Does your baby take any other liquids?

Michelle - posted on 10/31/2010

try gluclose in the water to sweeten it then ween him off the gluclose, my daughter hated water (shes 6mths) but i did the gluclose now she loves water and she doesnt have the gluclose in it anymore

Jessica - posted on 10/23/2010

I'm guessing the problem with breastmilk or formula in a sippy cup is that bacteria grow really fast in them, so you don't want the child coming back to a sippy cup full of off milk! So if you clean it out after every offering that should be fine.
I wouldn't give formula if you can avoid it. It's designed for emergencies, when there is no breastmilk available, but it's not really healthy...
If your child 'doesn't like' something at this age, just offer again! All they should be drinking at this age is breastmilk and water (and water only with solids, not all the time, otherwise they might not drink enough breastmilk). Don't stress about getting him used to a sippy cup just yet. He'll learn when he's ready. Trying a few different cups is a great idea though, some babies like some styles much better. Good luck!

Catherine - posted on 10/15/2010

I give my now ten and half month a little water to drink or more like play with lol but she still feeds four times a day so for her and me it's more about good practice for future. I wouldn't bother with formula if he's still BF as he gets everything he needs from you water or breast milk will be fine if you want to let him try.

Layla - posted on 10/15/2010

I would try pumping and giving him your milk. Formula can cause health problems. (just read the ingredients on a can of it - corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, etc)

Krystal - posted on 10/13/2010

I also put breastmilk in the sippy cup. My son prefers milk to come from me so we have no confusion but he's able to drink during a meal now. He doesn't like water and he's only 9 months so we haven't started juice yet.
I also love the Tommy Tippee sippy cups. We have tried several different cups and these are the only ones that didn't leak and they are very easy for him to handle.

Hillary - posted on 10/12/2010

I myself never put breast milk or formula in a sippy cup. I encourage my kids to drink mostly water. Sometimes I give them water downed juice and, now that they're a bit older, regular milk. I found with my youngest that the problem wasn't what was in the sippy cup but that it took her a bit to catch on to the fact that a sippy cup was for drinking! Once she realized that, there was no problem and she thought the sippy cup was fun. Maybe your son doesn't understand the sippy cup? If he does, then I recommend just keep reintroducing it with various drinks.

Kristin - posted on 10/12/2010

Blah, blah on the don't put breast milk in a sippy. I did, but I never left it out for them. They could have it at meals.

If you are still breastfeeding, you can start pumping again. It will take a little time to get larger volumes, but since you are working the cup into the routine, that's okay.

As for formula, I never used it. But the people I know who have, put it in sippies when they wanted to transition from the bottle.

Just keep offering and be consistent.

Also, try lots of different kinds of cups and maybe let him pick one out himself. Good luck.

Kristi - posted on 10/10/2010

Our La Leche League group has always suggested putting breastmilk into a sippy cup when transitioning a child to a cup. You don't need a breastpump. Just hand express the milk into the cup. Make a C-shape around your breast with your thumb on top and your fingers below and give a little pressure. It's sometimes easier after you've had a warm shower.

Tanya - posted on 10/10/2010

My son takes water from the sippy and is just starting to take a combo of frozen breastmilk and milk from the sippy cup as my pregnant body no longer likes the cup. He drinks water out of the sippy no problem but didn't want the milk from it at first because it's harder than the bottles. He refused the sippy with water when i first introed it (around 7.5 months) but took to it after a couple of months for meals only. Now he takes swigs (of water) all day. I think it takes a while for them to get used to. Breast and bottle are much easier. If you take out the part that makes it spillproof your lo might take to it easier, unless the flow is too fast.

Laura Zoey - posted on 10/10/2010

Target is where I bought it, it's right by the other sippy cups, there's also straw cups that are NOT spill proof so make sure you read the label! It's a wonderful cup I have not used any other kind with him.

Brandi - posted on 10/10/2010

Thank you all, I've never seen a cup with a spill-proof straw, where can I find one?

Holly - posted on 10/10/2010

Formula in a sippy is fine,but you may want to make it body temp,not cold.I always found I did better with body temp or at least room temp!!!Good luck!!!!

Michal - posted on 10/09/2010

You can try a squirt - a dispensing spoon of Boon

Gina - posted on 10/09/2010

I just want to add that you should try a cup with a no spill straw, they are used to sucking and will be fine with it.

Brandi - posted on 10/09/2010

My daughter loves drinking water - out of a cup, straw or sippy cup. When I want to give her a treat I simmer some fruit (apples, blueberries, pears, etc) in a bit of water on the stove. I purree the fruit and strain the extra fluid and give it to her as juice! She absolutely loves it. It is usually a bit too sweet so I dilute it. She usually downs it pretty fast! but it is nice as a treat!

Gina - posted on 10/09/2010

Dont' let it worry you, he is only 9 months. Give him a sippy cup or a cup with a straw (they will suprise you with this) and let it be a toy and friend. He doesn't need anything more than you are giving him from t he breast and formula. As time goes on he will get better at it. Don't stress, it is no worries. Keep going with the water (formula is fine and so is breast milk in the cup). I got to the point where I said to my boys it is milk or water, and guess what they choose one or the other eventually. LIttle buggers will con you if they can. Juice is the worst thing you can give them apart from soft drinks, they don't need it and it is bad for their teeth. But give him some time (a few more months) and a bit of juice in the water (a very small bit) and it will be very nice and he will be fine.

Amber - posted on 10/09/2010

there is no reason why he cant have a cup, my son has been using a cup for water since he was 4months. just be careful with the no water thing when giving formula as they can get dehydrated easy from formula.

Darby - posted on 10/09/2010

I started all of my children on a sippy cup at about 5 months old. Filtered water only at that age. I gave my first child juice (75% water/25% juice to start) at 4 months old...I think she became somewhat 'addicted' to it, so with my 2nd child I waited until 9 months to start juice and she has done fine, with my third child I waited till he was a year and not really much difference from my 2nd. I think I'll wait till my 4th is a year for juice too. All my kids are water drinkers. Gotta love that! My favorite informational book is called The Portable Pediatrician by Dr. Laura Nathanson. If you ever get a chance to read it, it covers from birth to age 5. And she suggests putting breastmilk or formula into a sippy. Good luck. I hope you find something that works.

Lisa - posted on 10/09/2010

http://www.babycenter.com/0_sippy-cup-do... (copy and paste in your browser) Try that link and see if it will help. My daughter gave trouble to take liquid from anything other than my breast......We used spoon and cup (normal) feeding her one sip at a time. Good luck........

Gretchen - posted on 10/09/2010

I've never heard that you're not supposed to put breast milk or formula into a sippy cup. My 11mo daughter drinks water from a sippy and milk from the breast, and that's it. She just recently started drinking from a straw, though, and I think that's going to open up a LOT of options, especially while we're out (and I forget the sippy like usual haha).

Debbie - posted on 10/09/2010

Our child health adviser said that sippy cups were designed for children with special needs, not for babies. She said that it is better if they drink either from a 'normal' cup or a cup with a straw.
My daughter hated sippy cups, so I took her advice and gave it to her in a cup with handles and a lid with a straw.

Yelena - posted on 10/09/2010

I pumped and put it in a sippy cup when I had to go back to work and my son was refusing to take a bottle. This actually worked very well and got him to transition very well. I do not know why they would say you cannot do that, I know alot of children that have regular milk in their sippy cups (past a year old of course) so why should there be a problem with breast milk or formula? I actually found the advice to try a sippy cup on La Leche so look around!

HEIDI - posted on 10/09/2010

I use a sippy cup for my little girl but she doesn't understand that she has to suck on it to get the juice or water to come out. I think because it's just different than a bottle. What I did was take out the rubber insert that keeps the liquid from spilling out of the tip, off; so when I tilt the cup to her mouth is flows out into her mouth getting her use to the idea of the sippy cup. I use the sippy cup only during her supper time as well. So I keep it scheduled so she also grew to expect it. After about a month she started to suck on the tip. I put the rubber back in and she's good to go.... I started the cup at the recommended age of 3 months. Put it away and took it back out at 6 months. She's now going to be turning 8 months in a few days.
Hope this helps some of you mothers out......

Sarah - posted on 10/09/2010

My daughter will drink anything in any amount from an "adult" cup but only take a few sips from a sippy cup, then tires of it quickly. Then again, w/ sippy cups, they have to suck to get anything out of that spout (it's just another form of a bottle). She won't take a bottle and hates her pacifier, so I see why she doesn't take much from a sippy. Maybe that's the issue your LO is having. I too am avoiding juice b/c it's mostly sugar and diluting the juice decreases the amount of what nutrients are in the juice at full strength. I was told to offer water, extra bm, or juice only during the solid meal time (which is about an hour after a full nursing session), and also limit that amount to 1-2 oz/day. I think, at that age, nipple confusion or delivery preference, shouldn't be an issue, especially if you limit the quantity of bm or formula. If your son sees you drinking from an adult cup, he may want to do the same. Give it a try with some water. If it works, look for a cup where he doesn't have to suck on to get any liquid from. Another reason to get them to like water only is because if it spills, it's just water.

Tiffany - posted on 10/09/2010

I've just never used sippy cups. Why bother?

A child old enough to drink can drink through a straw, and learn to drink out of a cup.

That makes all the other issues moot...

Laura Zoey - posted on 10/09/2010

I've only ever offered Eric water in his cup, I don't want him drinking anything else so that's the only thing he has had!
Juice is bad for the teeth and isn't as healthy as real fruit anyways so I'm not going to give it to him. He breast-feeds enough to get all his calcium so I haven't given cows milk, and I hate pumping so I've never put my milk in a cup.
He has a cup that is a spill proof straw. It's great because He didn't know to tip a cup up to drink as he doesn't use bottles, sothis cup works well. He started using it as 6 months when we started trying baby foods and he has loved it ever since.
So I'd say, try a different cup but don't put anything in it except water. Water is important to get them to drink and if you breatsfeed I see no reason to risk it with formula. It can cause lots of problems with his digestion and it's so much less nutritious then your milk I see no reason to give it.
Just stick with water, and if it takes him a while so be it, it's not like he has to use a cup by a certain age anyways, he will want yo eventually so just don't worry too much!

Mary - posted on 10/09/2010

FWIW, since I'm a working mom, I had to use bottles of breastmilk at day care. We first practiced with water in the sippy cup because I didn't want to waste breastmilk, but as soon as she was competent with that we transitioned her from bottles to the sippy cup. At 16 months she still breastfeeds, but takes cups of breast milk or whole milk at day care.

Tawnya - posted on 10/09/2010

I have a 9 month old who is exclusively breastfed (won't take a bottle- even one with breast milk in it). The best sippy cups I have found so far are the new Tommy Tippy soft spouted ones. They don't leak, and they seem easy for my son to hold onto. I don't see why you can't try some formula.

Daniela - posted on 10/02/2010

We put breastmilk in a sippy cup every day for my 13 months old and have been for 6 months now, though she only started drinking the milk from it recently, before that it was a bit of a struggle, as she prefers her milk coming from me. She liked other liquids from her sippy cup much earlier though. Did you try herbal teas like fennel, rosehip or cammomile? It might make it a bit more interesting to him. I wouldn't give up on the water just yet, it's probably just the cup he doesn't like. Go easy on the juice though. Bad for the teeth and displaces calories from food.

Kayla - posted on 10/02/2010

I dont see a problem in putting formula in the cup.. i got super lucky and my baby will drink everything.. he will be really good.. hes only 5 months.
I did read somewhere that putting breast milk helps the child realize that he can get milk from other sources. and it also helps the child learn to use the cup more efficently.. I dont know tho.

Jennifer - posted on 10/02/2010

i don't see why you couldn't put formula in the cup. i think people say not to put breastmilk in the sippy cup because the little one could start refusing the breast and only want the sippy.

good luck...we've been trying to get my son to take to the sippy cup starting around 7 months...he's 10 months now and we are still looking for one he likes! my advice is to only buy single sippy cups, instead of multiple of the same kind, until you find the right fit.