Introducing Sippy Cup To Your Toddler

Whether your baby is breastfed or bottle-fed, or both, you are going to eventually need to start introducing them to a wide variety of cups for feeding. That's when the sippy cup also called training cups for toddlerscomes in, these cups come in different styles but typically have a spout-like lid that helps babies switch from bottles easily while preventing spills. 

 

Why should you switch from bottle to sippy cup?

 

Primarily, the sippy cup is introduced to help wean the baby off a bottle early and smoothly, but they are not a necessity for your baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that babies be taken off bottles by 18 months or sooner. A prolonged bottle use can lead to cavities and iron deficiency anemia, and it can make your baby drink more milk than required.

 

When should you introduce a sippy cup?

 

This ranges from 6months to 12 months. There is no exact perfect age for introducing sippy cups to your baby because there are different factors to look at to know if your baby is ready for a sippy cup. The signs that show that baby is ready for a sippy cup includes:

 

• If they don't need any support to sit.

 

• They hold the bottle to their mouth for a drink without support.

 

• If they are starting to eat solid foods, even just a puree is a good indicator that your baby is ready for a sippy cup.

 

• You see them reaching for your cup, that's a sign that they are ready to be introduced to sippy cups. 

 

Best sippy cups for transitioning to from bottles

 

There are so many varieties, types of sippy cups in the market today. Typically, sippy cups have a spout-like lid–but nowadays there are many kinds of sippy cups for toddlers, there are the ones with a soft, nipple-like spout, others with a hard plastic spout, or ones with straws, or auto-sealing rims. The American Dental Association (ADA) advises against using cups with valves, which they describe as bottles in disguise. These kinds of cups will prevent spills, but drinking is still like the baby is drinking from a bottle since the baby has to suck instead of sip. A valve cup may prevent spills, but drinking with it is like your baby is drinking from a bottle (since babies have to suck from them as they would with baby bottles).

 

Tips for introducing a sippy cup 

 

Although the transition from bottles to sippy cups is usually a process of trial and error and practice, experts have a few suggestions to help babies drink from sippy cups, what to put in, how much to put in and when to give them. 

 

• Put a certain liquid in the silly cup. Preferably, put their meal (expressed breast milk or formula) in the sippy cup, while you put water in the bottle. This will make the sippy cup more desirable for them than the bottle. Be consistent however you want to do it.

 

• Don't fill the cup. Start with a few ounces at a time, then gradually increase. 

 

• If you are nursing, you can keep up with it. If you exclusively breastfeed your baby, you don't need to stop that. You could just offer them water in the cup then.

 

• To avoid injuries, put their sippy cup on the table like you would serve food. 14.3% of children below three that are admitted to the emergency room are admitted for sippy cup-related injuries. These babies are not quite steady on their feet, so they fall while drinking on the.

 

• Offer then in the morning. Generally, you should offer your baby the sippy cup many times during the day. But, morning is ideal since babies are usually thirsty after a night's sleep. They will be more willing to drink when they, thereby learning to use a sippy cup.

Don't give up if your baby doesn't take the sippy cup right away. Some babies will get the hang of it right away when transitioning from bottle to sippy cup, others won't. Don't force the baby as you don't want to create a negative experience around the sippy cup. Putting pressure on the baby is not the best option.

Reference

 

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/introducing-a-sippy-cup-to-your-toddler/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1622708364198000&usg=AFQjCNEhnPE5zrbIlA-NCpfjyQsYUaDz1A