> I was just told that at
>Timothy's daycare, they will no longer allow breastmilk to be given in
>cups.  If I want Timothy to continue to receive breastmilk, he will have to
>get it in a bottle (which I think they know he will refuse to drink from
>any more!).

Hmmm...I have several thoughts about this.  Isn't this discriminating
against the healthier choice?  Point that out to them.  It would be like
saying that non-smoking moms can't have their kids there, because they want
all the kids to be from smoking families.

Or youc ould point out the them that the Centers for Disease Control in
Atlanta does NOT consider human milk a "bodily fluid" that must be treated
with gloves -- i.e. it isn't considered a health hazard.  Does your day care
use gloves every time they change a diaper?  Feces and urine are supposed to
be treated with gloves in day care settings.  Does your day care ever let
the kids swap bottles?  At Alex's day care children had to be in their cribs
when they had their bottles, so they couldn't drop them on the floor or
switch and suck from someone else's bottle.  Some of those kids spent all
day in their cribs.

Seriously though, why don't you say you'll start sending cows' milk in a
thermos, or soy milk or rice milk -- they won't dare test it or taste it to
see what it is, if they're so scared about it.  Put some Hershey's chocolate
syrup in it the first day or two to really fool them.

Final option -- tell them to kindly give your child water instead.
Alexander began day care at 13 months for 6 hours a day, and he did just
fine with a sippy cup of water at meals and when he was thirsty.  Children
do not need cows' milk instead of human milk.  At his age, water will be
fine for the time he is away from you.  Alex was the only child at his day
care who didn't have a bottle or a pacifier, but he did just fine.



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Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.                         email: [log in to unmask]
Anthropology Department                               phone: (409) 845-5256
Texas A&M University                                    fax: (409) 845-4070
College Station, TX  77843-4352