Tips To Transition To A Sippy Cup

Charlotte Menke

10 years ago

[tps_header]It seems the hardest parts of parenting may be the transitions. Every time you think you’ve got something down – it’s time to move on to something new. Just around the time when you’re getting used to giving your baby a bottle or you’re getting the hang of breastfeeding, it’s time to start introducing a sippy cup.

Tips to Transition to a Sippy Cup

When my youngest turned one, her daycare provider started asking us why she was still using bottles and not sippy cups. Why? Because she didn’t like sippy cups. She wanted to drink her milk from a bottle.

I tried not to stress but I knew we were “behind” in making her take a sippy cup. She is the second baby, so there is a lot going on at our house and honestly, a sippy cup really wasn’t at the top of my list. Keeping two little kids happy, clean and quiet was my top priority – so that meant continuing to give her a bottle.

The truth is that there is no time table for this stuff to happen. Go at your baby’s speed and watch her cues. I worried about my daughter not using a sippy cup for a few months, but in the end she started using one exclusively when she wanted. One day it was bottles, the next it was sippy cups.

Also interesting:

Introducing Solid Foods (Parenting Lounge #4)

It helped that I have a sippy cup I love. They are leak-proof (for real!), inexpensive to replace (in case you find one you forget full of milk and decide not to keep it) and can take a beating.

You can find these at Amazon.

Advice and Stories from Real Moms

Get the right cups for your baby’s age

Transitioning from bottle to sip cup can be something fun and exciting for your little one. I love introducing new things as the baby gets older. When introducing a sippy cup we like to start with just water and let our little one play around with it. It’s going to be a bit messy but it’s only water! Make sure to look on the package label to get the age appropriate sippys for your babies age. – Brittany from Pennies Into Pearls

Related – 5 Easy Tips To Switch From Breastfeeding To Bottles

This is the sippy cup my son is loving. Remember all kids are different!

Also interesting:

Get A Toddler To Sleep Through The Night

It comes with a nipple and a sippy spout so he can transition easier. You can buy it on Amazon here.

Use something easy to drink from

We used the tupperwear kids cups with the lids. It is not spill proof, but really easy for the kids to drink from. My kids all started with water at around 6 months, so when they were no longer nursing or using a bottle, they were already familiar with how to use a cup. – Amanda from The Educator’s Spin On It

Don’t give in to drinking strikes

After my first daughter, I learned that the best method of transitioning from a bottle to a sippy cup is to just do it! Your child will look at you with those big beautiful eyes and she or he will cry and scream and do their very best to drive you insane. They also may go on a drinking strike but I promise, they will give in! Biggest lesson with transitioning is to not let them see you sweat! – Aimee from House of Fauci’s

Earlier is better

After seeing both my girls through many early childhood transitions, as well as observing my friends’ experiences, the earlier you introduce a sippy cup, the easier your transition will be. The older a baby gets, the more attached they become to objects. Instead of merely a feeding method, a bottle can become a soother, just like a pacifier or blanket, making the transition far more difficult. – Meghan from Playground Park Bench

Also interesting:

Working At Home With Kids - Advice From Real Moms (Parenting Lounge #10)

Start with solids

Start young! We did so when my baby was starting solids and drinking water. – Menucha from Moms and Crafters

Thank you Moms!

This is just another example of choosing what is best for you and your family. The key is to realize that this is a transition. It’s not an overnight change. So take your time and go slow and don’t stress about a sippy cup.

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