healthy Sippy Cup or bottle?

[Michelle Leigh]

Is there such a thing for toddlers?

I know that there's lots of evidence about soft plastics particularly--but even hard plastics--that points to plastic being unhealthy.

So, what do you use for your children?

Glass straws are unsafe for little explorers clanging. Plastic straws get you back to plastic. Is there a paper straw that fits into a paper cup with a lid--so not much spills? If it's recyclable, I'd like that.

Do they use more natural sippy cups in Germany?

I need help, as I've given away the only bottle we had and the only sippy cups we had. Now I have a little who's spilling and needs a new change of clothes when she drinks from a glass. She's only 15 months.

[ashleyhaugh]

im in germany, and i dont really see too manny sippy cups, it seems to me that the kids are on a bottle longer (2-4 yrs from what ive noticed) and go straight to a regular cup. the ones i see in the stores are plastic tho.

have hope, at the day care center i work at the kids come off sippys at 18 months, and it usually only takes them a couple of months at most to get the hang of an open cup, im sure she'll get it soon

[Amydoula]

SIGG cups are great for toddlers. I got mine from www.reusablebags.com and you can use glass bottles. Gerber makes some.

Amy

[JavaBean]

Amy,

Are the SIGG bottles a straw bottle or a sippy cup? I like the look of them but would like to see how water comes out of it.

Thanks!

[Amydoula]

They have sort of a "squirt bottle" type top, although you have to twist it instead of pulling it to open it. Aidan who will be 4 on Wednesday can do it just fine and he loves the cute designs on the kids cups. I have the girafe and the turtle ones fo him. It isn't completely "spill proof" but it in no way gushes out when you turn it upside down or anything. I hope you like them!

Amy

[Heddah]

Seconding the SIGGs, we have adult-sized water bottles and pass them around the car all the time during travel for the kids to take sips. They manage the twist top very well, and to get fluid out you have to suck (it will spill probably if turned upside down and shaken). I have not seen the version for kids but would be very interested if my kids were still very young.

[kleinemaus]

SIGG bottles are great

I got one for Mia (now 15 months) when she was probably 9 months old. She would be able to drink out of it if I held it for her, but couldn't get the hang of it on her own until I got the toddler handle that you can get as an accessory -- that was when she was about 11 months old. It took her about two tries to be able to do it herself. She will turn it upside down now and shake out all the water if you give her a chance, but it doesn't spill much if you don't let them do that The only pain is that it's not dishwasher safe. I usually just put water in hers, but I have an adult one and I often put juice in mine -- I just have to be sure to wash it out right afterwards -- if I forget it over night, it starts to smell moldy -- yuck. I'm starting to give her a little milk in addition to nursing, but I use a glass for that (HUGE mess) I wish I was brave enough to try milk in the SIGG bottle, but I'm afraid I'd never be able to get it clean!

Emily

[Michelle Leigh]

Thanks for the replies. I'll check into the SIGG!

[My2Sweets]

We got our SIGGS delivered today Exciting! My 20 month old is so not impressed though. LOL!

Just wondering, do you wash them with soap and water, or just water? I'll be putting organic whole milk in my 20 m.o.'s cup so I sure hope it cleans out well - I'll just have to clean it right after he's done I guess.

TIA!

[Glover_Girls]

I'll just add my two cents here since I saw the question and my immediate answer would have been what others have already recommended: the SIGG bottles. I have several of them at home and my 3 1/2 year old loves them. They come in several different sizes and you can get the handle for little hands to hold onto. Otherwise, they are cold when cold liquid is added to them. So for us in NH, it's a must-have! They used to have little insulated holders for them but they were discontinued (I tried to order some from reusablebags.com). Anyway...just a tip to let you know, they do come with tops that close over the spout, but they are a nuisance when drinking. My daughter doesn't like it on the bottle as it gets in the way. But it's good to have for stashing the bottle when not in use.

[Glover_Girls]

Molly, I wash them with soap and water. Be sure to wash them good as you don't want the milk to coat the inside. I was putting soy milk into my daughter's the other day and smelled something funky. So I dumped out the milk thinking it was yucky (even though a new box) and I tipped the bottle into the light and noticed a disgusting milk coating inside. So obviously I didn't clean it out too well! So I would just rinse and put soap & water in it after he's done and let it sit.

[Doodlebugsmom]

I bought a SIGG for each of my kids at Stride Rite. Yep. Stride Rite.

[momto l&a]

I have SIGGS for my oldest 2.

My almost 4 yo has a hard time turing the top.

My 16 month old can drink out of it just fine but cant turn the top.

My 6yo does just fine.

I bought ours from Cole Hardware online. They have a huge selection and good prices.

SIGG has a brush just for washing.

I would recomened when you buy a SIGG buying one of the covers that helps keep keeping heat or cold.

I also have a ice cube tray for sports bottles.

Dh takes ice tea in his each night for work.

[hubris]

Originally Posted by Glover_Girls

Molly, I wash them with soap and water. Be sure to wash them good as you don't want the milk to coat the inside. I was putting soy milk into my daughter's the other day and smelled something funky. So I dumped out the milk thinking it was yucky (even though a new box) and I tipped the bottle into the light and noticed a disgusting milk coating inside. So obviously I didn't clean it out too well! So I would just rinse and put soap & water in it after he's done and let it sit.

Can you use a bottle brush inside, or would that destroy the lining?

[huggerwocky]

Sigg sells bottle brushes,too, so I assume any bottle brush will do.

As for the drinking spout, it can be taken apart for cleaning. I just put it into the dishwasher.

[isulari]

My 14 month old uses SIGG bottles. I highly recommend the handles for toddlers. We use the SIGG brushes to clean the top and inside of the bottle. I bought both brushes at reuseablebags.com. They make cleaning so much easier. We also purchased the SIGG cleaning tablets. They remind me of denture cleaning tablets. You fill the bottle with water and add a tablet then let it soak for about thirty minutes.
I try to do this at least once a month...or when we leave a bottle in the car for a couple of days.
We only put water in our bottles, but I think the tablets would be really useful for those who fill them with milk.

[hubris]

What's in the tablets? Would vinegar & baking soda (separately or together) work as well?

[rabbithorns]

Bottles used to be glass with natural rubber teats. I'll be someone is still making them since "vintage" became so popular.

A cup item I like for self-suffiency is the aluminum "retro" cup in colors like the 60's. You can get them at Ace Hardware and Vermont Country store. A less expensive alternative is an enamelware mug available at any camping gear store or even a hardware store. A t least they can't break those. I've even seen two handled child-sized enamelware cups on ebay and specialty upscale kids' stores.

I'm assuming you are feeding them from the bottles and they are sitting down at the table to drink out of the cup. I don't know about "walking" drinks. My parents and I didn't allow kids drinking out of bottles and cups while walking around.

Edit: Evenflo makes glass bottles with latex nipples. They can be bought at Target and Amazon.

[Michelle Leigh]

Decided that we only wanted to drink out glass. On occasion we drink out of something I've made at pottery class. If we absolutely cannot take/use glass, we use stainless steel. Our pots and pans are surgical stainless steel, but I have yet to see this in sippee cups or travel mugs. We are such brilliant people. I can't believe we haven't come up with really amazing, helpful solutions.

[Ruthla]

You can buy glass baby bottles, and either silicone or latex nipples. Latex may be more "natural" but it does increase the chance of your baby developing a latex allergy- silicone is 'more processed' but biologically more inert. I'm also not aware of any kind of nipple ring that's not plastic- but I'm not sure if any of the liquids actually touch that part of the bottle.