Sippy cups...good or bad???

[momofadella]

Hi mamas. I'm currently nursing my 13 mo dd an average of 12 times a day. She loves nursing, but also enjoys some solids as well. We've really just recently introduced water at meals through a cup (not a sippy). My reason for this is because I've heard on here several times to avoid other forms of sucking, like sippy cups, if you're hoping to nurse for a long time. She stays very hydrated, although, it seems that all the babes/kids at playgroup all carry around their sippy cups and then they ask us where Adella's is. I always get this look like I'm crazy for not giving her one. My questions are: am I right in not offering a sippy? What do you all say in response to this question? And are there any other tips you could add? Thanks mamas!

[pbjmama]

I avoided the sippy because of speech issues. We use straw cups because I want something that won't spill on the go. I don't think it is a huge deal that you don't use a sippy. I would simply say, she doesn't have a sippy right now!

[alegna]

It depends on the kid. Most toddlers do fine with a sippy cup now and then. If it starts to interfere with latch or desire to nurse, you can always take it away.

Personally, I prefer soft straw cups philosophically- but they screwed up dd's latch... so she used sippys instead for awhile.

-Angela

[Earth Momma]

I skipped the sippy cup - by 18 mos they can use a regular cup, when we first started I would assist and hold the cup, if we were out I would share mine (sports bottle type lid or straw)

trust your instincts!!! you're doing great!

[gen24]

my DS is 15 months and I introduced him to a sippy when he was 12 months. He never really liked it though. He just plays with it. He usually wants to drink out of our glass.

[YummyYarnAddict]

It varies from child to child and from situation to situation. My dd wouldn't take a bottle from anyone and I tried every bottle and nipple combo I could get my hands on, and I tried spoon feeding, cup feeding... everything... and I had to go back to work when she was six weeks old so she got a sippy cup at the age of 6 weeks. She nursed until she decided to wean at age 4y. My ds started taking a sippy at 4.5m and is still nursing strong at age 3y. My ds used the Klean Kanteen with the Avent sippy adapter around age 8mo and we then switched to the sports top adapter later. Both started using a cup at home around age 1y.

[moondiapers]

by the time they are a year old sippies aren't usually a problem....unless you let them have it endlessley. I only gave the sippy at solid meal times, at only at the table. He was never allowed to just rome with it like many kids are, so it didn't replace nursing at all.


Edited to add: "tippy" cups are best (any sippy that doesn't have a spill proof valve in it) because they don't actually need to suck on them, they just tip it and it pours into their mouth.

[mama k nj]

I say do whatever you are comfortable with. I don't think it matters too much either way. I offered a sippy to DS mostly because I didn't want him to spill. At about a year I introduced a regular cup at meal time. We used the sippy (now we use a Klean Kanteen with a sport top) for in the car and by his bedside once he weaned. He is 3yo and occasionally has a little juice with a meal, but it's just water in his KK all the time.

No idea why anyone would ask where her sippy is. People are wierd.

[painefaria]

We really never used a sippy... DS spent more time trying to get the water out (shaking it upside down) than actually drinking out of it. We have a Camelbak that he really likes and it is just like the straw sippys.

[momofadella]

Where would I find the "tippy cups". It seems like everything I'm finding has the suck valve. Could you suggest one? Although, I'm not sure I'll necessarily use it. After reading some of the other posts, I'm now confident that we're doing the right thing with just starting her out on real cups at meal times. I don't feel like there really is any need for us to use any other cup. Thank you all for the comments!

[craft_media_hero]

We never used a bottle, and DD nursed til 3yo, but we loved our sippy! She would have an open top cup at meal times or snacks, but sippies are great for in the car or to take water around the house with no worries of spilling.

I worked in daycare at the time and did not like seeing kids addicted to their sippy---have to carry it around ALL the time, but I think that offered in moderation and not as a substitute for the breast, it is not a problem.

If I did it again, I would do Kleen Kanteen with the sippy/sport top. I also second the Camelpak---the little kid ones are so darn cute! and what kid wouldn't enjoy the camelpak?

Good luck!

[moondiapers]

Originally Posted by momofadella

Where would I find the "tippy cups". It seems like everything I'm finding has the suck valve. Could you suggest one? Although, I'm not sure I'll necessarily use it. After reading some of the other posts, I'm now confident that we're doing the right thing with just starting her out on real cups at meal times. I don't feel like there really is any need for us to use any other cup. Thank you all for the comments!

Tupperware has tippy cups or you can use a disposable sippy and just use a knife to make the slit a bit bigger.

[LadyCatherine185]

a lot of time you can remove the suck-valve from the sippy cups as well.

[moondiapers]

Originally Posted by LadyCatherine185

a lot of time you can remove the suck-valve from the sippy cups as well.

you can, but the holes are so small that they still have to actively suck to get anything out.

[Latte Mama]

Originally Posted by moondiapers

you can, but the holes are so small that they still have to actively suck to get anything out.

Nuby makes a soft spout sippy with no valve that works well. I've turned it upside down and it actually does drip a bit so I know my DS doesn't have to suck so hard. I tried the hard spout one first and he hated it so we're sticking to these.

Like a PP said, he only gets them at mealtimes anyway. I haven't noticed that it has intefered with his latch in anyway, he's 12 months and nurses approx. 5 x a day.

[Ryatt]

We use the Sigg safe sippy cup, and you can take the valve out and the opening is big enough that they don't have to suck. Shot glasses are the perfect size for just starting to use real cups. Obviously you have to watch closely since they're breakable.

[mamadelbosque]

We use foogo sippys and straw cups, the sippys can be used w/o the valve

[SageR]

Sippy cups can certainly be useful in certain circumstances but they aren't necessary. We skipped bottles and covered cups completely. My boys drink from very small glasses I get at the thrift store. My youngest is only 15 months and he can handle about 2 inches of liquid at a time without spilling.
When we are out and about I just give them drinks from my own water bottle.

[moondiapers]

Originally Posted by SageR

Sippy cups can certainly be useful in certain circumstances but they aren't necessary. We skipped bottles and covered cups completely. My boys drink from very small glasses I get at the thrift store. My youngest is only 15 months and he can handle about 2 inches of liquid at a time without spilling.
When we are out and about I just give them drinks from my own water bottle.

backwash <shudder> lolol

[treemom2]

I honestly hate sippy cups. They absorb odors, tastes. . .the spout never seems to get clean--ewww. That being said, our family has used them on airplanes with our children when they were toddlers--which is the only time they ever used them. Both our children were able to drink out of a cup by themselves at young ages. We started with water and it isn't a big deal if they spill when they are teaching themselves to drink. . .IT'S JUST WATER!!!

Okay, funny story. DH and I were teaching 18mo-3 year old children Sunday school. DD was 18 months and had been drinking out of a cup since forever. Well, we wanted to do snack time and brought in regular paper cups for the kids. Out of a class of 10 children our DD was the only one who could drink out of a regular cup. We were sooooo surprised, we just assumed all children could do this by 18 months.

I say skip the lidded cups and the sippy cups. . .teach your child to drink out of a real cup