Starting Baby on a Sippy Cup

Babies are creatures of habit in some ways, especially when it comes to the methods they receive their milk. Infants are used to getting formula from a bottle or breastmilk from a breast and may not want to change this at first. The ease of transitioning to a sippy cup depends largely on the child. Some children will take to it easily while others will refuse initially.

There are some tips parents can follow to make the transition a little easier for both mom and dad and for baby.

Introduce Sippy Cup Early

Parents can introduce a baby to a sippy cup as early as six months. The longer a parent waits to introduce a baby to a sippy cup the more resistant the child will be to try and take his or her fluids from it. Introduction to the cup does not have to mean the child has to drink from it right away. Letting the baby play with sippy cup filled with water gets them used to the sight, sound and feel of it and peaks his or her curiosity. Eventually the cup will end up in the mouth and the baby will figure it out from there.

Try Training Cups First

Many of the same companies that make baby bottles also make training sippy cups. These cups have handles that the baby can easily hold onto and the spout the cup is soft. The soft spout is especially helpful since the baby is used to drinking from a soft nipple or breast.

Try Different Types of Cups

If a baby refuses to take liquids from one type of cup, parents should keep trying others until they find a sippy cup that is compatible with their baby. Different cups have different spouts and some are easier for the baby to suck out of than others. Eventually the baby will find one he or she likes best and continue to use that kind.

Go Easy on Sweet Drinks

While parents may be tempted to give their children sweet drinks in a cup in hopes the baby will like the taste and drink more easily from the cup, this should be avoided. Sweet drinks can cause tooth decay in infants and toddlers, especially if the child likes to drink slowly from the cup throughout the day. Milk, formula, or water are better choices. Diluted juice can be offered as well but should be limited.

Sterilize Cups Like Bottles

Sippy cups contain tiny valves and spouts that can trap bacteria. Cups should be washed thoroughly and sterilized just as a parent would a baby bottle. This will help keep a baby healthier and avoid any unpleasant tastes that may make the child refuse to drink from a cup.

Above all else, parents needs to have patience when introducing their baby to a sippy cup. Eventually the infant will catch on and get the hang of drinking from the cup. Once this happens parents may find that the child prefers the cup over the bottle altogether.

Sippy Cup

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