Sippy cups

[LAlvis]

So when do ya'll start giving your babies sippy cups to drink out of? My mom is freaking out that Megsie will dehydrate during this heat if she only breastfeeds. I know that's not true and I'm not too worried about it, but I was thinking it's probably about time to let her have a sippy cup now and then anyway, if only to play with. I guess part of me is worried that she might not want to nurse as much if she is getting fluids elsewhere. She's just 7 months, and she's never even had a bottle. She does eat some baby food/cereal (just a few spoonfuls at mealtime, usually) and she loves crackers and cheerios, but she's still getting most of her meals breastfeeding. Just wondering what you all do and what advice/experiences you have to offer. I know Noah was drinking out of a sippy cup some by 8 months because I have a picture of him with it. Oh, and what do you put in your babies' sippy cups initially? I'm thinking I started Noah with water, and later used a watered-down juice mixture...but it's been four years and I just don't remember very well.

[JY]

We start sippys at a year old - I don't like to start sooner, just so I can keep my milk supply up, plus it's more convenient. Yes, usually started with water then progressed to juice right away for the little one to get used to handling it and not have alot of spills. Have a Happy 4th of July!

[melinda]

When they are about 6mos and we start solids, I just put a little water (2 to 3oz) in their cup just to get used to drinking from something other then me lol but they normally don't "get it" until about 9mos but since I do strictly breast no bottles whatsoever I do the sippy cup at 6 mos so if needed someone else could feed them but honestly don't think sippy are necessary just for personal reasons lol IMO

[ChamomileFriend]

We use mostly breastmilk for the first year, I am trying to think if I ever gave water before 12 mos and I think sometimes I would give G a wet washcloth to suck on along with some frozen fruit if it was a hot day when she was a little younger; I figured since my breastmilk was body temperature that would not help too much in the cooling off department even when it helped with hydration. No official sippy cups before 12 mos that I can recall, though. I am not against trying water, but I would avoid juice for a little one just bec 2 of mine have had cavity issues even w/o our drinking alot of sugary things.

I just don't think it even occurred to me to try until they started nursing quite a bit less bec even when they were very interested in solids they were never too curious about any beverages we had (except coffee and that was bec of the smell but they were not getting a cup of that!). Probably bec 90% of the time all dh and I have is water.

[kim]

We typically start giving our kids a sippy cup between 6-8mths. Just with water, offered at mealtimes usually.

[LAlvis]

Thanks for sharing, ladies. This is helpful. I'm thinking Meg will have a lot of fun playing with a sippy cup, so I'm going to pick one up for her the next time we hit Wal-mart (we have tons floating around, of course, but only two with working lids/seals, and those are the kind that are too hard for a baby to hold).

[LAlvis]

Oooh, I like the looks of those first ones! We tried a silicone topped one with Noah, but he immediately cracked the silicone by constantly messing with it. We tried so many sippy cups with Noah and found very few that were actually Noah-proof. Those ones look like an improvement on that earlier version. Thanks, T! Now I'm almost looking forward to going to Walmart!

[buttercup_97140]

Not sure when we started sippies, but we don't like to buy any with valves that have to be removed. We have a few with valves, but watch them VERY closely because even with constant washing they get moldy easily, and it's hard to reach the moldy parts. I didn't like the nubby's very much ourselves, we like the harder top ones, the kids don't tend to bite through them as much...LOL.
These are the kinds we use mostly. http://www.amazon.com/The-First-Year...yars+sippy+cup

and have a few of these, and prefer the tip of these, but hate that they have a valve that comes out. We wash these very often to avoid mold, but watch for it with any type of valve. http://www.amazon.com/Playtex-First-...ords=sippy+cup

[Jenn2]

I start around one year of age. I noticed that Aron is grabbing his brother's sippy. I use the ones that don't leak and hard tops so they are not chewed up. My problem right now is trying to get Michael off bottle with ARon still on one.

[Gracy47]

at start only we start being sippy.. just maintain the level of your milk..because it is the best milk.for your baby