Starting baby on a sippy cup

[lavenderplum]

I have a 4 month old and am going back and forth about when I should start him on a sippy cup.
So I'm wondering mamma's, when did you start your LO on a sippy cup?

[gracesmommy]

i think i started my dds around 6 months to try and use it/play with it.

[Jnazurk]

I think I started her around six months, but she wasn't drinking very much so I put it off until 8 months. She still wasn't getting much so I waited until 10 months. At that time she was getting lots out of it so I switched completely, got rid of all the bottles and formula (she was drinking and eating lots andwas emptying her sippy cups). I think the main concern is to just make sure he is getting something out of it or else be prepared to get the drink in him another time during the day. Four months would have been too early for my girl but every kid is different and never hurts to expose them. My DD drinks all by herself now and the other day a mother was commenting that she couldn't believe how well she controls her drinking And cup because her son has six months on my DD and he still needs help. Every kid is different .

It also Seems to me to at that 4 month age they aren't supposed to have water yet-going from memory here, I could be wrong-and some people don't like putting babies on milk at that age because the babies may start to use that as a replacement for the formula or breast milk if they like the taste of the 3% better. And the experts say they need the formula or breast milk for the nutrients.

Hope that helps! I remember that stage, you get ansy for them to start reaching some milestones.

[lavenderplum]

I think I started her around six months, but she wasn't drinking very much so I put it off until 8 months. She still wasn't getting much so I waited until 10 months. At that time she was getting lots out of it so I switched completely, got rid of all the bottles and formula (she was drinking and eating lots andwas emptying her sippy cups). I think the main concern is to just make sure he is getting something out of it or else be prepared to get the drink in him another time during the day. Four months would have been too early for my girl but every kid is different and never hurts to expose them. My DD drinks all by herself now and the other day a mother was commenting that she couldn't believe how well she controls her drinking And cup because her son has six months on my DD and he still needs help. Every kid is different .

It also Seems to me to at that 4 month age they aren't supposed to have water yet-going from memory here, I could be wrong-and some people don't like putting babies on milk at that age because the babies may start to use that as a replacement for the formula or breast milk if they like the taste of the 3% better. And the experts say they need the formula or breast milk for the nutrients.

Hope that helps! I remember that stage, you get ansy for them to start reaching some milestones.

Thanks so much, I was thinking of starting him at around six months...but wasn't sure if that was too early.

[shmeelady]

Honestly... I started DS on a sippy cup at about 4 1/2 months old. The main reason for this was because when I gave him his breakfast or dinner I didn't want him having milk as well. My DR gave me the go ahead on giving him water with his meals. Honestly 5oz of water a day isn't going to kill the kid, lol. Anyways I started him with a regular sippy cup and it was too hard for him to tip it up and drink for himself and he really did not like me holding it for him. So I decided to try a playtex straw sippy cup. It was easy enough for him because he didn't have to have great arm strength to get any water from it

He's a year now and pro star. I don't even bother with the sippy cups when we go out. I just give him a regular cup with a straw and he usually leaves the cup on the table and drinks with the straw. Also if we ever go out to a fast food place we make sure to get a kids cup of water so that he feels included (since we don't give him fast food)

[juniperjune]

At around 6 months. It helps develop dexterity. It's water, so it is not harmful.

[Craiger]

I started both my girls at around 6 months of age, everyone is different but I put breastmilk in the cup and just gave them a little bit as I still wanted to continue nursing. I thought it was good for them to get used to holding the cup.
I also took out the valve at first so that they would be more successful.(ever tried to drink from a sippy cup, wow you have to suck hard!)

[BCSparkyGirl]

Water before 6 months can hurt. It will screw up the electrolytes, and can be damaging to the liver.

[ashokia]

We didn't start until 9 months with a sippy cup and we got a learner one, with the handles to make it easy to grasp and the interchangeable nipple/sippy lid. I'd always put a bit of water in the sippy cup and a bit of water in a bottle. That way if he got frustrated with the sippy cup I knew he'd still be getting something to drink. You really shouldn't be giving them a lot of water though, as it might spoil their appetite and decrease their thirst and they really should still be drinking just breast milk/formula until 12 months. A little water now and then won't hurt, but you definitely don't want to overdue it.

I've noticed with our son if we leave the bottle with him he will sit and drink the whole thing in one sitting, so we keep it up and away from him and let him come to us if he wants a drink, then we'll let him hold the cup himself so that he feels in charge of it.

[krysta lynne]

i did it around 5 months because thats when he started eating food. it depends on the baby i suppose. my son is a tank and formula was not cutting it. whatsoever. and i wanted him to get water because it helped fill him up between formula feedings. i was nervous to go overboard with food.