For new parents, keeping track of developmental milestones is not just exciting, it can also be a little overwhelming. You probably spend a great deal of time worrying about every decision that you make, but simply paying attention to your baby’s cues will help you figure it out.
When it comes to moving away from bottle feeding, once your baby begins to sit up on her own and can look around easily, she’s also probably ready to handle a cup. This usually happens around 6 months of age, which is why the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises parents to start weaning at this time to ensure a complete transition to independent drinking between 12 to 18 months.
Ways to Introduce Sippy Cups
Sippy cups are helpful for the transition away from bottle feeding, making it easier for babies to develop the new skill while minimizing the cleanup for parents.
One Change at a Time – Don’t try to introduce too many new things all at once or it will make it a lot harder for your baby to embrace the sippy cup. While it’s important to get your baby in the habit of drinking water, it would be best to stick with familiar foods, whether breast milk or formula.
Get a Cup that’s Easy to Use – The best sippy cups are designed for babies, with textured surfaces and handles so that they are easy for a baby to hold and maneuver. It’s also important that they don’t come with no-spill valves as they defeat the purpose of a sippy cup. Sippy cups with weighted bottoms and flattened straws work just as well to prevent leakage.
Don’t Expect Instant Success – Parenting requires patience and yours could be tested with the transition. Some babies are more resistant to the transition and will refuse to drink from a cup – give it some time and keep trying every couple of days. It will happen eventually.
Create a Routine – It’s important to be consistent when you’re introducing any change so make sure to offer your baby meals from a sippy cup at a specific time each day. You can start with one feed a day and gradually increase the frequency while eliminating the bottle altogether.
Show Your Appreciation – Babies love to put on a performance and evoke reactions so humor your little one and celebrate the occasion. This kind of encouragement can make a big difference, motivating your baby to use the cup more frequently.
Banish the Bottle – After you’ve given your baby enough time to get used to drinking from a sippy cup, keep the bottle away so that your baby doesn’t see it. It’s much easier to transition if your baby isn’t constantly reminded of the bottle. Very often, the bottle may simply be a source of comfort, so try cuddling or kissing instead when offering the sippy cup.
Transitioning to Open Cups
The use of sippy cups is meant to be temporary and by the time your baby reaches 2 years of age, their use should be discontinued completely.
Offer Open Cups in the Bathroom – Introducing an open cup at bath time will make it easier for your baby to adjust to the change because there are fewer distractions and it’s also easier for you to pay more attention. You also won’t have to worry about spills in the bathroom.
Allow Your Baby to Choose the Cup – By the age of 2 years, babies like to feel like they have some sense of control, so allow them to pick out their own open cup. This sense of autonomy can make the transition more exciting and enjoyable for them, increasing their willingness to participate.
Don’t Force Change – Allow your baby to use both sippy cups and open cups for a while, reserving the open cup for favorite foods. This will help create a positive association that makes the transition smoother.
Show Them How It’s Done – Babies learn best from mimicking adults, so make it a point to draw attention to yourself when drinking from a cup. When your baby sees you and your spouse or older siblings drinking from an open cup, she’ll want to try it out too.