So, once caregiver could be with the kids and another could be in the room with you if needed. If there are children that are bothered by your presence then one of the caregivers can tend to those children while the other caregiver(s) could continue on with the program etc. Also, because there are multiple caregivers, administrative staff, kitchen staff etc etc there is "back up", so to speak, should you turn out to be a raving lunatic etc.

[Sarah]

But the centre environment is completely different. First, off, there are multiple caregivers. So, once caregiver could be with the kids and another could be in the room with you if needed. If there are children that are bothered by your presence then one of the caregivers can tend to those children while the other caregiver(s) could continue on with the program etc. Also, because there are multiple caregivers, administrative staff, kitchen staff etc etc there is "back up", so to speak, should you turn out to be a raving lunatic etc.

To make a long story short, I had to change daycare as my son wasn't fonctionning well at all in a center so we tried a home daycare (which at that time I was completely against sending my children to home daycares, did'nt trusth them!). So I sent both my son and daughter there and the provider was opened to breastfeeding. It was really far, so I stopped breastfeeding after a short period.

But again, kids didn't bother, and provider neither. So I guess that was my point. A routine or a program can be adapted. Or a mommy can adapt her breastfeeding to the schedule.

But I do agree with on the security point. I am in a small town here, and my daycare provider was and is a really good friend of mine. And she is an instructor for a breastfeeding organism. Moving to a big city, I wouldn't do it!

[mom-in-alberta]

I am a proponent for breast feeding as well.... but I do not think it would work out.
Unfortunately, that is the choice you make when going back to work, no matter what age the child is. I would hope that if you have a young baby (under 12 months) you continue to express milk, etc so that the breastfeeding can continue. A child 12 months+ can certainly make it through the day, and have mom nurse mornings and nights.
My primary concern would be the disruption to the children. Parents are absolutely welcome to swing by and get their kids at any time, but the thing that I like to make clear is: when your child sees you, it means home time in their little minds. Come on over, but you WILL be taking your child with you when you go.
Second issue with this is indeed the safety aspect. I do not allow parents to come and hang out with the kids, because other parents likely do not want their kids with strangers.

[playfelt]

What the child needs is the breastmilk not the breast itself so there is no reason once a mother decides to return to work that she can't do the pump and send to care method. Child still gets the nutritional benefit of the breastmilk and is still fed by mom morning, night and probably as soon as they get home at night. This solves two problems - getting the benefits but also learning independence.

[Sandbox Sally]

Yeah, I wouldn't be open to this arrangement either. As many above, I am an avid lactivist, and breastfed my own children into toddlerhood. The only reason I would not accept this would be the disruption. Momma leaving twice in one day could cause problems, and I always feel under pressure when a parent is hanging around my home. Too much aggravation. Expressed breast milk is great, and I would welcome that any time.