Baby Cups

Introducing your baby to baby cups or sippy cups marks the first step in weaning from the feeding bottle. It may take a very long time to get yourbaby to drink from baby cups or sippy cups compared to a feeding bottle. But you can help your baby win this battle with a lot of patience, love and encouragement. Although it is a good choice to wean him off the bottle completely by the time he is a year old, you can try to gradually introduce him to baby cups or sippy cups when he is about six months old. This helps him understand that there are other sources from which he can drink liquids other than the breast and feeding bottle.

Tips for Introducing Baby Cups or Sippy Cups

• Wait until your baby is about six months old. He can usually sit up with support at this age.
• Select the right kind of baby cup with your baby's help. Some babies prefer baby cups with handles on either side for better grip. Some others prefer cups with single handles or no handles at all. Also, some babies who have been on the bottle for quite some time may prefer baby cups with a spout on its lid. These cups are called sippy cups. You may also find that your baby prefers an ordinary cup over a sippy cup because he finds getting liquid from the sippy cup harder or simply because he wants a cup like your coffee cup. Most babies prefer a sippy cup because they find it similar to the feeding bottle. Some babies do not like sippy cups with one-way valves as a lot of effort is required to get the liquid out. You can either remove the valve or use a cup without a valve. Straw cups are very useful for older babies/toddlers.
• It will be easy for you to get your baby introduced to baby cups or sippy cups if he has never gone to bed with a feeding bottle.
• Make your baby feel comfortable when handling baby cups or sippy cups. Keep him on your lap or a high chair and always supervise him drink from the baby cup or sippy cup.
• Do not fill the baby cups or sippy cups with too much of liquid, breast milk, formula or water. Your little one may find it too difficult to carry the baby cup or sippy cup. You may get him started with the baby cup or sippy cup by filling it up with less messy liquids such as water in the initial days.
• Cover your baby with a bib as he learns to drink from his baby cup. There will usually be a lot of dribbles starting from his chin to stomach as he learns to drink without creating a mess. Sippy cups cause lesser mess.
• Try taking the baby cup or sippy cup away from your baby after each sip and giving him time to swallow the liquid. After he swallows the liquid, offer it to him again. Do not force him to take the cup or sippy cup when he shows signs of fullness by turning his head or pushing the baby cup or sippy cup away.
• If you are holding the cup or sippy cup for the baby to feed himself and he tries to take control of it, encourage him to do so. You can also motivate him to try catching the cup or sippy cup by holding it along with you.
• If your baby resists the baby cups or sippy cups even after a few attempts, do not try to force the cup or sippy cup on him. Try again after a few weeks with a different cup to catch his attention.
• Even if your baby refuses to drink from the baby cup or sippy cup, you can allow him to play with it for a while. This may help him get interested in the baby cup or sippy cup. But, you must gradually stop him from treating the baby cup or sippy cup as a pacifier.
• Try replacing a meal with a healthy snack followed by a drink from the baby cup or sippy cup.

Shopping Online for Sippy Cups

There are quite a few options for buying online in India. That’s Cute has a range of sippers with straws and either with or without handles. Kid Studio has non-spill cups and cups with handles and straws in attractive shapes, sizes and colours. Sunbaby another online Indian store provides a whole lot of sippy cups with straws or sippers. They are also available with or without handles.

Some other products without an online buying option are - Bonne sippers are made of food grade polycarbonate and are available in different sizes and designs depending on the age of the baby. Sippers with spout cap are also available. Kids Kingdom has easy to use sippers with non-spill valves manufactured from recyclable plastic.

Drawbacks of Using Sippy Cups Instead of Usual Baby Cups

Sippy cups function much the same way as feeding bottles in helping your baby to drink his liquids. So, you may find your baby encountering almost the same problems as with the feeding bottle. Some key problems are:

• Your baby may suffer from tooth decay on prolonged and frequent usage.
• If the sippy cup is used throughout the day, it becomes a source for accumulation of bacteria. This is because, if your baby uses the sippy cup all day, it is hardly washed properly.
• Your baby may end up drinking more of liquids and lessen his intake of nutritive solid food. Liquids such as juices contain too many calories. Also, excessive intake of liquids can cause your baby to suffer from diarrhea.

Safety Issues When Using Sippy Cups Instead of Usual Baby Cups

You can certainly consider the following factors when you try to introduce your baby to weaning from bottle. Some key factors are:

• Allow your baby to use the sippy cup only with meals and snacks. Do not allow him to go round the house with the sippy cup at other times.
• Do not use the sippy cup as a pacifier when you take him to the playground or his outings with you in the car.
• If your baby is fond of a particular sippy cup, buy many identical ones. When you put one for wash, you can use another. Your baby will not know the difference and you can eliminate bacteria breeding on the sippy cup.
• If your baby uses the sippy cup for comfort, fill it with water rather than juice. This minimises tooth cavities and tooth decay.
• When you find your baby drinking comfortably from the cup, do not give him the sippy cup anymore.