nak...but this will be long...
i called ds's childcare today to express concern about a situation on Friday. Part of it had to do with giving him his sippys of breastmilk. I was not going to make it into a lactivist issue but the director proceeded to say to me that they *cannot* give ds breastmilk in the "ones" room because there's a risk that another kid could end up drinking his milk. She told me that if I want to keep sending bm, that they would have to take him and put him in the infant room while he drinks it so they can put him in a high chair.
She then proceeded to tell me that the breastmilk is a bodily fluid, and by state licensing requirements, they can't have it in the ones room. I was as polite as possible but made sure to voice that I'd never heard of that regulation and that certainly there's a distinction between breastmilk and urine.
Conveniently, I work at the state health department and just walked upstairs to talk to someone in licensing. I explained. He asked a little about what I send the milk in, if its labelled, if ds can drink it without assistance. He conferred with his supervisor and called me back to tell me that was considered acceptable under state licensing and there was no such regulation. He told me if I could mind out what rule she was referring to, he could refute it more specifically.
I called and she called me back and left a message with the rule #. I read it, and there is ZERO reference to anything remotely related to whether or not breastmilk is allowed in the a toddler classroom. Meanwhile, she also cited the nutrition section posted in their handbook, which I know says dietary modifications can be made with a dr's note (which she had initially told me this morning wouldn't apply to breastmilk as a bodily fluid).
I very politely also asked her at one point if kids who have allergies and have to drink soy or rice milk are taken out of the room to drink their milk. She said no, again citing that breastmilk is different because it's a bodily fluid. Meanwhile, their handbook says that they take care to make sure that children w/ allergies are not excluded or meant to feel different.
Bottom line- I'm angry.
1) I don't want DS to have an association of being removed from his normal routine just to have mommy's milk and being made to feel different.
2) I don't want to just say, fine, give him just cow's milk because we've been following his cues and he only drinks some each day but still prefers the breastmilk.
3)I have a Masters in Public Health and am well aware of where to find the relevant information. I'm not sure the director is aware that both OSHA and CDC consider bm a food, not a bodily fluid.
I'm trying to be calm and rational, as I feel like I am better positioned to fight with them because of my professional background, but frankly, I feel discriminated against for wanting my son who's over one (heaven forbid) to have breastmilk and not be treated differently because of it.
Any thoughts, advice, support, are much appreciated. Thanks for listening!!!
i called ds's childcare today to express concern about a situation on Friday. Part of it had to do with giving him his sippys of breastmilk. I was not going to make it into a lactivist issue but the director proceeded to say to me that they *cannot* give ds breastmilk in the "ones" room because there's a risk that another kid could end up drinking his milk. She told me that if I want to keep sending bm, that they would have to take him and put him in the infant room while he drinks it so they can put him in a high chair.
She then proceeded to tell me that the breastmilk is a bodily fluid, and by state licensing requirements, they can't have it in the ones room. I was as polite as possible but made sure to voice that I'd never heard of that regulation and that certainly there's a distinction between breastmilk and urine.
Conveniently, I work at the state health department and just walked upstairs to talk to someone in licensing. I explained. He asked a little about what I send the milk in, if its labelled, if ds can drink it without assistance. He conferred with his supervisor and called me back to tell me that was considered acceptable under state licensing and there was no such regulation. He told me if I could mind out what rule she was referring to, he could refute it more specifically.
I called and she called me back and left a message with the rule #. I read it, and there is ZERO reference to anything remotely related to whether or not breastmilk is allowed in the a toddler classroom. Meanwhile, she also cited the nutrition section posted in their handbook, which I know says dietary modifications can be made with a dr's note (which she had initially told me this morning wouldn't apply to breastmilk as a bodily fluid).
I very politely also asked her at one point if kids who have allergies and have to drink soy or rice milk are taken out of the room to drink their milk. She said no, again citing that breastmilk is different because it's a bodily fluid. Meanwhile, their handbook says that they take care to make sure that children w/ allergies are not excluded or meant to feel different.
Bottom line- I'm angry.
1) I don't want DS to have an association of being removed from his normal routine just to have mommy's milk and being made to feel different.
2) I don't want to just say, fine, give him just cow's milk because we've been following his cues and he only drinks some each day but still prefers the breastmilk.
3)I have a Masters in Public Health and am well aware of where to find the relevant information. I'm not sure the director is aware that both OSHA and CDC consider bm a food, not a bodily fluid.
I'm trying to be calm and rational, as I feel like I am better positioned to fight with them because of my professional background, but frankly, I feel discriminated against for wanting my son who's over one (heaven forbid) to have breastmilk and not be treated differently because of it.
Any thoughts, advice, support, are much appreciated. Thanks for listening!!!
Keep up the good fight!
After working in childcare for over 10 years I will tell you there is a very blatant Anti-bf in child care I never understood
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A swig of breast milk may be the healthiest thing they could share. 
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