Introducing your baby to a sippy cup can wean him from his dependence on a bottle and improve his hand-mouth coordination. Since every baby is different, yours may take a sippy cup easily or need a little more work and practice to get used to the concept. Fortunately, you can learn some tricks to help him use his sippy cup.
Step 1
Determine that your baby is ready to be introduced to a sippy cup. According to Babycenter, 7 months of age is a good time to introduce the cup. Your baby may also be ready if she is feeding herself finger foods.
Step 2
Choose a sippy cup that will help the process. Look for one with fun pictures or colors that will appeal to your baby, and make sure it has handles to help your baby hold onto it. It should also have a spout. You can find a cup that has a soft spout, similar to that of a nipple, which can help make the transition easier before switching to a hard plastic spout.
Step 3
Let your baby know what is inside the sippy cup. He may be more likely to try to drink from it if he knows that it contains the milk, formula or juice he is used to having. Try letting him sip from it without the lid. You can also try dipping the spout on the cup's lid into some milk so your baby can get a taste of the milk when he puts the spout in his mouth. This can provide him with a hint of what is inside.
Step 4
Demonstrate to your baby how to tip the cup up to drink from it. You can tip it up for her or pretend to drink from it yourself. It may help her to see how the cup is supposed to be used.
Step 5
Remove the valve inside the sippy cup lid if it comes with one. Although this valve is designed to prevent spills, your baby may need to work harder in order to suck out liquid. The liquid inside the cup will come out fast without the valve, but it can help him learn. Replace the valve once he gets accustomed to using the cup.
Step 6
Be patient and persistent. It may take several attempts for your baby to easily drink from a sippy cup. According to Babycenter, it can be more difficult to wean your baby from a bottle if you wait too long to help him get accustomed to the cup. Aim for your baby to be completely transitioned by the time she is 13 to 14 months old.
Things You'll Need
- Sippy cup
