I'm so confuse, I keep reading that a 12 month old should be able to drink out of a cup. My 13 months drinks from a sipping cup and I am wondering if I should start teaching her to drink without the sipping cap? I admit I am not looking forward to this training process but at the same time, I wonder if it's too early to teach my baby such skills? If it's time to remove the sippin cap...any advise on how to train my baby?
I think what they meant was that a 12+ month old should be able to drink from a "sippy" cup (versus a bottle with a nipple). That's what our ped said anyways. A "real" cup doesn't come till much later. I don't think that at 13 months babies even have the motor skills necessary to drink out of a regular cup (well, maybe some, but most are not ready yet.) My daughter is almost 2 and still drinks from a cup with a little spout.
I don't think you need to push using a regular cup at this age, unless your baby is genuinely acting interested in it. I think it's admirable in and of itself that your baby is even using a sippy cup - I know so many toddlers (like age 2 1/2) who are still using bottles, much to my annoyance (but that's my personal issue :P)
Once my son started wanting my cup, I bought him little cups at Target in their housewares section. But, I think he was closer to 2 years old.
V.,
DON'T compare your child to anyone! It will happen naturally! She will want to start drinking from it on her own. She will start pulling your cup. Just help her once in a while to drink from yours. Don't put pressure on her or yourself...
It is fun to teach little ones some of these new skills. Just put a very small amount in the cup and hold the cup with her and guide her while she drinks. She will get it before you know it. If it were summer I would say just let her go for it.
oh no thats too early the cup they mean is a sippy cup lol... easy mistake there. if she drinks well out of a regular sippy cup maybe introduce a straw sippy. my daughter at about 14 months went to a straw sippy cup ad loved it. now she drinks out of a sippy for a 2 1/2-3 year old (one with no spout to prepare for a lidless cup). your baby girl is right on tract with her sippy cup drinking so dont be worried. good luck!
I think the concern is to not be on a bottle much after a year. As far as a real cup goes .... my daughter who just turned 3 is just now becoming trustworthy enough to have a real cup - and even then, it is only partially full because she is too busy running around and playing to think about spilling. Add in the cup when you are ready and when you really think the coordination is there. - maybe try the sippys that have straws first to see that your actually sets things on table upright, rather than tipped over! :) Also ... Ikea has a pack of 6 cups that are the perfect size - plates to match - dishwasher and microwave friendly and they are about 2.00 a pack.
Have fun!
