For Coquitlam parents who are breastfeeding and returning to work, the childcare transition involves an additional layer of planning: how to maintain breastfeeding while your baby is in licensed daycare. The good news is that it is absolutely possible — and quality licensed daycares are set up to support it. Here's what you need to know.
What BC Licensed Daycares Are Required to Do for Breastfeeding Families
Licensed infant care centres in BC must have policies for accepting and handling breast milk. Key requirements:
- Accept breast milk as a feeding option for enrolled infants (refusal to accept breast milk is not legally permissible for licensed centres)
- Store breast milk safely: refrigerated at or below 4°C, used within 24–48 hours of refrigeration, or frozen for longer storage (most centres store but don't freeze; confirm)
- Label breast milk with the child's name and date clearly
- Never microwave breast milk (destroys immunological components and creates hot spots)
- Warm breast milk appropriately: warm water bath or bottle warmer, not microwave
- Follow individual feeding schedules — not group feeding timetables
Practical Breast Milk Logistics at Daycare
- Pump and store before the start date: Building a breast milk freezer stash before returning to work provides buffer for lower-supply days at first
- Prepare bottles in advance: Most daycares ask that breast milk arrive in labeled bottles or storage bags. Confirm the centre's preferred format at enrollment
- Label everything clearly: Full name and date on every container. Many parents use a label system (daycare labels, freezer tape with permanent marker) for consistency
- Send fresh milk daily when possible: Fresh (not frozen-thawed) breast milk retains more immunological properties; send fresh if your pumping schedule allows it
- Plan for the volume change: Many mothers produce less milk when separated from their baby in the first weeks of care; extra pumping sessions may be needed to maintain supply
- Communicate feeding windows: Give the daycare your baby's typical feeding times. A good centre will try to time bottle feeds close to these windows to maintain the supply rhythm with your pumping schedule at work
Nursing at Drop-off and Pickup
Many breastfeeding parents nurse at drop-off (or just before, in the car) and at pickup. This maintains nursing frequency at the breast and supports supply, and creates a warm connection moment bookending the daycare day. Quality licensed daycares have no objection to parents nursing in the centre — ask about a comfortable private or semi-private space if you prefer.
What to Ask at a Daycare Tour About Breastfeeding
- How do you label and store breast milk?
- Do you have a bottle warmer? How do you heat breast milk?
- Will you follow my baby's feeding schedule rather than a centre schedule?
- How do you handle extra milk at the end of the day (return it, discard it, document it)?
- Do you accommodate nursing at drop-off or pickup?
At Smiling Kids Coquitlam
We actively support breastfeeding families. We have a dedicated breast milk storage area, individual labeled storage for each infant, a bottle warmer for safe heating, and we follow individual feeding schedules. We welcome nursing at drop-off and pickup. Questions about our breastfeeding support? 604-600-4393.
How Smiling Kids Supports Breastfeeding Families in Coquitlam
Returning to work and continuing to breastfeed is achievable — and Smiling Kids Childcare Centre actively supports breastfeeding families to maintain breastfeeding as long as they choose. Here is what that support looks like in practice at our North Coquitlam licensed daycare.
What Breastfeeding Families Need to Know Before the First Daycare Day
- Introduce the bottle at 4–6 weeks: The most common breastfeeding-daycare challenge is bottle refusal. Babies who have only ever breastfed and are suddenly presented with a bottle at 4–5 months, with a mat leave return date looming, often refuse. The earlier bottle introduction begins, the more predictable acceptance is.
- Maintain bottle practice weekly: Even if your baby accepts the bottle at 6 weeks, maintain one bottle feed per week throughout mat leave so they do not forget the skill. The caregiver who gives the bottle should ideally not be the breastfeeding parent — many babies accept a bottle from anyone but the person they associate with breast.
- Practice the bottle with expressed breast milk first: The flavour difference between formula and breast milk is significant to some babies. If breastfeeding is your primary feeding method, practice with expressed milk before introducing formula at daycare.
Breast Milk Storage and Handling at Smiling Kids
At Smiling Kids, expressed breast milk sent to daycare must be:
- Labelled with child’s name and date — permanent marker on the container
- Transported in a sealed, labelled container in a cool bag with ice pack
- Stored in the daycare refrigerator immediately upon arrival
- Used within the same day or frozen if not needed (with parent consent)
- Warmed by the educator using a bottle warmer or warm water bath — never microwave
Nursing at Drop-Off or Pickup
Breastfeeding parents are always welcome to nurse at drop-off or pickup at Smiling Kids. A quiet space is available if needed. Some parents find that nursing at pickup actually makes the reunion transition smoother for the baby — the combination of physical contact, familiar smell, and breastfeeding is a powerful co-regulation tool after a full day of separation. 1380 Coast Meridian Rd, Coquitlam. CCFRI-participating. 604-600-4393.
For the complete 2026 guide to BC childcare subsidies — CCFRI ($10/day), ACCB eligibility, and application steps: BC childcare subsidy eligibility 2026. Licensed daycare in Coquitlam: daycare Coquitlam.
