Breastmilk Surcharge?

Breastfeeding has been the optimal method of feeding babies since the beginning of time. There is nothing "dangerous" about it. Yet City Kids Daycare continues to charge parents $10 a day extra to serve expressed breastmilk.

The daycare claims that breastmilk is a "biohazard" and has to store it in a separate refrigerator in there director office. This mini-fridge is so dangerous that it has a piece of paper with biohazard written in florescent orange ink pasted to its door. You never know who might want to run into the directors office for a quick drink. Ironically enough the director of the daycare center keeps her cream cheese in there. I guess her Philadelphia Cream Cheese must contain breastmilk too.

Now this story has been around a while, but it brings up a few important points when choosing a daycare that I advise you to follow.

Ask If There Are Any Extra Fees

This mother obviously did not ask the daycare whether or not the accepted Breastmilk. If she would have asked she would have found out that at the time they did not. They would feed a child breastmilk, but they would not store it. If a parent wanted to give there child breastmilk they would have to come in at every feeding, warm the bottle, and then feed it to the child. Newborns eat every two hours so why even bother working if this is the case. When looking for a daycare you need to ask what is your policy on breastmilk if that is what you choose to feed your child. Find out if there is a "special handling" fee. As long as the daycare is privately funded they can charge you $10 a day for breastmilk or even for a soy based formula if they so choose.

Visit The Daycare for a Day

Or at least pop in at lunch. Observe the workers, how are they treating the children? Are the workers washing their hands after changing diapers. Are they attentive, or staring somewhere off into space. Do the workers look like they want to be there or are they just collecting a paycheck. Observe and do this on more then one occasion. Daycare centers will be with your child more then you will be on Monday through Friday. You need to be comfortable with the people who will be watching your children.

Research The Center On-line

Do as quick search on-line of the daycares name to make sure it that yo don't find negative press about the center. Researching City Kids Daycare would bring up articles such as "City Kids Daycare Discriminates Against Breastfeeding Mothers" You never know what you might turn up.

When choosing a daycare yo need to do your research, talk to people, and feel comfortable about the choice you made. The last thing you want is to have to pull your child from a daycare center a month or two after you return from work.