Sippy Cups

[mspacman]

My daughter is almost 6 months, breastfeeds, eats cereal twice a day and drinks pumped milk from Avent bottles at Grandma's. I want to start switching her from bottles to cups. There are so many brands of cups, and different styles within brands - help! I know Avent makes sippy caps for their bottles but a lot of online comments say that they're leaky and hard to clean. Also, are the "slow flow" cups really necessary? What cups do you all like? Thanks...

[sophiesmom]

I really like the Gerber cups, I bought my daughter the 6 oz ones that have 2 handles. My daughter is breastfed too, and she easily adapted to drinking small amounts of water or juice from these on her own. I like them because they don't leak or drip much. I have a Platex one (same style 2 handles) and think it is terrible. I also have a similar one from the First Years, and it is ok. Try the Gerber ones!

[rachelfran]

The First Years recently came out with "gladware for kids" type cups - they're only $4 for six of them... I just saw them on the playground and am on a hunt for them - I understand they are carried at places like kmart, walmart, target - etc. They are apparently very lightweight, which makes them easier to hold, too.

I have the avent cups - $4 each! and my son hates them!

[egoldber]

My baby LOVES the First Years "disposable" cups. I have seen them at BRU as well as where you mentioned. Also, I know that babysupermall.com has them. Even though these do not have a valve, I have held them over the sink and tried to pour liquid out and it is very difficult to get liquid out, so they are not messy at all. They are great for the diaper bag, travel, etc. I have been using my "disposable" 6 for about 2 months now. :)

Her other favorite sippy cup is from the dollar store. I paid $1 for 2 cups. I have seen these at many dollar stores. These also do not have a valve, and so I tend to only use these at home. I also have 2 Johnsons Healthflow cups which are OK and 2 Avent sippies. I like these the least since because of the "soft" sippy part she tends to use these as a teether more than a sippy.

HTH,

[suzska]

I tried all kinds of bottles, and I tried all kinds of sippy cups (including Avent, but never got around to the Playtex cups). Avent has WAY too many parts. And the Evenflo ones seemed to leak after a few uses, but I wanted to like them.

Anyway, the ones I like best are the Gerber ones. With and without the handles, but in the 6 (or is it 7?--not 10) oz. size. At first my son only treated it as a "chew toy." So I would try if every few weeks, but only with water or juice, not formula. I would let him "play" with the cup if he didn't want to drink out of it--he liked the sound of the water "slooshing" around. Then around his first birthday we went more or less "cold turkey." It actually took a few days, until I felt okay not giving him a bottle at all, but he's a pro now! He now even hands me the empty cup when he wants more.

Just be patient. I thought it would happen overnight, but it took more like six months until he got the hang of a cup. Of course you may be luckier....

[mspacman]

Thanks everyone - I'll try the Gerbers. And I have a coupon for them too, yay! :)