I have nothing against sippy cups

[buddyleebaby]

*Disclaimer: I have nothing against sippy cups.*

I have never used a sippy. I just give dd a regular lightweight cup.
Most of the time she has good control, knows how to tip and sip. Sometimes she dumps the contents of the cup all over (usually when the level is low, she sort of leans back to get the last few drops and in turn dumps it on her face...quite cute).
We were in the exam room waiting for her Doctor the other day and I gave her a plastic cup filled with cold water (She had a fever). She was sitting very happily drinking her water.
The Doctor comes in and starts making a big deal about how I have her on a "Big girl" cup when she is only six months, etc. She wanted to know what I had against sippys.
I told her I just started her on regular cups because that's what I had in the house. She has no problem with them and I don't see the point of switching over now.
She's EBF and all I ever give her in the cup is water. If she does spill, it's not as if she'll be deprived of nutrients or whatever.
Her Doctor looked at me like I had two heads.
Am I missing something by skipping the sippy?

[sidmand]

I had the exact opposite experience! When we went for his 2-month visit, the doctor wasn't there, but the nurse was and she told us we could be starting him on a regular cup. I think I looked at her like she had two heads though. He was only 2 months old. He wasn't even interested in grabbing a rattle, let alone a cup.

I would think the doctor should be happy for you rather than making you kind of go backwards to a sippy.

FWIW, I had a big heavy glass the other day, but DS was looking longingly at my food/drink. I didn't have any food I could really share, but I could share the water and he actually took it from the cup quite well (much to my amazement)--I was helping hold it. Then he proceeded to get much of it down his front, but like you say, it's only water, what's the big deal. Matches the drool and spit up he has down his front anyway!

Debbie

Mom to Sawyer!
http://lilypie.com/baby1/060607/0/3/1/-5/.png[/img] ([img)

[bluestar2]

I have a love/hate relationship with sippy cups. DC started using straw cups at about 6 months but a few months after that they learned they could pour the milk/water out through the straw, pull out the straw and flick fluids everywhere so we moved to sippy cups. They are a pain to clean but at least we don't have milk and water all over their food plates and on the floor. I've tried taking the cups away but then worried they weren't getting enough fluids so the sippys came in handy. They are great for traveling also. Now that they are a bit older, we are working on drinking from cups again but I have to watch them like a hawk so they don't dump it out for fun.

[kijip]

Toby went to regualr glasses around 1 year fulltime so I totally understand what you are going through! Yes he spilled stuff and occasionally still does but he does really well most of the time. And he has moved to pouring and serving him self really well.

Sippys are not bad IMO, I just never really dealt with them-they were too similar to the bottles that Toby seemed eager to get rid of, he wanted to dring out of what we did. We used straw cups for a bit out of the house/in the car.

[mudder17]

Her doctor has two heads. ;)

Seriously, I think it's really a matter of preference. When Kaya started refusing the bottle at 8 weeks, our pediatrician said we could just use an open cup or if we preferred, trying a sippy cup (or both). She said if the open cup seemed too big, to just use a medicine cup (you know those things that come with Robitussin) or even a shot glass. :)

I would just let your DD continue to use the regular cups as long as you don't mind the mess--it's the best way for her to learn. We do use straw cups here (we did use the sippy for a short while, but she always preferred the straw cup or drinking out of my water bottle or cup) as well as the cup and water bottle (Klean Kanteen or Sigg). We use the straw cups in her crib because of the necessity of a valve if the cup tips over, but other than that, she will drink out of straw or cup. I figure not having her on the sippy (or bottle) just gives me one less thing to worry about weaning. :)


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah
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Kaya's a cousin! 10/1/05, 5lb13oz

[californiagirl]

Welcome to the land of "But you must have an agenda". I find sippy cups convenient in some situations, although DD can spill water out of anything. You may find them more useful when she's older and more able to splash water about. Or not. It's not like you'll be unable to buy them if you want them, even if a sudden urge comes on at 2 in the morning... And it's not like using a sippy cup is an important developmental skill. So I see no reason you shouldn't keep on as you've been going. It's working for you.

And goodness knows, the experience of having people look at you oddly is one you're likely to need to get used to no matter what you do. You will always have the "wrong" outfit or the "wrong" rule or the "wrong" something.

And if you don't, well, DD will happily supply it as she gets older. Mine just named another stuffed animal. This one is named "Chihuahua". Pity it's a Dalmation.

[KBecks]

I think it's just that most parents want to avoid the spills.

DS did well drinking out of regular cups, but I held them for him. He skipped sippys together (after I spent a ton trying to find one that worked for us), and now happily uses Take N Toss straw cups.

I don't think you're alone... but I guess it is unusual for a 6 mo. old to have great control over a regular cup. Bonus for you!

[laurena]

I'm mostly a lurker around here when I come around, but had to respond to this because it made me laugh. My MIL looked at me like I was insane when we were visiting over Christmas b/c I let my 21 mo. old DD drink from my open cup (which she's been doing for quite a while, but MIL hadn't seen her since she was 12 mos. old). I'd love to have seen what she would have done if DD had been 6 mos! Something to think about for #2... :)

Don't switch over; it's silly to. I had liked sippy's for the car b/c straws can still spill water, but I've switched over to water bottles (also klean kanteens) in the car now. And, my pediatrician told me that dentists hate sippy's. And, in my case DD is addicted to the nook for sleeping (I know, I know), so I'm trying to limit additional damage.

You aren't doing anything wrong, but as one of the other posters said, get used to this. Someone will always think some choice you've made is wrong or strange. Welcome to parenthood! :)

Lauren

[Melanie]

LOL, what an odd doctor.

As far as I can remember, the only thing you miss w/out a sippy is the convenienece, later on, of her having a sippy on her own.

Ds was EBF and first drank his water out of a cup with us helping him. I was quite frightened of "nipple" confusion of any sort so I didn't want him sucking on the little sippy nipples for quite a while.

[starrynight]

You are only missing cleaning 5 billion parts and having them take over your cupboards LOL. I wouldn't worry about it :).

[1ceng1]

I'm confused. I was told not to give water to my 6 month old, just formula. Of course I sterilize her bottles before filling them. If I was to give her a sippy, do I fill it with formula? What are people giving their babies to drink in a sippy at this age?

[pittsburghgirl]

Your doctor is nuts. Sippys are about convenience and mess avoidance.

Most babies aren't very good at regular cups at 6 months, so you are definitely lucky. It has taken until almost 2 years for my DS to be any good at a regular cup.

My DS likes the open cup, but I can only give it to him when he's sitting up in a high chair. Otherwise I have milk all over the place.

In the car, or running around the house (he has water with him all the time now) he gets sippys or more often, straw cups. When we're at restaurants he drinks out of a regular cup with lid and straw.

Marilee
mommy to James
http://lilypie.com/baby2/040120/1/1/1/-5/.png

[Tondi G]

My little guy started experimenting with a sippy cup with water in it when he started eating solids around 5.5 months! He is now almost 8 months. They don't need the additional fluids but a little water in a sippy won't hurt. You can always try formula in a sippy as well!

~Tondi
Mommy to Mason 7/8/01 and Aidan 5/4/05