For all those non-parents out there, deciding when to move your toddler on to his or her first cup, might seem like some tedious mumbo jumbo that I am harping on about. But infact, many a mother has had sleepless nights deciding when to make this all important transition and how to do it successfully instead of scaring your toddler for life. 

Making the change at the wrong time, causes a dissolution of a familiar object in your child’s life resulting in them refusing the change leading you to retract your foiled attempt. On the other hand forcing your child might cause them to stop drinking their fluids all together unless they have their bottle. As you can see it might seem insignificant but it can get complicated!

A ‘sippy cup’ is the a training cup with a spout that acts as the intermediary stage from when the toddler stops using a bottle and makes the transition to a regular drinking cup. The ‘sippy cup’ helps to teach the toddler to drink without spilling and also signals the end of the ‘bottle era’. Some children vehemently refuse these cups and insist on still feeding from the bottle as they get older. To prevent bad habits and also avoid possible dental disfiguration, it is best to make the transition from bottle to cup as soon as viably possible.

The Do’s and Don’ts

Together with your child decide what the best age for them to make the transition is. Experts say it is best to start at age 10 to 12 months or even sooner, but I believe you know your child best and decide together. For example my two year old started using a sippy cup to drink water and juices at an early stage but still continued to drink her milk from her bottle. It was a comfort factor for her. Just recently we finally made the complete transition and bottles are now a thing of the past.

Choose a brand and cup that your baby is comfortable with. I really pushed for the sippy cup since my toddler was biting through the plastic teets of her bottles which were posing to be a choking hazard. Therefore if this happens in your household, choose a sippy cup with a hard plastic teet etc avoid straws cups.

If you are to start the transition at a really young stage like six months, dip the spout of the sippy cup in milk to show them the transition.

Don’t introduce the sippy cup when your child is replenished. Start at a time you know he or she wants a drink. The need will override the desire on the object that brings the fluids and will make the transition easier.

You could also buy a sippy cup in your child’s favorite colour or cartoon character, this will always perk up their interest in their sippy cup.

Also invest in one that is toddler proof, for all the throwing and banging a toddler engages in you might be replacing the cups constantly.Don’t fret if your child vehemently refuses the cup. They will eventually pick it up, you have to be persevering and take into account your child’s needs. Sooner the transition is done though the better on your child’s dental hygiene. Happy Sipping!

By Mayuri Jayasinghe