How Many Bottles Should I Send to Daycare?

For a full day of daycare, I send one bottle for every feeding I expect my baby to have while she’s there. For us, that currently means three bottles for an 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daycare day.

That sounds simple now. With my first baby, I was much more nervous about it.

When my son started daycare at six months old, one of my biggest worries was that he would get hungry and they wouldn’t have enough food for him. If I expected him to drink three bottles while he was there, I sent four. Having that extra bottle made me feel better, even though most days he didn’t actually need it.

With my second baby, who also started daycare at six months old, I’m much more comfortable sending exactly what I expect her to drink. She currently has three bottles during the daycare day, so I send three bottles. If you’re still figuring out your overall bottle setup, I also broke down how many baby bottles you actually need.

Here’s how I figure out how many bottles to send, how much I put in each one, and what I learned after doing daycare bottles with two babies.

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How Many Bottles Do I Send for a Full Day of Daycare?

My baby is at daycare for a full workday, usually from about 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. She typically eats three times during that window, so I send three prepared bottles.

I don’t calculate the number based on a specific daycare formula or rule. I base it on what she does at home. If your baby normally eats every three hours and will have three feedings during the time they’re at daycare, I would start with three bottles.

The teachers can also be incredibly helpful here. They feed babies all day, every day, and they quickly learn your baby’s routine. If they consistently notice that your baby seems hungry or needs another feeding, they’ll tell you.

Should You Send an Extra Bottle to Daycare?

You absolutely can, especially if it makes you more comfortable when your baby first starts.

With my first baby, I always sent one extra bottle. If I thought he would need three bottles, I packed four because I was so worried about him being hungry and not having enough formula available.

Eventually, I got more comfortable and stopped sending the extra bottle. He was doing fine with three, and as we introduced more solid foods, I worried about it even less.

The downside of sending an extra prepared formula bottle every day was waste. Our daycare requires formula bottles to arrive already prepared. I originally tried sending premeasured water in the bottles and formula powder separately in a formula dispenser, but they told me the bottles needed to be mixed ahead of time.

That meant my backup bottle was already prepared whether he drank it or not. Sometimes I could use the untouched bottle later that day, but other times the timing didn’t work and formula ended up being thrown away.

My advice for the first week of daycare is to do whatever makes you feel comfortable. If sending one extra bottle gives you peace of mind, send it. Once you see how much your baby actually drinks at daycare, you can always adjust.

How Many Ounces Should I Put in Each Daycare Bottle?

I base the ounces on what my baby is already drinking at home rather than trying to create a different feeding schedule specifically for daycare.

Right now, my daughter gets three 5-ounce bottles at daycare. At the same age, my son was a much bigger eater and was drinking closer to 7 or 8 ounces per bottle. Once your baby starts drinking more than 4 ounces at a time, you may also be wondering when to switch from 4 oz to 8 oz bottles.

That difference has been a good reminder for me that there really isn’t one perfect number that works for every six-month-old. The amount they’re drinking isn’t the only thing that can change either. You may also need to adjust your baby’s bottle nipple flow as they get older.

I used Moms on Call as a feeding guide with my first baby, and he happened to follow it very closely. My second baby drinks less. Rather than trying to get her to match what her brother was drinking or what a schedule says she “should” be drinking, I send the amount I know she comfortably takes at home.

Every baby is different, so I would use your baby’s normal feeding routine as your starting point rather than worrying too much about what another baby the same age is drinking.

Do Daycare Bottles Need to Be Prepared Ahead of Time?

This is something I would ask your daycare before your baby’s first day because policies can vary. At our daycare, the answer is yes. They want formula bottles completely prepared before drop-off.

With my first baby, I initially sent bottles filled with the correct amount of water and a separate formula container with the powder already measured out. I figured the teachers could mix each bottle when he was ready to eat.

They told me they couldn’t do that and asked me to bring the bottles already mixed.

Now I prepare all of my daughter’s daycare bottles at home in the morning and put them directly into the refrigerator until we’re ready to leave.

For prepared formula that won’t be used right away, the CDC recommends refrigerating it immediately and using it within 24 hours. Once your baby begins drinking from a bottle, leftover formula should be discarded after the recommended feeding window rather than put back into the refrigerator.

Always follow the preparation and storage instructions for your specific formula as well as your daycare’s policies.

How I Label Bottles for Daycare

Every bottle I send has my baby’s name on it.

I use labels I bought on Amazon, and I love them because I don’t have to write on bottles or deal with tape every morning. You can find the bottle labels I use here.

Our daycare doesn’t require me to put the date on each bottle because nothing stays there overnight. All of her bottles come home with her at the end of every day.

Your daycare may have different labeling requirements, so this is another thing I would ask before the first day. Some centers may require a name, date, contents, or additional information.

How I Transport Bottles to Daycare

Once I prepare the bottles in the morning, they go directly into our refrigerator.

When we’re ready to leave, I put them in a small insulated lunchbox-style cooler. Our daycare is only about five minutes away, so I don’t personally use ice packs for that very short trip. As soon as we arrive, the bottles are transferred into the daycare refrigerator.

If you have a longer commute, make sure you have an appropriate way to keep prepared bottles cold until they can be refrigerated at daycare.

How Does Daycare Warm the Bottles?

At our daycare, I send the bottles cold and the teachers handle warming them before each feeding.

They use a crockpot-style warming setup, so there’s nothing additional I need to send. I would ask about this during your daycare orientation because every center may handle bottle warming differently.

Formula doesn’t have to be warmed before feeding, but if your baby prefers a warm bottle, find out how your daycare handles warming before your first day.

What Happens to the Bottles at the End of the Day?

All of our bottles come home every night, including anything that wasn’t finished.

Our daycare actually doesn’t empty or rinse the bottles after a feeding, which I appreciate because I can immediately see exactly how much my baby drank.

As soon as we get home, I put all of the bottles into our bottle washer. This is one of the reasons I love having a bottle washer so much. After working all day, the last thing I want to do is stand at the sink hand-washing a full day’s worth of daycare bottles. If you’re trying to figure out a routine, I also shared how often I wash baby bottles and what that looks like in our house.

I load them in, run the bottle washer, and they’re ready to start the process again the next morning. I also have a full breakdown of whether you actually need a bottle sterilizer and why I’d personally choose a bottle washer instead.

Do Babies Need Fewer Bottles at Daycare Once They Start Solids?

Potentially, but I wouldn’t automatically reduce bottles just because your baby has started eating solids.

With my first baby, introducing more food eventually made me more comfortable dropping the extra “just in case” bottle. His routine was becoming more predictable, and I knew he was getting food in addition to his bottles.

As your baby starts eating more solids, their feeding routine will continue to change. I would follow your baby’s cues and talk to your pediatrician rather than trying to reduce bottles simply because they’ve reached a certain age.

My Biggest Advice for Sending Bottles to Daycare

Start with what your baby already does at home.

If your baby will normally eat three times during the hours they’ll be at daycare, start by sending three bottles. If the thought of your baby getting hungry without another bottle available makes you anxious, send a fourth during those first few days.

You don’t have to figure out the perfect system before the first drop-off.

Your daycare teachers will get to know your baby’s eating patterns, too. They’re the ones feeding your baby throughout the day, and they have a lot of experience figuring out when babies are hungry, when schedules need adjusting, and when parents might want to start sending more or less.

With my first baby, I needed that extra bottle to feel comfortable. With my second, I know she needs three bottles, so I send three.

Both approaches worked. You can start with whatever makes you comfortable and adjust once you see what your baby actually does at daycare. And if you're curious about my approach to glass vs. plastic bottles, check out my guide here.

FAQs

How many bottles should I send for an 8-hour daycare day?

There isn’t one number that works for every baby. I send one bottle for each feeding my baby would normally have during those hours. For our approximately 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daycare day, that currently means three bottles.

Should I send an extra bottle to daycare?

You can. I sent one extra bottle every day when my first baby started because I was worried about him getting hungry. Eventually, I realized he consistently needed three bottles rather than four and stopped sending the extra. The biggest downside for us was wasting prepared formula.

How many ounces should be in a daycare bottle?

I send the same amount my baby normally drinks at home. My daughter currently gets 5 ounces per bottle, while my son was drinking around 7 to 8 ounces at approximately the same age. Babies can have very different appetites, so I wouldn’t base your bottle size solely on age.

Can I send formula powder and water separately to daycare?

That depends on your daycare. Ours would not allow it. I initially tried sending premeasured water and formula powder separately, and they asked me to prepare the bottles at home instead. Ask your center exactly how they require formula to be sent before your baby’s first day.

How long can prepared formula stay in the refrigerator?

The CDC recommends using prepared formula within 24 hours if it is refrigerated immediately. Once your baby begins drinking from a bottle, follow current CDC guidance and the instructions for your specific formula regarding when leftovers need to be discarded.

Do I need to label bottles for daycare?

Our daycare requires bottles to be labeled, and I put my baby’s name on every bottle using reusable bottle labels. Your daycare may require additional information, such as the date, so check its specific policy.

Should I make daycare bottles the night before or in the morning?

I personally make ours in the morning. I prepare all three bottles, put them directly into the refrigerator, and transfer them to our insulated bag right before leaving for daycare. If you prefer to prepare bottles the night before, make sure you follow the storage instructions for your specific formula.