At some or the other point, before the first birthday of your child, you may be planning to give him/ her sippy cup. It could be a little ooze of water or perhaps you may plump some milk in it to bypass feeders altogether, dissuading your toddler directly to a cup. It is just a random move to get your baby used to a cup to prepare them for the transition phase.
Sippy cups are ideal for events when you want your daughter or son to have a drink on their own; however, they aren’t quite prepared to drink it from a wide open-mouthed cup. It is perfect for either a vehicle ride or any time you’re away from your home so when you have your hands full, you can give your child the cup as a convenient means to drink.
It is advisable that a young kid should have some type of drink accessible every moment, whether it milk, water or juice. This is the time when sippy is highly useful as it assures that your daughter or son has a cup close to them even if they’re in the playful mode.
Making a drink readily available is significant because most toddlers are active almost whole day and visiting the kitchen every time for a glass of water gets too hectic and disturbing for them in the middle of the game. It has been proved that kids with Sippy cups remain a lot more hydrated in comparison to the kids without drinks by their side.
Of course, parents do not allow their toddling kids to walk around the house with a normal cup in their hands, unless they appreciate spilled beverage cleaning whole day long. Sippy cups prove to be a remarkable option to allow your children to stay hydrated and healthy and without any spillage.
What is the right time to start with sippy cup?
Well, it differs majorly from baby to baby. While some babies get interest in sippy mugs from an age of 6 months while others so no interest in it till a later date. The use of best sippy cup doesn’t offer any harm to your child at any stage. But, if you’re providing it at a young age, then they might require some help with it initially.
Types of Sippy Cups
There are several styles of sippy cups available in the market and it gets quite tough to choose the ideal one- as you know kids have their own taste and preference about a lot of things and sippy mugs aren’t any exception. Some models come with valves and requisite your kid to suck enthusiastically.
Some kids- particularly the younger ones- do not enjoy such types of cups and desire for a “free-flowing” spout. While it may be a little messy initially, it can give your baby all the idea of holding a cup. Some come with handles, some don’t. Some feature hard plastic caps, some are available in different shapes
In most cases, kids like to drink out of just type of cup and it takes a lot of trial and error to discover the right one. Some of the factors to keep in mind when selecting a sippy cup for your little darling are:
- Find out if it is BPA free?
- Does your baby like hard or soft spout?
- Can your baby hold the cup on their own?
- Can the cup be cleaned easily?
- Does it require frequent replacement?
- Is it available at a reasonable price?
- Does it have enough capacity to hold the right quantity of liquid?
Getting answers to these questions before commencing to purchase a sippy cup will have save some trouble in selecting the right one for your baby. All in all, Sippy cups are a perfect way for your baby’s transition from nursing to a regular cup stage. It also enhances the hand to mouth coordination of your baby.
Just when your child has the motor abilities to hold a cup but doesn’t has the capability to prevent it from spilling, a sippy cup can provide him the right independence while keeping getting dirty to a minimum level.
What and in how much quantity should you give your baby daily in a sippy cup?
If your kid is lesser than 6 months old, just give her some of breast milk or a milk formula in the cup daily. Usually, juice and water isn’t necessary for breastfed infants in the primary 6 months of their lives.
However, after six months, you can fill their sippy with water. Babies older than six months can be given 4 ounces of juice daily. And, once the child has reached the age of 1, you can give them as much water and juice as they desire.
What’s the right way of transition to a sippy cup?
While some babies adapt to a sippy cup instantly others take a while to acknowledge the idea. Here are some tips to keep in mind while introducing the sippy cup to your child:
- Commence with a soft spout as it feels more similar to your kid in comparison to a hard spout.
- Teach your kid the right way to raise the cup to their mouth and take a sip. Show them that the spout is similar to a nipple by making them touch the tip of spout.
- Give them some time. Your baby will master the technique. Do not worry if it takes some weeks for your child to take the sippy cup.
- Shop around. There are different types of varieties of sippy cups available in the market. You can always test the right one for your child. Try different models till you come across the right one which suits your baby.
- You can use several tactics to make your kid use a sippy cup. You can always put a bottle nipple on the spout and once they start sucking, change it with sippy spout.
Go for the right sippy cup for your kid and make them independent.
