Enrolling a breastfed baby in child care is not impossible. You can continue to breastfeeding while your child is in part or full time child care, but in order to be successful, you need more than a great pump and a hopeful attitude. You also need the right child care; here's what to look for when choosing child care for your bub.
1. A breastfeeding friendly child care provider
When looking for a child care provider for your baby or breastfed toddler, you need to find a caregiver who supports breastfeeding.
For childcare workers who are used to caring for formula fed babies, it can take some adjusting to the feeding patterns of a breastfed baby. Here are some tips to make the transition easier.
Adjusting to the centre
Some babies who have been exclusively breastfed prior to starting childcare can find adapting to a bottle feed challenging. Ideally it is better to stagger the introduction of a bottle to starting childcare to minimise changes for the baby.
Finger-sucking habits can start as early as 6 months in babies. The majority of infants and toddlers with a sucking habit prefer to suck their thumb, but using the index and middle finger together is also common.
Whilst many parents welcome this as an alternative to a dummy obsession, others are aware that any form of sucking habit can lead to dental and speech issues in later childhood and even adult years.
