Breastfeeding, Pumping at Work & Licensed Daycare in Regina SK | Daisy Days Guide

One of the most common concerns for breastfeeding parents returning to work and enrolling their infant at Daisy Days Daycare in Regina SK is: “Can I keep breastfeeding when my baby starts daycare?” The short answer is yes — with planning, communication, and the right logistics in place, breastfeeding and licensed daycare are completely compatible.

How Breastmilk Works at Licensed Daycare in Regina SK

When an infant starts at Daisy Days Daycare and is being breastfed, parents provide pumped breastmilk to be fed during the daycare day. The logistics:

Labelling and Storage

• All breastmilk must be clearly labelled: child’s full name, date pumped, and amount in each bag/bottle
• Use breast milk storage bags or BPA-free bottles
• Breastmilk refrigerates safely for approximately 4 days — provide fresh milk at each daycare day’s drop-off
• Frozen breastmilk can be brought and thawed at the centre if needed — confirm Daisy Days Daycare’s specific policy on frozen milk handling

Feeding Instructions

• Provide written feeding instructions: how much per feeding, typical timing, how the bottle should be warmed (or offered at room temperature)
• Update instructions when your feeding patterns change
• Daisy Days Daycare educators will follow your baby’s individual feeding schedule, not a centre-wide schedule

Transport

• Transport breastmilk in an insulated cooler bag with ice packs from home to daycare
• Daycare educators store it in a dedicated infant refrigerator upon arrival

Maintaining Your Milk Supply While Returning to Work

Many breastfeeding parents worry about milk supply declining when they return to work. Tips from lactation consultants:

• Pump as frequently as your baby feeds at daycare: If baby gets 3 bottles while you’re at work, pump approximately 3 times during your work hours
• Establish your work pumping schedule before returning: Introduce pumping 2-3 weeks before return so you’re practiced and building a small freezer supply
• Skin-to-skin and nursing at pickup: Nurse directly when you arrive at daycare pickup — this signals demand to your body and is a powerful reconnection moment for baby
• Evening and weekend nursing: Nursing evenings and weekends keeps supply signals strong even as the work-week pumping schedule differs from direct nursing
• Stay hydrated and nourished: Milk supply drops with dehydration and significant caloric deficit — both common in work-return stress

Your Saskatchewan Workplace Rights for Pumping

Saskatchewan employment law requires employers to accommodate breastfeeding employees. Key rights:

• A private space (not a bathroom) to express breastmilk
• Reasonable time for pumping breaks
• These accommodations are required under Saskatchewan human rights legislation — they are not optional for employers

If your workplace does not have a private space for pumping, contact the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission or your HR department to request accommodation.

The Gradual Transition and Breastfeeding

The gradual daycare transition (shorter visits building to full days over 1-2 weeks) is particularly helpful for breastfeeding families. It allows your body to gradually adjust to pumping during work hours rather than a sudden full-day separation from nursing. Daisy Days Daycare supports gradual transitions for infant families — discuss the timing with our director at enrollment.

→ Daisy Days Daycare infant program details
→ Infant separation anxiety — what to expect
→ Full return-to-work childcare planning guide

Contact Daisy Days Daycare to discuss breastmilk accommodation at enrollment.
306-807-3233 | info@daisydaysdaycare.com | 2007 Potts Crescent East, Regina SK S4V 2E5