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dairy-free, milk substitutes and daycare
scifimom
Posts: 1,173
OK, so I'm stressed about food again. Gosh I wish our babies just nursed for the first 3 years so I wouldn't have to worry about what to feed her!
We are a dairy-free family. I'm not worried about a little bit of dairy in something offered to my daughter, but I am using milk 'substitutes' instead of actual animal milk. I would like to start cutting down on pumping but I don't want the daycare to be giving
LO big ol' glasses of dairy-free milk either. I showed up yesterday and she had already drank her two 4oz bottles of breastmilk which was good. But, there was, what looked like 8oz of (non-gmo) soymilk in her sippy cup (they didn't offer it too her because it had frozen and looked funny, and they wanted me to check it out first which was cool). Therefore, that is 16 full ozs right there! I don't want them to give her that much milk because it has sugar in it and she is getting breastmilk around the clock still. I went ahead and let her have it after daycare and she was gassy all night, waking up crying (I think it was from the relatively huge glass of soymilk?!)
So, my questions are: If your child is dairy-free and goes to daycare how do you deal with it? What type of milk do you have your child drink? Almond, coconut, soy, or another choice? Do you let them have several glasses of it? What about water, how do you have daycare incorporate water? At home I have a sippy cup of water available at all times, so I hadn't worried about that for daycare yet, but now I'm thinking if she had some water, maybe they wouldn't feel the need to hydrate her with so much milk?
Hope this makes sense! I know she doesn't even *need* the milk substitute if I am breastfeeding outside of daycare, but as I wean myself from pumping, I think she will appreciate the liquid food because she picks at solid food still. Thanks.
We are a dairy-free family. I'm not worried about a little bit of dairy in something offered to my daughter, but I am using milk 'substitutes' instead of actual animal milk. I would like to start cutting down on pumping but I don't want the daycare to be giving
LO big ol' glasses of dairy-free milk either. I showed up yesterday and she had already drank her two 4oz bottles of breastmilk which was good. But, there was, what looked like 8oz of (non-gmo) soymilk in her sippy cup (they didn't offer it too her because it had frozen and looked funny, and they wanted me to check it out first which was cool). Therefore, that is 16 full ozs right there! I don't want them to give her that much milk because it has sugar in it and she is getting breastmilk around the clock still. I went ahead and let her have it after daycare and she was gassy all night, waking up crying (I think it was from the relatively huge glass of soymilk?!)
So, my questions are: If your child is dairy-free and goes to daycare how do you deal with it? What type of milk do you have your child drink? Almond, coconut, soy, or another choice? Do you let them have several glasses of it? What about water, how do you have daycare incorporate water? At home I have a sippy cup of water available at all times, so I hadn't worried about that for daycare yet, but now I'm thinking if she had some water, maybe they wouldn't feel the need to hydrate her with so much milk?
Hope this makes sense! I know she doesn't even *need* the milk substitute if I am breastfeeding outside of daycare, but as I wean myself from pumping, I think she will appreciate the liquid food because she picks at solid food still. Thanks.
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Also, if it becomes an issue with daycare, just don't offer it at all at home, and that will limit it as well.
Here is another question. Is she even allowed to have milks other than cow milk or soy at daycare? I have it in my head that the state regulates this in some way. I don't want to get the daycare in trouble during inspections or something if I have a carton of coconut milk for my daughter in the fridge. Do you know anything about this? I would rather just find out on my own as opposed to asking in the office, I prefer to be armed with my own information first.
Another thing to think about is if she has a straw cup of water, would she be more likely to drink the water? Sometimes the straw cups are easier and she may just go for that instead of putting the effort into a sippy cup (I know E would have done that). (I love the Momma cups, if you're looking for one.. but they are not spill proof)
I sent Kate to a Mother's Day Out when she was 21 months. I only put her in for the 1/2 day so she didn't nap there but she did have lunch. At first I felt like I HAD to send something in so I sent milk boxes of rice milk (that's our milk substitute). I quickly learned she was sucking down the milk box and not eating a very good lunch everyday (the magic of straws like K&H mentioned). After the first couple of weeks she just had water, ate better and I didn't have to worry about her having too much rice milk. She now drinks water 9 out of 10 times whenever she is thirsty or having a drink with a meal.
Also, she may have something to say about what kind of milk alternative she likes. I found rice milk to be the most like breast milk. It isn't without its downsides for sure but we drink very little so I am OK with it.
At her daycare I just had to say, "She doesn't drink milk," and that was enough. But, they're also dealing with many other kids with nut, pea, soy, and gluten allergies; and my son who cannot have such a long list of things that I just send in all his food and have to warn them about sensory bins, finger paints, glue, markers, etc. Saying "no milk" was much easier for them!
Also, major kudos to your employer for allowing pumping breaks! They're only required by law to do so until baby reaches a year, so that is awesome that you are able to continue pumping at work. BM is so beneficial to LOs.
Shanny, I am only dropping my morning pumping which usually gives me about 3-4 oz. I am continuing to pump in the afternoon which provides about 8 oz. If the afternoon pumping starts to yeald much less, I can always start back up with the morning pumping. Funny how more pumping makes more milk later rather than less! I hope to keep pumping until 18 months but I guess I could consider going longer.
NM, I'm self-employed and clean houses and offices (generally with eco-friendly products.) I have been pumping before work and after work at home. The daycare is not far from my house and I would pretty much always have to pass my house to get to daycare. It became routine to just stop at home to pump before getting the wee one. However, I used to pump at work when I had a babysitter and all of my clients are completely supportive of my pumping and I can still pump at any of my jobs if I so choose.
Thanks for all the responses and tips!!! Very much appreciated!
(6) For children over twenty-four months of age, the center shall provide fluid milk that is vitamin D fortified. Low fat and skim milk shall be vitamin A and vitamin D fortified. Reconstituted dry powdered milk shall be used only for cooking and shall not be used as a beverage.
(7) For children under twelve months of age the center shall use formula or breast milk unless otherwise directed in writing by a licensed physician. For children older than twelve months but under twenty-four months of age, the center shall provide and use whole homogenized vitamin D fortified cow's milk, unless otherwise directed in writing by a licensed physician.
The way it's worded, it doesn't sound like there is an option to have a doctors note to excuse her from milk after 24 months! What do you think? Thanks!!!
Occasionally, a child care provider will tell mom that baby must switch to whole cow’s milk at a year old. This is due to a misinterpretation of USDA program rules. The USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program underwrites the cost of food and labor (for preparing and serving food) at day care centers for both children and the elderly, afterschool care programs, emergency shelters, etc. To keep their funding, businesses that participate in this program must follow certain guidelines when it comes to the foods that are served. After the age of 12 months, the USDA specifies that the child be fed whole milk (which the USDA assumes will be whole cow’s milk), but the FDA notes that “breastmilk may be served in place of fluid milk in the Child Nutrition Meal Programs” (see the first link below). The child care facility will still be reimbursed for the meal if they offer any other foods at that meal (solid foods, etc.). Mom may need to have a note on file saying that she is providing expressed breastmilk for her child (a medical statement is not required), and the facility will need to document that the parent provided breastmilk (or any other foods) so they will get credit for having provided the proper foods even if they did not purchase all of them.