Mom Confused About Bottle to Sippy Cup

I don't know where others are getting their information, but you are SUPPOSED to start diluted juice at 6 months. It is especially good for helping with constipation (the problem my son had, though he ate nothing but breast milk, oatmeal, veggies, & fruits till 10 month). However, bottles are not good for juice as the design of a bottle allows sugar (found in juice, breast milk, and cow's milk) to more thoroughly coat the teeth than a cup does.

HTH,
K.

The concern about giving juice in a bottle, is that if the child is allowed to go to sleep while drinking juice from a bottle, the sugary juice sits on the teeth and causes tooth decay. Drinking the juice from a sippy cup eliminates this possibility.

I think a more appropriate question would be why does a 7 month old need juice at all. My pediatrician told me not to give juice at all. I am a chef and nutritionist and contrary to popular belief juice is not healthy. In fact it has almost as much sugar as soda. Giving a child this young juice instead of water is setting her up for diabetes and obesity later on. Switch to water and save the juice for when she is 2 or older.

Well, my first thought is why is your 7 month old on juice? Don't need juice at this age. That said...the reason your ped said not to put juice in bottle is b/c it is a hard habit to break them of. It is best to keep juice in sippy cup. If you do continue to give juice (sippy cup) make sure you dilute it. 1/2 and 1/2

nowadays they're looking for kids to be off bottles and on sippy cups by 12 months, so it's a good time to start introducing a sippy cup now. Plus they recommend only formula or breast milk in the bottle and anything else (water, juice, etc) in a sippy so that it is easier to make the transition later - your child doesn't associate all drinking with the bottle. In addition, I've mostly been told that there is no reason to give a child juice at that age, and prolonged sucking on a bottle of juice can promote gum problems and tooth decay due to the sugar in the juice. Just doing water is fine. The Nuby sippy cups are pretty awesome - they have handles and soft tops and don't spill easily (unless your daughter chews on the spout and lets all the liquid drain out of her mouth like mine did!) - the longer you wait to introduce the sippy, the more problems you'll have transitioning from a bottle. Just my two cents.

No, the nutrionist is right. The only thing a baby should get in his/her bottle is breast milk/formula. If you're going to give juice make sure to water it down. I never really gave my kids juice, mostly water in their sippy cups with the occasional small amount of juice to give a little bit of variety to the water.

But back to your dilemma, yes, as soon as you start to introduce solids (6 months) and you introduce something other than milk/formula you introduce it in a sippy cup. There are TONS on the market in various sizes/shapes and nipples to choose from. My kids never took to sippy cups in the beginning, we went straight to drinking from a straw which worked great. Now they drink from sippy cups b/c I can't stand to wash all the parts to the straw cups anymore, but that's just me. But at meals they are drinking from big boy/girl cups (ages 3, and 2)

I have seen other moms out there who have done the same thing as you, and even my sister in law who gives her 18 month old cow's milk out of a bottle. Your child is not going to be destroyed or ruined by this, she's only 7 months old. But better to transition her now than later. Go on ahead and give her water or water down juice in a sippy cup, you may have to trial and error to find the right one that works. Nuby has a soft nipple sippy cup, great for babies who are use to the bottle vs the breast. Try that and dont' give in. She doesn't need the juice anyway...as long as she gets nutrients from her foods and her breast milk/formula (whichever you are using) then continue to encourage water/juice in a sippy cup.

Once she has reached a year and after talking to your pediatrician you can switch her to cows milk. I breast fed both of my babies and both of them transitioned straight to cold cows milk at a year. I still continued to breast feed my son until 14 months so he didn't quite get as much cows milk as breast milk until he weaned himself off, but we did introduce it when I wasn't feeding him to help with that.

Other than that, hope that helps. Good luck!

A. B

Technically your little one doesn't need any juice. It is not good for her teeth and under the age of 1 not really good for her at all. The sugars and acid that are left on her teeth and gums are not helped by the bottle. If your daughter can and will take a sippy cup you might would like to transition ALL her fluid intake into one.

My son was breastfed and after 4 months would not accept a bottle. At that point we transitioned him over to a 2 handled nuby sippy which he handled just fine. At 9 months he could grasp and drink from a regular cup at the table. We do just water and milk for meals and save juice in the form of juice boxes for the car. If we are somewhere where they are serving up juice we dilute it down 50/50 with water and he's none the wiser. He receives friut and vegetables in their natural form instead of broken down in juice.

I don't really want to sound preachy, but I have seen first hand the disasters of what it did to baby teeth. Two seperate girlfriends had daughters both under 3 have most of their teeth turn black and fall out. They were both on the bottle for almost 2 years and received all their liquid nurishment from it. They did brush their teeth, but I'm guessing not before bed as they laid down with bottles. Hope I was able to give you a litle hindsight.

we started our son on a sippy cup at 6 months. we never put juice in his bottle. if he wanted juice he got it in a cup. it helps them break away from the bottle if that is the only way you offer it. we also diluted the juice, half juice and half water

I don't know that I was ever told this by my doc, but I followed the philosophy that bottles were for "food" (i.e., milk) and sippy cups were for beverages. When my son was about 6 mo, I introduced expressed breast milk or water in a sippy cup along with his cereal/fruit, etc. I think this helped with the transition from bottle to sippy cup (we dropped the bottle all together around 12 months when milk was no longer his main source of food, although I did continue some breast feeding after that).

It's been a couple of years, but I don't remember offering much juice, but I am sure I did on rare occassions. For the most part, I don't think babies need juice. It is so high in empty calories and is so sweet that I think it gets kids too used to having sweet stuff. If you do choose to offer it, I know many people water it down.

I've always been told that nothing but formula should be given in bottles. Juice and water in sippy cups starting at around 5-6 months. There are beginner sippy cups with very soft spouts that are easy to drink from.

My 5 year old took to the sippy cup great at about 4-1/2 months and by 7 months was holding it himself, by 12 months was completely off the bottle (he liked the cup better). My 16 month old, however, didn't care of the sippy cup and wouldn't drink from it till he was about 8 months old and is just now at 16 months holding it for himself. He was off the bottle by about 13 months when he transitioned completely to regular milk.

My pediatricians said that starting the sippy cup as early as possible helped to get them used to the idea and would make transition off the bottle easier for them and less confusing because they would already know how to drink from the cup.

In the beginning it will be a bit messy as the baby learns the gulp and swallow that comes along with the sippy cup drinking. My oldest didn't seem to have any problems with it. My toddler coughed and spit and wanted more (most of it ran back out his mouth though LOL). Just have a bib and a cloth ready to clean up when you get started. Try a couple times a day with an ounce or two of juice.

yup, start the sippy when you start solid foods other than cereal. around 6 months. so its time good luck!

Why is your nutritionist giving you parenting advice? It's none of his/her business what type of vessel your daughter is drinking from. Both my kids were on a bottle until they were over 1 year. Don't fret, and tell the nutritionist to stick to his/her specialty!

Just follow your own instincts and blow off the nutritionist. All babies develop at different times. Your 7 month old may not be quite ready for a sippy cup. It is your baby. You are around the baby 24/7. Trust your own instincts.

Doctors where I live said for me to put my kids on a sippy cup when they were 6 months old. I didn't listen to them. My first had reflux so bad that there was no way I was going to put her on a sippy cup at 6 months of age. She started on a sippy cup when she was a year and did fine. My youngest had a little bit of reflux and I still didn't put her on a sippy cup until she was a year and she did fine too. I don't know why doctors want babies on sippy cups when they're that little. It's not like they can hold it at all at that age. I think moms have more to do than sit and hold a sippy cup for their child at that age. I would just keep what you're doing unless you want to start the sippy cup. No one knows your child better than you. I didn't want to rush my girls and I didn't. I hope everything works out. J. A.

J.,
I think the rule goes that if a baby can hold his/her own bottle to drink, it's time to make the switch to the sippy cup. Good luck and have fun with the next big milestone!

I was amazed when I saw a lady in the church nursery give one of the other babies a juice box. I didn't think it would work at all... It totally did! I tried it with my son when I got home and he was great at it! The straw and the bottle must be somewhat similar as far as the sucking goes (I am guessing). You can buy cups with straws pretty cheap if you want to try it out.

My advice is to do what works for you. If she is not into the sippy, use the bottle, she is still young. Both of mine were not big on the sippy until a year, they could not have done it at 7 months. When they were 12/13 months, the bottles were gone, so don't worry.

My kids are now 5 and 3. Neither one of them were very good bottle drinkers -- I think my youngest only ever drank from a bottle one or two times -- so we started giving them sippy cups at the same time that we started them on solid food (6 months). It might take a bit, but your daughter will probably get the hang of it pretty quickly.

I was surprised about this also when my daughter was around that age. Some people start giving their baby a sippy cup well before 7 months. I found this out when my baby was about 8-9 months old. She never held her own bottle -why would she when we did it for her? :) She would hold the sippy cup, but never drank out of it. I never put juice in her bottle, and if she did actually take a drink of juice from the sippy she would make a face. Finally about about 10 months she started drinking juice from the sippy and by about 11 -12 months she transitions to just the sippy. So, you have plenty of time. But, be patient it will take her some time to make the transition. They have sippy cups with the soft nipples and handles which help. Good luck!

.

You could skip the sippy cup altogether and give an open cup. Micah could hold and drink from an open cup neatly before he was a year.

Do what works for your family. She's not going to go to collage with a bottle.

my concern would be why are you giving juice?

If your baby needs it for nutrition, she needs the whole fruit. If she is thirsty, then water is a great habit to start & you don't have to worry about rotting her little teeth.

Forgive me for offering my opinion, do what works for your family regardless what any of us say! (even me, ha ha)

P : )

Hi! I have 3 children ages 14, 12 and 3 months today. I gave my older two juice from a bottle until they were a year old with no problems. These days pediatricians and nutrionists don't want babies to have juice from a bottle to avoid rotten teeth and the baby thinking juice is a food, not a treat.

My children have no rotten teeth, are not overweight at all and had no problems changing from bottle to sippy cup. I am sorry she scolded you, that was inappropriate. You do what you feel is best for your child.

Hi J.
What nutritionist's and Dr's alike seem to fail to realize at times that each child is different and does not do things all at the same time..My son was over a year old before he took to a sippy cup..He would not take a cup with handles until he was almost a yr old...You have to go by what is right for your child not what some Dr etc thinks is right for your child..They are not raising the child and are not at home with the child all the time they see them on a limited basis..The nutritionist I had when my son was little threw a fit at me because I started giving my son fruit before he was 6 months old because I was breast feeding and part time formula feeding and he was still hungry..So my peditrician said give him fruit worked wonders and I had a much happier baby and I was getting more sleep!My son is now 7 and nothing happened to him because he got fruit before he was 6 months old! Do what you feel is right nutritionist's are good but like Dr's they don't know everything there is to know and each child grows and learns at a different pace and where some maybe ready for a sippy cup at 7 months old other's are not...Good Luck

7 months is very young to go on a sippy cup. Juice in the bottle is fine, just dont let her sleep with it.. the acid will eat on her teeth.

Absolutely. I would have to agree with the Ped. I have always heard to never give anything besides milk in the bottle, that way kids won't associate juice, pop or whatever with the bottle. My little girl is 8 months and we have started her on the sippy cup. Granted, she is not on it very much at all, but she only gets formula in her bottle and when we give her the sippy cup, she gets water. She does pretty good at it. It does take time though, so be patient. Your little one probably won't get it until after 4-5 times.

J.,
In my view, I don't think it's that she NEEDS to be on the sippy cup. The bottle is made for milk (formula, breastmilk). If you give her everything she drinks in a bottle, it will be harder to wean her from the bottle when it's time. It's just easier from the start if you only put breastmilk or formula in the bottle, and never let her carry it around. There's also a concern with their teeth, whether already in, or just forming in the gums. Babies that drink juice out of bottles tend to have higher incidences of tooth decay. Juice that comes out of a bottle (especially one that is carried around or slept with) sits on the gums and teeth. Whereas if baby is given a sippy cup to drink with meals or snacks, it doesn't just sit there. My babies breastfed exclusively until they were 6 months old, and they never had bottles. So when we started giving them water in a sippy cup at 5 months old, it was no big deal. Good luck. I hope you find a happy medium between what your doctor thinks and what you know is best!

My daughter is 9 months old now and she still uses a bottle. I don't see a problem using a bottle still. It's up to the parents to decide when they think their child is ready for a sippy cup, not anyone elses. So don't feel bad. Just change when you think your little girl is ready.

Jancey T. is right about the transition from bottle to sippy. Have you ever seen those two and three year olds running around with a bottle of juice? That's why. I had to give my youngest juice really early to help her poop and gave it to her in a bottle because she was only a few months old. When she turned 6 months I got her a sippy. It was a little awkward at first but she got the hang of it. I only filled it about half way so it wasn't too heavy. It is a great cup too! I use a Nuk. It has removable handles so little hands can grasp them. The nipple is rubber and truely is spill proof! I know lots of sippy cups claim to be but this one really is. Your little on is definately old enough to use one. Good luck!

Hi J.
Not my call, but I think you should stick with your instincts. You've done well getting your LO off the bottle and onto sippies - that's a tremendous hurdle. You dont' want to go backwards. I say stay with the sippie. You know best!

P.

Call me crazy, but I definitely introduced juice to my daughter in a cup when she was four months old. I don't understand all of these people who are questioning why you give juice at all??? 100% juice in the right quantity is perfectly fine for your child. In addition, I felt that when Marlee could hold a bottle, it was time for a cup. I never limited her to just juice in a cup either. I picked a bottle out that I felt was okay to take away, and I replaced it with a cup. She had one cup of diluted 100% juice from concentrate in a cup everday and her one formula cup. I then went on to replace all of her formula bottles one by one with a cup. When she turned 8 months she was totally off of the bottle. She is currently eleven months and absolutely loves her cup. I am expecting her baby sister next month and I will probably do the same thing with this baby. Listen to your baby and listen to yourself. If you think she is ready and developing normally with no delays, just try it. your little one wlll suprise you. I guarntee it!!

Just go with your instincts on whether your daughter is ready for the sippy cup. I will say that I think the transition from bottle to sippy cup will inevitably be much easier in the long run if you don't give juice in the bottle. For my son, it was formula/milk only in the bottle. Everything else in the sippy cup. I think we started the sippy cup around 6 mos.

J., don't stress it! Women have been raising children in safe and effective manners for hundreds of years, long before nutritionists came along! However, in her defense, she's looking at your future problems of trying to ween from the bottle. If you daughter associates the sippy cup with juice rather than the bottle, it will make it much easier for you. Other than that I'm really not sure what her rationale is...??? And I've raised 3 children, one after becoming a nurse. It's not too soon for your child to have the sippy cup and could be a good idea. Some children even prefer the sippy cup to a bottle if they are introduced early....either way it's not a bad idea, but really not a necessary one either. Do you mind if I ask why she is seeing a nutritionist? My son had to see a dietician as a baby because he was born with a heart defect and due to the pacemaker and surgery, had a difficult time eating and gaining weight. My very best to you and congrats on your daughter!!! This is the beginning of the fun age!! They begin to discover soooo much at this age and I'm afraid the rest of her time as a little girl will now fly by!! Enjoy every moment! Take care!

Hi J.. My son started using a sippy cup around that age. He still had his formula in bottles, but anything else we put in a sippy cup. He loved the sippy cup so much, it really helped transition him off the bottle. He actually was off the bottle all together by 10 months. We started with the sippy cups that had a straw that flipped up. Hope that helps.