Introducing a sippy cup to a 6 month old

[zephani]

I also posted this in the bottle feeding section.

My DD is nearly six months old. For the last few weeks she has been drinking water from an Avent Magic Cup with a teat. Today I tried to introduce the 6 month soft spout. She found it so hard to suck the water out that she got frustrated and I put the teat back in.

How did you introduce a sippy cup? What age was your baby? What sippy cup did you use? How long did it take for your baby to adjust to a sippy cup? Did you find that the valve made it harder for your baby to use?

[Boobycino]

I've found Jasper quite likes the disposable ones you can buy at kmart. Disposable in the sense that you get 5 of them in a packet, I cant rememer how much they are, but your not heartbroken when they get thrown out of the pram :D

They dont have a valve, they are hard plastic though, they can drip if they're shaken, but they dont drip if just turned upside down.

It did take a bit to get Jasper happy with sippy cups, he was pretty horrorfied the first time I gave him one, he pouted and frowned and sooked about it, because he went straight from boobie to a hard plastic sippy cup with water in it, so it was a bit of a shock. But I just offered it to him each meal time, made him have a sip, and then just left if on the feed tray for him to help himself.

It took a few weeks until he really showed any interest, now he loves them, I take them everywhere with me and if he's getting bored and restless in the pram I give him a sippy cup to keep him amused.

[Lucy in the Sky]

On that note, my chn said to get a sippy cup without a valve so that ds can learn the flowing drinking motion rather than a sucking version.
(zephani, maybe this is your dd's problem?)

But trying to find an old-fashioned straight up sippy cup (except a $17 nuby one!!!) is impossible.

Are those disposable kmart ones free-flowing?

Do mums who have been through it all think it makes a difference in the end

[em1984]

agree with chel87, that are called take and toss and they are great! We have all different ones, and I always seem to go back to these as Noah can use them the best. I think coz the spout is harder its easier to grip onto, and it doesnt have a valves so he's not sucking with all his might to get water out. They are really cheap and you can get them at most places like big w, kmart, target etc...You can also get little handles for them. Noah was using one of these by himself at around 6 months!

[zephani]

I've heard good things about the Take and Toss products. We use their spoons to feed DD. Can you tell me if you give your LO's milk or formula in the sippy cups? Or do you only give them water this way?

[Zalia]

I use one of the cups with a straw - there's a few brands but mine is tommee tippee. Its great, DD figured it out straight away. There's no valve - I don't know any kid who can use them.

It can spill a bit but doesn't empty out if its dropped because of the straw. I just give her water in it. The formula is still given in a bottle.

You can get them for about $8 but I've seen other brands cheaper too.

[em1984]

We just give water as bubs is b/f but I have once given him expressed milk in one, I've put all our bottles away, would much rather him using a sippy cup, and I assure you if he's thirsty he gets it out. It's not always a case of them not knowing how to use it, it may just be that its not what they're used to (ie water as opposed to milk) or they just dont want a drink. If I was formula feeding I'd have no worries giving it in a sippy cup, but thats very much each to their own :)

[JiminyCricket]

I use a sippy cup called a DINKY CUP ( cup with little hard plastic mouthbit with little holes) i got it from coles it was recommended by my CHN because my DS has to tip it up to get water out much more like a real cup.

He has been using it since he was 5 months old and now at 12 months he can drink out of it by himself.
All i did to help him in the beginning was pour it up to his mouth for him then he eventually learnt to use one hand and tip it up and now he uses two hands and drinks by himself.
He occasionly chucks it over the side of his highchair so I make sure that there is only a little bit of water in the cup at one time.

We have used the cup with every meal so it became a part of his mealtime routine to have water from a cup.

By the way it only cost about $3.00

[cookie087]

I found the avent ones really hard for bub to learn. I bought him a Nuby one and he loves it. Worked out how to use it after a couple of turns, and can happily drink out of it. Its not as hard as alot of the other to use that i have bought previously and its still non spill which is great!!!

[UmmInayah]

I bought a Foogo Sippy cup. It's awesome! I tried it on DD2 for the first time today, and she got it in one :) Got a bit surprised when the water came out, but she managed - and remembered the water was there so cried when she needed water, too :)

[NonnyMouse]

I've found Jasper quite likes the disposable ones you can buy at kmart.

They dont have a valve, they are hard plastic though, they can drip if they're shaken, but they dont drip if just turned upside down.

That was the only sort available when DD was little, and they're great. The frustration is normal, but they won't learn to use one if you don't give it long enough to figure it out.

Slightly off topic, but do those cups with valves or straws get in the way of teaching them how to handle a normal cup? I've seen kids use the valved cups well enough but give them a normal sippy one and they seemed shocked that water comes out of it!

[Zalia]

Slightly off topic, but do those cups with valves or straws get in the way of teaching them how to handle a normal cup? I've seen kids use the valved cups well enough but give them a normal sippy one and they seemed shocked that water comes out of it!

My girl can now use either a straw or a normal one, or a pop-top type. The first couple of times we swapped in between she was confused but she very quickly learnt that if it didn't work the first time to tip it up. Its been no problem. She's never used a valve though.