It is clear that breast milk is the best food for the baby during the first six months of life and then with complementary feeding. Therefore, the mother's return to work and / or the incorporation of the baby to a child education center should not mean the interruption of breastfeeding.
Educational centers, nursery schools, can make it easier for mothers to continue breastfeeding, both in person, and by administering the milk that the mother has previously taken out.
Therefore, it is a good idea to establish certain standards, an area of legislation that facilitates these points. In Catalonia, certain recommendations have been established within the Comprehensive Plan for the promotion of health through physical activity and healthy eating. For breastfeeding, children's education centers have to ensure:
The possibility that the mother can breastfeed her son or daughter in the same classroom or in another space of the school or nursery, taking special care that this is done with the utmost respect for both the individual rhythms and those of the child. group.
The possibility of store breast milk units in the center's fridge / freezer provided by the family for each day. In this case it is necessary that the milk arrives correctly stored and transported in a portable refrigerator or isothermal bag, in doses of a single dose and in the same container that will be used to administer the milk to the child (labeled with the child's name or girl and the date of consumption).
Center staff should keep the milk in the fridge / freezer and heat it at the time of giving it to the child.
In any case, the family will have to establish an agreement with the center's management in this regard.
These requirements, which are accompanied by all recommendations to extract and preserve breast milk, are written by the Catalan Society of Pediatrics; the Catalan Federation. Breastfeeding Support Group; Children's Friends Hospital Initiative. UNICEF; The Milk League of Catalonia; Generalitat of Catalunya; Catalan Association of Nursing and Health Responds.
We have already seen that in Madrid a regulation has been established with the intention of facilitating breastfeeding in the nursery, which we hope is being fulfilled. Throughout the country, similar standards should be established in this regard.
One of the reasons for choosing daycare should undoubtedly be this: that there are no impediments for mothers to enter and see their babies at any time, not only to breastfeed but for any reason. That they are willing to agree how the baby is treated if she is breastfeeding, giving all the facilities.
Nursery schools that facilitate breastfeeding they should be more numerous and we should demand these requirements that result in the health of our children. You can not always go to the nursery when we want it for work reasons, but there will be many situations that allow it.
