How and when did you introduce the sippy cup?

SARAH - posted on 04/24/2010

My son started using his sippy cup at 10mths.

Katrina - posted on 04/23/2010

My son exclusively breastfed until he was 13 months old, so he didn't start on a sippy until he was about 15 months or so (I know this isn't typical, he had no interest in food!). Be sure you use the sippies with the soft spouts until they're closer to 18 months or 2 years old, as the hard ones can damage/interfere with the soft palate formation. I can't believe I've seen sippy cups with hard spouts in the store that say 9+months. Just b/c they're approved for use in younger babies doesn't mean it's good for them.

Jessica - posted on 04/23/2010

My daughter was 4 months. I started with a Nuby (which I now hate b/c if she's drinking it with bfast or dinner her food back washes and gets stuck in the no spill spout which is impossible to clean... but it's good for transitioning!) because the nipple is soft like a bottle. It's no spill, but she figured out if she bites on the nipple the juice will squirt out. For awhile she would drink out of it or bite it until I switched to a playtex, and she had to work harder for it! It made her mad using the playtex (with handles), but she wanted it bad enough that she figured it out! Now, at 10 months she's using the Munchkin with a straw, playtex coolster/sipster no spill thing without handles, the "take n toss" with and without straws, and occasionally the tommie tippee with handles, but it leaks- so I'm not a fan! She drinks slightly diluted 100% white grape juice and occasionally Apple. I USED to get the gerber, but it was getting too expensive b/c the jug is so small so I get welches now. It's the same ingredients and it's still 100%, but in a MUCH bigger jug for the same price!

Jamie - posted on 04/22/2010

I started with Nuby sippy cups with water only. I didn't want to do juice until my daughter was at least a year. I used the ones with the handles so she could practice holding it. She wasn't super interested at first but loved it when I added a couple of ice cubes to make the water super cold. I never gave her anything but her formula in the bottle so as to not confuse her. So when I started weening her off the bottle at 11 months or so, I would give her organic whole milk in the sippy that she had mastered earlier. Sometimes I think it's just to familiarize them with it early and they'll catch on when they're ready.

Crystal - posted on 04/22/2010

I use the same sippy cups & my daughter started using them at 6 months also. It took her alittle bit to get used to also. I just kept giving it to her, and I took a drink from it to show her how to use it. that worked for her once she saw me!

Colleen - posted on 04/22/2010

I just bought my daughter (2 days ago) the one with handles on each side so she can easily hold it. I have only put 1/2 juice 1/2 water in it so far. She holds it very well and knows that she can get stuff out of it but has to try harder then a bottle. She has gotten frustrated but I think with some more time she will have no problem. I only have been giving it to her at supper too, with her jar of food.

Shannon - posted on 04/21/2010

I started my son on a sippy between 6 and 7 months. I would give it to him with mostly water and just a splash of juice for flavor when he was eating his baby food. By the time he was 9 months old I had him completely weaned from his bottle and he was using sippy cups only. I have read articles that say to teach them backwards, meaning take the stopper out and let them drink from the sippy that way so they realize how it works and what is expected and once they get it put the stopper back in. It is messy doing it that way and at that point I would say use only water and put down some towels but if it helps her get the hang of it why not? Good luck and if she still doesn't seem ready put it away for a couple wks and try again!

Joy - posted on 04/21/2010

I started around 8 or 9 months. He was breastfed for the first year, and didn't have much of an interest in it though.

Lisa - posted on 04/21/2010

my daughter first tried her sippie cup at 6 months. All she did was chew on it because she didn't know what to do with the harder rubber spout. She didn't start drinking from it until about 7-8 months. And she only will take one mouth ful at a time and swallow, then take another sip, the swallow.

Amber - posted on 04/21/2010

i used the nuk sippies at first because someone gave me a whole bag of them. i put some watered down apple juice in it and just handed it off. sometimes it just takes a few weeks before they figure out how to suck. it could also be that she is a lazy sucker (which my daughter was) so i poked a couple of holes in one of them so she could find out wut was in there. once she got the hang of it i got rid of that sippy and started to give her a sippy i hadnt put holes in. she figured it out....i think my daughter was about 8 months. my son was aroun 6 or 7 months.