Choosing a Sippy Cup

Introducing a sippy cup to your baby can be an exciting part of his development.

The American Academy of Family Physicians notes “the sippy cup should be introduced at 6 months of age in preparation for weaning from the bottle or breast at 12 months”.

The Academy also states that you should “teach your child to drink from a cup as soon as possible, usually by 1 year of age. Drinking from a cup does not cause the liquid to collect around the teeth and a cup cannot be taken to bed.”

Ideally then, it’s a good idea to start thinking about moving to a sippy cup from around 6 to 8 months of age. If your baby doesn’t show interest initially, don’t worry. Most babies will show interest between around 7 to 9 months of age.

What is a Sippy cup?

A sippy cup is a training cup, usually with a screw- or snap-on lid and a spout that lets your child drink liquid without spilling.

All sippy cups are basically the transition from bottles to, eventually, normal glasses and cups. Sippy cups also have added benefits in terms of helping develop hand-to-mouth coordination and motor skills.

When your baby has the motor skills to handle a cup but not the skills to keep the drink from spilling, a sippy cup can give him some independence while keeping clean up to a minimum.

Tricks for introducing your baby to a sippy cup

• Offer your baby the sippy cup as soon as he is able to maintain a good, tight grasp

• Start off with a soft, pliable nipple-like spout that will feel more familiar to your baby than a hard plastic spout

• Choose one that is lightweight and easy for tiny hands to handle

• Allow him to explore the sippy cup – even if it means he bangs and tosses it around

• Show him how to use the sippy cup by example and help guide the sippy cup up to his mouth

• Water is an ideal first liquid to add to it. Formula or breastmilk may not entice your baby with the wonder and excitement of a totally new experience

• Offer the sippy cup (with water) during snack time and between feedings.

It's not a good idea to

• Allow your infant or toddler to walk around the house all day with a sippy cup full of water, juice of formula letting him "fill up" with liquid. Your baby still needs important nutrients from breast milk and/or formula and sippy time should not interfere with his real food intake.

• Let your child take a sippy cup of juice or milk to bed. The sugars can pool in his mouth and cause tooth decay






source http://www.yourparenting.co.za/