Sippy cups

[safetymike]

I have a 1 year old exclusively breast-fed baby who hasn't shown much interest in a sippy cup. Granted, it might be because all I have put in it is water. He has never had a bottle or expressed bm because I have arranged my schedule so that I can always feed him straight from the tap, so to speak.

I would like some feedback from other moms. At meal times, I try offering a sippy cup so his mouth won't get dry, but he won't drink much unless I give him a sip of water out of a regular drinking glass. He nurses frequently in addition to snacks and meals, and I always make sure to nurse him after he has solids, too.

Should I try putting something else in the sippy cup? I would prefer not to mess with pumping at this stage.

Thanks for any input!

[Peeka2]

What kind of sippy cups are you trying? Right now he is ok as long as he is getting enough liquid from nursing.

Stick with water its good for him to get a taste for it.

Have a cup out all day. The more he see's it the more he will get used to it.

What kind of sippy cups are you trying?

Nuby's (soft-spout) are a easy favorite. Straw sippers too. (mine started with those 2) Also to start with try keeping the stopper out(platex, gerber ones.) A little messier but it may work.

Who knows he may not every take a sippy. At one you may just want him to use a regular cup. He may be ok with that too. My ds1 could indepentely drink out of a regular cup by 2.

Good luck!

[whitnessforhim]

Try the straw sippies. My DD hated all other sippies. She either wanted the straw sippy or to use an adult cup with a straw.

I agree don't worry about pumping. Water is fine for your baby to have in between nurses.

[BrandiJR]

I put about 2 ounces of juice in a sippy cup. And I have went through several types. The one I found she likes the best, and actually drinks from is the Nuby ones with the soft spout. She hates the Gerber ones, and the Nuk ones are WAY to hard to get anything out of! Even for me!

Good luck.

[Jacksmommy]

I would absolutely stick with water. I would have it available more often though - not just at meal times. I mught also try a couple different kind of cups to see which kind your baby likes. I never gave juice before my son turned 2. It's really best to stick with water. Juice is too much sugar, and I think babies often develop a preference for it which is not good for their teeth. You can also start to offer cow's milk at a year if that's something you're interested in, but it's not necessary.

[KerryS]

I agree with the previous poster - stick with water! Your 1yo child does NOT need juice, and it's not good for him. In fact, no child *needs* juice.

I've always found that it takes some time to teach a child how to drink from a sippy cup, especially the no-spill kinds with the valves. Just keep giving it to him and eventually he'll figure it out. In the meantime, it's okay to let him practice with and get better at drinking from an open cup. Especially with water, and maybe outside or in the bath where it's not a huge deal if he dumps it all over.

[KerryS]

I put about 2 ounces of juice in a sippy cup. And I have went through several types. The one I found she likes the best, and actually drinks from is the Nuby ones with the soft spout. She hates the Gerber ones, and the Nuk ones are WAY to hard to get anything out of! Even for me!

Good luck.

Please rethink giving juice to an 8mo baby. Juice is pretty nutritionally void and is really bad for their teeth. The only beverages they need for the first year is water and breastmilk.

[BrandiJR]

Well, on everything I have read, it says it is ok for a baby (6mos+) to have up to 4 ounces of juice a day. I have to go with my pedi, which recommends juice in small quantities. I brush her teeth twice a day so I am pretty sure that it will be ok. And I do not give her the juice that is full of extra sugars. I give her juice that I juice myself in the juicer. Apple juce most of the time. So I guess that is like her eating fruit...just in juice format...

And I was told that if my baby is nursing well, she doesnt need water either. And she nurses just fine...

[Korena_O]

The only way juice in nutritionally void is if you're giving them sugar filled juice. Even if you're not juicing your own if you read the label it will tell you if there is no added sugar and natural grape juice especially ( even though it's a little messy ) has a lot of nutrition. As for the natural sugar content that's why you dilute it. It's great if you can get your little one to like water but mine wont touch it.

[BrandiJR]

The only way juice in nutritionally void is if you're giving them sugar filled juice. Even if you're not juicing your own if you read the label it will tell you if there is no added sugar and natural grape juice especially ( even though it's a little messy ) has a lot of nutrition. As for the natural sugar content that's why you dilute it. It's great if you can get your little one to like water but mine wont touch it.


Thank you! I am glad that I am not the only one who thinks it is ok to give your child juice also. I do not give her tons of it anyways. And She wants nothing to do with water...

[Jacksmommy]

The problem I see with juice and young children is that they develop a preference for it and other sweet drinks. What happens as she gets older? Juice is largely sugar whether you add sugar to it or not. That's what it is. It's the sugar and water out of fruit without any of the fiber. Yes, it's got vitamin c, but babies and children usually get plenty of vitamin c and don't need any extra from juice.

I can understand not wanting to take away something your baby already likes. I'll just suggest that you continue to offer water as well. Try different cups. Try different temperatures. Let your baby see that you like drinking water. Eventually it might be something she's willing to drink. I'm sure my son started on water because it's all I drink, and he wanted what I had.