Need Help Introducing Sippy Cup

Yes, typically you should wait until 12 months to feed whole cow's milk. Use formula or breastmilk until then unless your pedi specifically says otherwise.

As for the cup, my son also had a hard time transitioning. We started putting a little juice/water mixture in the cup. Because he really wanted the juice, he tried very hard to learn to use the cup. Milk just wasn't enough motivation for him! That taught him how to use it. Once we felt that he was physically able to drink from the cup, we went cold turkey to putting milk in it and no more bottles. Since we knew he could use it, we knew that he would drink if he was thirsty enough. It made me nervous for a day or two, but this is what our pedi told us. Sure enough, he adjusted fast and never asked for the bottle again. Truth be told, we didn't push the cup soon enough, which may be your problem too. We didn't try very hard until he turned 12 months. It took about a month for him to totally take to the cup. You may also want to try different brands. The favorite in my house and among most of my friends is the Playtex cups. Kids seem to like them and they don't leak!

I tried introducing the sippy cup at 6 or 7 months. I had to try several different kinds before I found one he liked. We have a ton of sippy cups now, but it was worth it to find one he would start on, and now he drinks out of them all!

As for the milk, it is recommended to wait til 12 months. I breastfed my son til he was 11 1/2 months, then started to wean him and introduce regular milk. He did fine with it!

Hi T.,

My doc just suggested that we start putting his formula in his sippy cup to start introducing it to him. He also thought it was funny to throw it across the room. He is almost 10 mos and we started introducing it about a month ago and he is just now accepting it. He will only drink a few oz of formula from it cause he still wants the bottle but we are working towards him not having to have the bottle by the time he is 12 mos and gets whole milk!!! Good luck change isn't always fun at this age!!!

I don't remember where I got it, but I had a handle "sleeve" that went over a regualr bottle. It had 2 small plastic handles on each side and before you put the nipple on you'd slide it over the bottle then add the nipple. My kids found it real asy to hold onto. As far as transitioning to a sippy cup, My daughter refused them until I found the ones with the "nipple" top. I bought them at Kroger. The only problem is that once they discover they can bite, as with a real bottle, she would bit thru the sipper.

After trying many sippy cups the one i found she liked were the Nubby's. She was not a fan of cups with handles or hard tips. Texture like a nipple but a different shape more like sippys and no handles were like a bottle.

She was about 13 months when we started this even though I tried since 6 months but she would have none of it. I started with holding her like a baby in my arms as I did when i fed her with her baba. So it was familar to her.

She would never hold her baba - her idea was why do it when mom does it so well. So when sippy time came I changed my tatics.

Everytime I would have to hold it for her as well and I would put her hands on it and we would hold it together and once she let go I would let go. So she would pick it up againg and I would assist. But if she let go so would I. After a while of this she picked up the routine that mommy wont hold it for me. Then I would slowly stop helping her hold it.

I also found that she had a hard time with the tilting concept so I would lay her on the floor the drink from her sippy.

I would wait until 12 months to try to introduce milk...let his intestinal track have its time to develop. My DD can not drink milk (lactose intol. also every milk causes her to have rabbit like poo and constipation). She is on Soy milk now and only one type can she drink (8th Continent Complete with added fiber, Omega 3 and calcium). Every since she started milk at a year she had been on daily Mirlax laxitive for the past year and a half. It has taken us that long to find what worked for her. So...dont rush to milk.

What worked for me, was to put diluted juice in the sippy cup. I would give the cup at meal times when I was giving my baby solid food. I think the Gerber cups are easier for the babies to start learning how to use a sippy cup. Get the small ones with handles on both sides. These also have a soft tip for them to suck. Take the stopper out when starting. This way they will actually get the juice in their mouth and know that there is something sweet and yummy inside. A real treat! Once they get the hang of it, then you can put the stopper back in. Then when they are real pros, I switched mine to the Playtex sippy cups because I think they work a lot better at not leaking. Good luck and try to be patient. It will take probably a month or so for your baby to really get the hang of it. Just keep offering and make it a treat.

On the whole milk question...doctors do recommend holding off until your baby is 12 months old. The way you can make the switch is to start substituting 1 oz. of milk for 1 oz. of formula when you make his bottle. Do this for a few days, then substitute 2 oz. of milk for 2 oz. of formula and so on.

Enjoy your sweetie. They do grow up quick! My babies are 9,7,5 and 2.

G.

While I have no suggestions about the cup,(mine took to hers right away), Our pedi said that we could start her on whole milk at 11 months. I breastfed until 11 1/2 months and then switched her to milk. She did great with it.