Sippy Cup Madness

None of the kids in my child care center can use tippy cups until they are a bit older, most were older than 11 months. I would get her the soft top ones that are more similar to a bottle. She still shouldn't have the ability to suck a straw yet and that's the action she'll need to develop first. To suck a straw she needs the ability to suck while holding her breath and then hold the fluid in her mouth then swallow. She is most likely still sucking and swallowing like on a bottle. It will probably happen in the next couple of months so keep working with her.

To the ones asking why cups at all:
The reason mom's use tippy/sippy cups is so they don't have to clean up spills and change kids clothes every 5 minutes. My time is worth something and I chose to play and have fun instead of cleaning up avoidable messes.

My daughter did not get the whole sippy cup thing down until she was well over a year - maybe give it a break for now but keep trying later.

9 Months, I think, is kind of young to expect her to get it. Keep offering the sippy cup, with water and eventually she will understand how to use it properly. The flip straws are really not good until they are much older and understand that they can't bite the straw. She could bite a good piece of that straw off and choke. I like the Avent sippy cups the best. I did not like their bottles, but I really liked their sippy cups. Water is the best thing for her in the cup right now. That way if she leaves it down and wants to go back to it, you don't have to worry about how long it's been sitting out that day.

Out of curiousity, was your daughter breast fed or bottle fed? My Oldest son was breast fed until he was a year old and had no problem using a sippy cup, but my 2nd son was only breast fed for a few months and then went on the bottle. He wouldn't touch a sippy cup until he turned 18 months. We skipped the sippy cup and went straight to a regular cup which wasn't as convenient especially when traveling, but it worked!

I would just keep giving them to your daughter. There are some really good ones called Nuk that are a bit softer in the spout, and may be less appealing to chew on. It may be that your daughter is just learning in her own way how to use the cup. All in good time! Good Luck!

don't worry about it. try again in a month,.

what you can do, is wait. she is letting you know she isnt ready for a sippy yet. wait a few weeks and try again. its ok to wait for a few months even. our son did not start a sippy untill he started milk (if i remember correctly ) . good luck.

She may not be ready for the cup. You may need to give her a few more months.

She'll get it eventually. We parents forget that kids figure out most of these things on their own. My son was the same way - took a while to get the hang of a sippy cup.

Have you tried giving her a regular cup? My son actually did better with that.

My daughter just turned one and she is just starting to use a sippy cup. She will take one or two sips and is done...we are still working on it.

I've only known one baby who used a sippy cup before a year old. Most of the ones I know start at about 18mo.

We just used a bottle until he was around 1 then gave him dixie cups to drink from, skipped the sippie cup all together... is it really needed?

My baby is nine months also and he is only ok with the whole sippy cup thing. I give him little bottles he can hold himself about once a day,(he is breastfed), and I just give him sippy cups here and there, he loves getting his brother's sippy cups and messing with them. I figure before one it is just practice, so I wouldn't worry too much. With my first I just let him mess with sippy cups and he would drink juice and water with a sippy great around 1 and did milk in a sippy at around 1.5. She will get the hang of it in the near future:)

Wait until she is closer to 12 months. Have you tried the Nuby cups? You suck on them more like a bottle. I found it a good transition cup. Straw cups are for older children, usually 18 months+. We used a bottle until 12 -14 months, then transitioned.

Remove the valve until she gets the hang of it. They have to suck even harder then on a bottle to get any fluid, if you remove the valve it pours out, all be it more slowly and controlled then drinking from a regular cup. We had to remove the valve for all 3 of our kids. The valve is there to keep it "spill proof" not because the child needs it for safety.

Oh and we introduced our kids to sippy cups around 7 months and they did fine...as long as the valve was removed.

She IS doing it right. She is getting the feel of it and exploring it. Let her explore and she will have it down in no time.