When considering your childcare facility options, we recommend choosing a facility that is breastfeeding-friendly with supportive staff. When you meet with childcare staff or take a tour, make sure they understand your plan for breastfeeding. Talk about ways you can work together to give your baby the healthiest start.

Here are a few questions you can ask to help you determine if they’re a good fit:

How often do you feed the babies?
How do you know when a baby is finished eating?
How do you comfort a crying baby?
Do you have a way to store pumped breast milk?
Are you familiar with how to warm breast milk?
Do you have a place where I can breastfeed my baby?
Have you and the staff had breastfeeding education?

Important Information to Share With Child Care Providers

If you are using a slow-flow bottle, it should take at least 15 minutes to feed your baby. Ask caregivers to hold your baby on their laps in a sitting-up (not laying back) position so that your baby can control the flow of the milk from the bottle.
Breastfed babies usually eat more often throughout the day and night. Your baby will probably eat every 2 to 3 hours.
It’s important to use the milk with the oldest date first. Make sure to write the date on the bottle.
You will want to breastfeed your baby very soon after you pick him up, so baby shouldn’t be fed right before you arrive. Ask caregivers to comfort him in ways besides feeding if your baby seems hungry close to the pickup time.