Is your baby ready for a sippy cup? Since babies have different levels of development, no one can say when exactly is the right time. Some say that there are babies who are ready as early as 6 months old, but there are those who do not show interest to leave their mother’s breast during mealtime until one year old.
When and how parents can move her baby from breast to sippy cup?
Don’t feel worried if your child is a late-learner or a late bloomer in this field. There are some tips on how to use a sippy cup on breastfed babies to make the transition a little less of a burden for both parents and babies.
How to make the transition
Breast milk is still the best for babies. And you can still use breast milk in the sippy cup. Here are some ways to do it.
Use a breast-like sippy cup.
Since the baby is used to his mother’s breast as his feeding device, the transition will be easier if he will be using something that is common to what he has been using before. One best sippy cup bottle suggestion for this is Philips Avent My Easy Sippy Cup.
Be patient.
Expect some temper or tantrums. Your child will definitely go under a period of adjustment. That happens especially during the first sessions. Some can adjust easily while others may take a while.
Try and try until you succeed.
If one sippy cup failed, don’t insist on it to the baby. You can try other designs and sizes that will fit more on your baby. Don’t buy a pack of several cups of the same design. You might regret spending a fortune and later realizing no one fits your baby.
Babies may not like the feel the body or spout of any type of sippy cups. Try what fits into your baby. They might even feel that the flow may be too fast or too little. So you can just shift to another.
Keep it clean.
Since sippy cups are often wet or moist with milk, it is more prone to molds and other dirt. Keep it clean and wash it thoroughly including the valves and hidden spaces. There are designs that can make cleaning easier.
Show your baby how to use the sippy cup.
Kids can learn through observation and imitation. Seeing someone using a sippy cup can encourage them to do the same. You can be the one to demonstrate it yourself. You can pretend that you are drinking from the sippy cup. Show your kid how to handle it and hold it correctly using their two hands. Aim the spout of the sippy cup to their mouth. Once they tasted the milk, they’ll be interested. Your older kids can also help you with this.
Avoid an accident.
Don’t let your baby walk while drinking in a sippy cup. Once they fall, the spout may jab their teeth and gums or the roof of the mouth. Slipping cups from a child’s hands may even hurt their little feet. That can be a distressing experience for them that will lose their interest to try it again. Don’t let your baby sleep with a sippy cup in their mouth at it may also cause tooth cavities in them.
Stick with it.
Once you have tried using a sippy cup on your baby, be consistent. Stick with it.
Compliment your child.
Every time your kids used the sippy cup, praise him with encouraging words with a happy and encouraging voice, even if he succeeded or not. Remember that the first times are often difficult but their interest and their efforts to try it are good signs.
Conclusion
To conclude, the use of a sippy cup is a challenging task for both mothers and babies. But always remember that there are effective ways to know when and how you can move babies from breast to sippy cup. You can always use these teaching lessons as bonding moments with your child.
Read also:
- How To Transition From Bottle To Sippy Cup
- When Should a Child Drink From An Open Cup
- Why is my Baby Refusing to Drink in the Milk Bottle?
