My doctor told me to put water in the sippy cup for my 6.5 mo old daughter but I think she might be more interested in formula is in there. Is it bad to put formula in the sippy cup? I just read about juice (eventually) and water.
Dear D.,
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you can put formula or water in the sippy cup. Pediatricians don't recommend juice as it is just empty calories with no nutritional value. The only reason they sometimes try water is that it may take a while for your little one to get used to it and so she may not use much at first and water is free rather than expensive formula but either will work.
We started giving our son a sippy cup with water at about 6 months old. He did amazingly well with it! It has been really great because he loves water now and he loves to drink out of his cup like a big boy.
I started our son on a sippy cup when he was that age and he became a sippy cup champ - he gave up bottles willingly on his own by the time he was one and we were thrilled! Also, I don't see a problem with formula in a sippy cup. She'll be expected to drink milk from a sippy cup and it's essentially the same thing, right? Just don't let her have it in the crib to fall asleep.
As for cups, we had a lot of success at that age with the disposable "Take and Toss" cups made by the First Years. You can get a pack of 6 or so for about $3 at Target. The ones made for 6 months and up are 4 oz. and have ridges on the side for easy gripping. We still only use this brand, but the straw cups now. Other sippy cups are so expensive and have so many annoying parts, these cups are great.
If you use Avent bottles, Avent makes a decent sippy cup with handles for little ones, but I've found that they can leak.
I'd give her the formula while you give her "lunch" (baby food) in her high chair. Don't expect her to drink right away, but if it becomes the routine that it's there each day, she'll hopefully get curious and figure it out. Good luck!
Hi D..
I agree with the doctor. Putting water in a sippy cup this early is a great idea. It teaches your daughter several things. It shows her that liquid comes from a source other than a bottle. Secondly, it teaches her to begin holding a cup rather than a bottle or in addition to holding a bottle. Thirdly, putting water in a sippy cup allows her to cleanse her mouth after each bottle feeding and she becomes accustomed to drinking water several times a day. Then you will never have a problem with getting her to drink water. Lastly, it makes the transition from the bottle to a cup a less difficult one. Once she becomes used to drinking water from the sippy cup, you can slowly start adding juice and milk(formula). And by the time she reaches a year old, she will be drinking from a cup. Trust me. I did this technique with my daughter who is now 14 years old. And I learned this from hands on training as a preschool teacher and infant room worker about 20 years ago. Children are my passion. Try this. And keep me posted on the progress.
It's perfectly fine to put formula in the sippy cup. Are you using bottles too? You can do diluted juice or water as well (when they are a little older?). I think to start though, just to get the baby used to a cup, I used water or formula. But don't count on the baby actually taking in calories from the formula exclusively from the cup--they mostly "play" with the cup at first. It might take many months for them to actually use the cup properly.
Actually, I did the same thing with my daughter and it worked brilliantly! I replaced one of her feedings each day with a sippy cup - I would still hold the cup for her like the bottle, but this way she could get used to the different type of sucking action she would need in order to use the cup. She transitioned very well to the sippy and was drinking out of it full-time by 1-year.
Good luck and hope this helps!
Go with the water. Children will learn that the sippy cup quenches the thirst, only water will do that. Formula will fill the tummy, they learn this is a hunger source. Juice will teach them sweet, they learn this is a "want" source. I know we think that doctors do not know what is like to be a Mommy, but they are often right. If your little one does not learn to like water, it will be a forever battle. Think of all the kids (and adults) who do not drink water. My children (9 boy and 8 girl) never had anything other than water in their sippy cups. Water is their go to beverage of choice. They easily drink 8 to 10 cups of water a day.
The formula might be a little messy. I would try water first. If she drinks it great!! Is she cordinated enough to hold the sippy cup? Seems alittle young. I have 5 children and am unsure or don't remember if they could actually get the sippy to their mouth. But I always gave a plastic baby spoon to play with . My children were eating with the spoon by 12 months all by themselves!! Good luck
