Transitioning to Baby Sippy Cups

One of the most feared transitions for parents is removing the baby bottle from the picture and switching your little one over to a baby sippy cup. The apprehension is understandable as nearly every child at the age appropriate for a bottle craves consistency in their daily routine. Any change no matter how small is enough to make them push back and decline the drink you’re offering.

Baby Sippy Cups are not a necessary conversion. There are quite a few children who convert directly from breast, to bottle and on to a standard open cup without pausing for sippy cups. We should be so lucky! It’s more a matter of convenience and ease of use, not to mention the number of messes saved by a tightly capped sippy cup left on its side in the car seat. So what is the appropriate age to switch to a baby sippy cup?

Like a lot of things with small children, it varies. They’re quite fickle. A small number may be ready as early as 6 months but in most cases you can expect your child to be able to handle a baby sippy cup around their first birthday. In order for them to handle the cup, they need to have hand to mouth dexterity using both hands as well as the ability to not only hold up their heads but their bodies as well.

It’s adorable to watch a small child lift a sippy cup and topple backwards as they try to drink from it but ultimately it can be a frustrating experience. One that can easily make your baby reject the cup altogether.

Effective methods for transitioning to a baby sippy cup

Share a cup with your child – Show them how to raise the cup, and how to hold it. Take turns drinking from the cup.

Remove the valve – Many sippy cups come with one way valves to prevent spills, but it can be difficult to suck the drink through these tiny valves, especially if it’s a thicker mixture like some formula. Without the valve, the drink can pour quickly, so control the flow with your own hands just enough for your baby to get a taste. Once your baby has gotten the hang of it, try replacing the valve piece. Repeat this process if necessary.

Start with a soft nipple – The nipple of the sippy cup should be soft and very pliable to replicate the texture and shape of a human nipple or bottle. There are a number of brands available of big box retailers offering cups with dishwasher safe soft lids that look just like a baby bottle. These are often free of valves. Instead, the nipple itself can be cropped as needed to increase the flow for a child.

Purchase several models – Because babies are so sensitive to texture and shape, you can almost guarantee that they will outright refuse several different styles before you finally settle on one or two that they enjoy and prefer.

Choose colorful models – Seek out the cups with interesting shapes and design, with a plethora of colors, or your child’s favorite color if you’re fortunate enough to know what it is. A sippy cup can function just like a toy. If they’re comfortable playing with it, they’ll probably enjoy drinking from it.

Switch Drinks – As odd as it sounds, there are a lot of babies that simply will not drink milk or formula from anything but a bottle or the breast in the case of breast milk. You may have more success by using the sippy cups for water and juice. This is quite common, but a great way to introduce water to your baby on a regular basis to keep her hydrated.

Pickup a transition cup – Companies are releasing transition cups that move along with the pace of the child. They start as a bottle then add handles, baby sippy cup tops, then a straw and eventually are just a simple toddler cup.
In the end, don’t become frustrated if your child doesn’t take well to a sippy cup. Some children just dislike the effort it takes to suck through the valves or strangely shaped soft nipples. Even if your baby doesn’t take to the sippy cup on a regular basis, they’re good to have around for travel purposes. A thirsty child in the car will eventually take what you’re offering.