Help them guide the cup to their mouth and drink a small amount of water. Say “AHH” for them to repeat (this promotes swallowing).

The top options include stainless steel, glass, silicone, and BPA-free plastic, as they hold up and don’t have concerns about releasing potentially harmful particles into the liquids within the cups (like some other plastics may do). 2. Decide if you want a straw, spout, or regular open cup. William, 6 months, learns to drink from the ezpz straw cup. I still need a sippy cup. What’s the best sippy cup for my baby? The goal in the 6- to 12-month age range is to practice the skills of cup drinking—not to replace the breast or bottle. Starting open cup practice early (ideally around 6 months of age) allows your baby plenty of low-pressure time to hone cup skills before transitioning off bottles or breastfeeds. If you’ve missed this window and your baby is now 12 months or older, all is not lost! Your 12+-month-old still has time to learn this skill! Which cup should I use for my baby? It can be helpful for kids to learn how to use open cups, but it does not need to be the only kind of cup you use. Nor do you have to stress about this happening immediately. This will happen eventually and I think there is far too much pressure on social media about this particular milestone. Best Tips for Sippy Cups Many feeding and speech therapists recommend open cups and straw cups, but open cups can be messier and harder to use on the go. Some straw cups are hard to clean. There are many options that take these challenges into consideration now, though. (Do not stress too much about this—there is no one right or perfect cup for kids!)

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When I first started thinking about using a straw our good friends at The Fun Housetold me that I should use a regular, good old juice box. She said that she taught her son to drink from a straw the first time by using this. I don’t know why I didn’t listen to her initially. She told me that I could easily spray a little bit of the juice in the mouth and once they got a taste they would want to figure out how to get more. We recommend you seek support from an occupational therapist or speech therapist who has a specialty in feeding, eating, and swallowing to help your baby learn this skill. Patience and practice The best time to start introducing your baby to a cup is during mealtime! You should offer your baby little sips of water with breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can start this process around 6 months of age. Here is the way we guide parents on HOW to do this transition at each age:

To help your baby drink from an open cup on their own after they’ve practiced with you holding the cup:In this step, you will begin to teach your child that if you squeeze, the liquid will come out. To do this, pair your language with your actions. For example, “Squeeze the bear’s tummy.”&“Look, here comes the milk!”. Your child has already learned that the straw can go in their mouth and they can swallow. With the Honey Bear Cup, the idea is that when they see the milk coming up the straw, they will put their mouth to it. Quentin, 8 months, reaches for his cup. Giving your baby the chance to reach for the cup before you bring it to their mouth will speed the learning process for independent cup drinking. Baby putting food in cup/splashing

Teaching cup drinking is an important skill to learn for when baby is eventually weaned from the breast or bottle. Finally a cup my daughter loves!I’ve tried a bunch of different bottles and started trying straw or open cups. Finally we found one she loves! The fact that I could squeeze it for her was so helpful so she could understand how it worked. Now she can drink from a straw independently. She also will just start playing with it and most every time it doesn’t leak. The only time it does is if she gives it a squeeze (since the liquid is supposed to come up anyways). So I wouldn’t say it’s completely leak-proof for those babies who like to play. But for the average tip over and shake—no leaks! So glad we finally found something that works for her. months: Start by introducing water to your baby in an open “side sipping cup” (see recommendations below) a few times throughout the day (e.g. mealtime). You will hold the cup and offer your baby tiny sips from the rim. This will train your baby’s tongue to start to elevate to the correct, mature swallowing posture. At first this may be difficult for your baby, but with practice it will become more natural!Transitioning from a bottle to a cup is always easier than we anticipate. You got this! Your baby’s got this! Let’s say it together…. “BYE-BYE BOTTLE!” (a bitter-sweet goodbye). These stainless cups are fitted with a silicone sleeve so they’re easy to hold (even when cold), and they’re bright and fun. They are easy to clean, come in 8-ounce and 10-ounce sizes, and are very durable. If they’re using a 360 cup, try to switch to an open or straw cup for the majority of their cup drinking.