Can you help? Labelling bottles for daycare…I received an email from a visitor to the site asking about labelling bottles for daycare. I, admittedly, have no experience sending bottles to daycare and never had the need to relabel bottles over and over, so I am posting her question here in the hopes that someone else may be able to help. Here’s her question: I pump into plastic Medela bottles each day (I’ve invested a small fortune as these puppies are several dollars apiece - I go through 8 a day and have 2 days worth so I can rotate them to the daycare.) The daycare requires that each one have the date on it even though I drop them off each morning and pick them ALL up each evening. How can I put the date on them wihout ruining the bottles? I’ve tried masking tape (falls off), freezer tape (won’t come off) and address labels (won’t come off). The daycare runs the bottles through a sterilizer. Any suggestions? If you have an easy solution, or any solution, to this problem, please leave a comment below. Thanks! 13 Responses to “Can you help? Labelling bottles for daycare…” Leave a Reply |
 
 
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June 17th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Upon doing some research, there were a couple possible solutions found. One was to use a grease pencil to label the bottles and thereby be able to easily remove and label the bottles with the new date every day or as needed. Another idea was simply to place the bottles in a larger bag that was labeled with the appropriate and required information.
June 20th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
You can use a brother label machine. I keep the labels on for months. They go through the dishwasher, sani rinse, and sanitizer.
You can make a label for the names and then leave a space for the date. Use a permanent marker on the label for the date and I think it comes off with alcohol.
I like the idea of using a bag with the date, but that would waste a lot of plastic. How about a post it with the date inside the bag? Then you can change it frequently. Or write the date and the next time cross it out and write the next date.
You could also inform the daycare that breastmilk is good for 3 months. Every month take home any ‘extra’ breastmilk and use it yourself and bring in a new supply. This way on the first of the month they always have a fresh supply.
June 26th, 2009 at 10:59 am
We, too, have to label the bottles every morning with the date the milk was pumped, today’s date, my son’s name and the amount. We use a green colored painters tape that the daycare provides to us (each child has his/her own color). I’m sure you’d be able to find it in stores. I have noticed that it sometimes falls off like your masking tape, but it always stays on until the bottle is needed/warmed, which is the important part.
As a teacher, I use permanent Sharpie markers all the time on plastic surfaces. Rubbing alcohol will take it right off the Medela bottles.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
I use a white-board/dry-erase marker on my bottles. Maybe this could be used in conjunction with the labeling system. Perhaps a piece of tape to cover the writing would suffice for the day.
Sometimes rubbing alcohol does not work to remove dry-erase or permanent markers. When this happens, I use either nail polish thinner (found at beauty supply stores and it is also good for restoring nail polish AND white-out!) or Goo Gone. Both work wonderfully, too!
August 18th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Another trick for getting permanent marker (or stubborn dry-erase marker) off of smooth plastic surfaces is to scribble over it with a dry-erase marker and rub off immediately.
August 20th, 2009 at 8:14 am
Our daycare center also requires labels on bottles.
I use a combination of painters tape and print out labels. Ay Staples you can buy sheets of labels that are “removable” - not “permanent.” I take them off every night before cleaning the bottles. Once a month, I print out a whole month’s worth of labels with the date and “BREASTMILK” written on them. It’s worked really well for me. Good luck!
September 21st, 2009 at 1:57 am
I put duct tape on the lids of my bottles and then label the lids 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. Then I just put the lids on the bottles and my daycare knows to always give the earliest numbers first.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
I use the little round stickers that are used for yard sales. I put the sticker on the lid and it comes off very easily. At walmart you can get 420 for under $2.
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:51 pm
There’s a great dishwasher-safe label product called Label Once. You write on it with a sharpie and erase it with an eraser! The labels stick well to any smooth surface and they survive the freezer, microwave, dishwasher, etc. I got mine at the Container Store, but you can google “erasable food storage labels” to find them elsewhere.
November 12th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
I use regular clear, scotch tape. It sticks well to any bottle (it will go through sterilizing and doesn’t fall off). I write on the tape itself with a permanent marker so that the info is dark, easily readable and won’t wipe off. Again, this type of tape sticks really well, but I have no problems removing it either because I fold one end of the tape underneath itself just a little bit to allow for a piece of the tape that can easily be lifted and then peeled off the bottle that night as I wash them for the next day. It works like a charm. Sticks great, won’t fall off at school, I have no problem removing them at night and it doesn’t leave any residue on the bottle. GOOD LUCK!
January 8th, 2010 at 8:14 pm
appliedlables.com. This website has name labels that are dishwasher approved, and date labels that will come off at the end of the day.
January 19th, 2010 at 11:03 am
Medical tape! Works wonders. We keep medical tape and a sharpie in the kitchen and it is excellent for labels that need to be redone. It will go through the dishwasher without coming off or smearing, and yet comes off easily with no residue when removed. I recommend looking for the “paper” type tape as opposed to the kind with a slightly shiny surface, but both work fine.
October 28th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
we use livestrong bands at are daycare works well and can remove before washing.