How Many Bottles to Send to Daycare: A Parent’s Guided

You’re taking a big step by sending your baby to daycare, and making sure your little one has everything they need for the day can seem daunting especially when it comes to bottles. How Many Bottles to Send to Daycare? And how do you know that you’ve considered everything?

This blog has you covered on it all. Let us help you figure out how much formula or expressed breast milk baby will need to prepare and label your bottles so your daycare days can be worry-free and you won’t miss a beat.

Let’s get started.

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Understand Your Baby’s Feeding Schedule

First, it’s good to know how long your baby usually feeds. How many you send will depend on the baby’s feeding, though. Babies feed generally about every 3-4 hours. Newborns and very young infants may need to be fed more often, but older babies may be able to go longer between feedings.

If the baby is younger than six months, you might need to pack as many as 3-4 bottles for a full daycare day. This number may decrease as your baby gets older. To get a sense of how long your baby will be away at daycare, inquire with your daycare.

Determining the Number of Bottles 

The amount of bottles you need to send to daycare will vary depending on a number of factors such as your baby’s age, frequency of feedings and daycare policies. Here’s a breakdown.

Baby’s Age and Feeding Patterns 

Understanding your baby’s feeding routine is essential. Most infants follow these general feeding patterns based on age:

• Newborns (0-3 months)

Newborns typically feed every 2-3 hours, which may add up to about 8-12 feedings a day. If your baby is attending daycare for 8 hours, you’ll need about 3-4 bottles prepared for this period. 

• 3-6 months

At this stage, babies may feed less frequently, about every 3-4 hours. For an 8-hour daycare day, you may need around 2-3 bottles. 

• 6-12 months

As solids are introduced, milk or formula intake reduces slightly. Babies generally consume milk every 4-5 hours. For an 8-hour day, you might send 2 bottles, adjusting if your baby takes fewer but larger feedings. 

Duration at Daycare 

If your little one spends more or less than 8 hours in daycare, adjust the number of bottles accordingly. For example:

• Half-day sessions (4 hours): You may only need 1-2 bottles.
• Extended hours (10-12 hours): Plan for 4-5 bottles, depending on feeding frequency.

Daycare Policies 

Some daycare centers may have guidelines about bottle preparation. For instance:

• They might require pre-filled bottles with the exact amounts your baby drinks.
• They could recommend sending extra milk as a backup, just in case.

Always ask your daycare provider for their specific policies on bottles and feeding. 

Pro Tip: When in doubt, send one extra bottle to ensure your baby is well-fed, even if feeds run slightly over your usual routine. 

How to Prepare and Label Bottles 

Packing bottles for daycare is more than just filling them with milk or formula. The key is proper prep and labeling to keep everything organized.

Preparing Bottles

Pre-Measure Milk or Formula That’s right!

Pre-measured bottles: pre-fill bottles with the amount of water your baby typically drinks during a feeding. For instance, 3-4 ounces for newborns and 6-8 ounces for older babies.

Pre-Mix Formula

If you are feeding your baby formula, make it at home and put it in bottles. Ask your daycare if they’re willing to make bottles on-site for more flexibility.

Breast Milk Guidelines

Don’t Forget The storage guidelines for expressed milk should also be followed. Newly pumped breast milk can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours and in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bottles should be kept in an insulated carrier with a freezer pack for travel.

Test the Bottle Nipples

Make sure the bottles you’re sending to daycare use a nipple flow that corresponds to the baby’s current stage (which would be slow flow for newborns and medium flow as they get older).

Labeling Bottles 

Daycare staff manage multiple children, so clear labeling avoids mix-ups. Here’s how to label effectively:

• Use waterproof labels with your baby’s name and the date.
• Include any special instructions, such as “Use within 2 hours after warming” or “Feed at 10 AM.”
• If you’re including backup milk, label it as “Extra” so daycare staff knows it’s only for emergencies.

Pro Tip: Invest in reusable bottle labels or write details with a washable marker for easy updates. 

Tips for a Smooth Daycare Feeding Routine 

Making daycare feedings hassle-free is about planning, communication, and organization. Here are some extra tips to consider. 

Communicate with Daycare Staff

• Provide a written schedule of your baby’s typical feeding times.
• Discuss your baby’s feeding cues, such as signs of hunger or fullness, to help staff know when to offer a bottle.

Check Supplies Regularly

Ensure you have enough milk or formula, clean bottles, and labeled accessories on hand each day. In a time of need, there is confidence in sending an extra bottle or two.

Keep Track of Feedback

Ask childcare workers to tell you how much your baby eats throughout the day. This feedback will guide you on volume and the number of bottles you need.

Plan for Growth

As your baby grows and their schedule changes, reassess how many bottles to send. Switching to sippy cups any time after age 12 months could also be part of the switch.

Prepare for Emergencies

You might leave a can of formula or a bag of breast milk in the freezer at daycare in case of emergencies.

Conclusion: How Many Bottles to Send to Daycare

There is no need to stress out over bottles for daycare. By knowing when your baby needs to eat, choosing the correct bottle sizes, and planning, you can make feeding your baby easy and well-stoked every day.

Keep lines of communication open with your daycare, and continue to be vigilant about cleaning bottles. Follow these easy steps, and you and your baby will both feel more comfortable with the daycare process.

FAQs: How Many Bottles to Send to Daycare