No longer are the days where toddlers are seen independently sipping from a baby bottle. Today, it's well documented that babies between 6 and 10 months old should be weaned from the baby bottle and encouraged to use a baby drinking cup. Experts now challenge prolonged bottle use by explaining how bottle use can and does lead to delayed dental development and tooth decay, as well as inadequate solid-food consumption and delayed self-feeding skills.
Baby drinking cups, commonly called "sippy cups," are designed to prevent the liquid from leaking or spilling all over the place. The spill-proof design allows pre-toddlers and toddlers to learn how to hold and manipulate the cup with ease, and parents are saved from the constant cleaning of messes that may result from a traditional cup. However, there are some brands on the market that do not utilize spill-proofing, but are more like the disposable cups, lids and straws you would get a beverage in at a fast food establishment.
What to Look for
Depending on the age of your child and hand coordination, there are drinking cups that are designed for each step on the path to drinking from a cup success. A younger baby, first introduced to a cup, may find it easier to grab on to a cup without handles, because he may find it similar to a bottle. As he becomes more comfortable with using a drinking cup, he may benefit from a cup that has handles on each side, which will allow him easy grasp and hold. The design of the cup may differ from having no handles to having handles, while the lid that comes with them contains a spout that includes a no-spill mechanism. A nice feature that can be found in newer baby drinking cups is insulation, which helps to keep the liquids colder longer.
An older toddler who is more confident with cup use may switch to drinking cups that have lids and a straw, but do not include a built in spill-proof feature. These types of cups with straws can be found as one-use disposable drinking cups, as well. There are also cup and straw types that do offer a spill-proof safety feature, again, offering an assurance of being mess-free.
Common Pitfalls
Many of the baby drinking cups on the market today are dishwasher safe. However, washing them in a dishwasher may shrink the lid or leave soap residue in the crevices of the drinking spout on the lid. Also, the spill-proof mechanism may be damaged in the dishwasher. Just because some of these drinking cups claim to be spill-proof does not always mean they are successfully spill-proof. They are prone to wearing out and need to be replaced.
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