Sippy cup help?

Question

We babysit a one year old and we cant get her to drink a sippy cup on her own. The only way she will drink from it is if you hold it up for her which my mom has done since she was 7 months. If we refused to give give her a bottle for a few days would she finally drink from it or will it be bad for her to not get a drink that long? Any other suggestions?

Answer 1

She may become dehydrated if you with hold liquids from her for that long a period at a time. Some children are simply not developmentally ready to give up their bottles as early as we would like them to be, or as early as other children. For those kiddoes, we just have to give them a little more time.

The reasons for this could be that her hands are not strong enough yet to hold the cup; the cup may be one that has difficult handles for her to grasp; her arms may not be developed enough to hold the cup up high enough to her mouth; or her social development may simply be too low yet to give up her bottle. There is nothing wrong with that, either.

Nothing in the textbooks say that a baby must give up the bottle at 12 months, because every child is totally different. I'd give her another month or two, and try it again. Try different types of sippy cups, and by then she will be eating more solids and may just be willing to lay it down on her own. Just don't force the issue, cause it will make her feel very insecure and uneasy.

Good luck! One year olds are a whole new adventure!

Answer 2

She is only one! Maybe she likes the bonding time while she is drinking, maybe it gives her comfort. All children are different and the ages they give you are just guidelines. She will learn to drink on her own eventually. She is not ready for independence yet. Just go with the flow (no pun intended) and let her drink as she pleases.

Definitely don't withhold drinks from her, that will not work. Again, she is only ONE! Her mind isn't developed enough to know that she is supposed to drink a certain way in order to get it.

Answer 3

A baby should NEVER go a few days without a drink! Just keep showing her how to hold it. A baby usually starts to hold their own bottle around 5-6 months old. Maybe she's just a late bloomer. It takes patience and repetitiveness.

Answer 4

The only thing I can think of is to try the cups with the straws rather than the normal sippy cup, if you haven't already. My son much prefered sipping from a straw as opposed to the other kind.

Answer 5

Yes, she would eventually give in and drink from her sippy on her own if you offer her milk that way and that way only, no bottles. IT won't hurt her to go without her milk for a couple days while she makes up her mind. I know people who have done this.

Answer 6

Walmart carries a brand of sippy cup called NUBY, they are super cheap and have a very soft nipple like mouth piece. We used it to get my girl off the bottle. The only way she gets stuff out of it is to suck, so it is really similar but gets her use to the cup.

Answer 7

Someone suggested to me to try those Rubbermaid containers with the straw that flips up. The straw goes all the way down into the liquid so they don't have to tip it up to get the milk. My baby is 11 months old and she got it the first time I tried. It solved all my problems.

Here's a picture of one:
http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid/product/product.jhtml?prodId=HPProd100042

Answer 8

sometimes you have to go through several brands before you find the one that they can use easily. You didn't state if the one year old just turned one or is almost 2. That makes a difference.