Sippy cup is a suction cup that is usually used as a means for children to learn to drink from their own glass. now, the use of this tiny cup must be appropriate and according to the rules, yes, Bun, to be effective and safe for use by the Little One.
Sippy cup is a glass or cup specially designed for toddlers and does not spill easily. This glass has a flat spout that has several holes and is usually equipped with a handle for grip. Glass sippy cup generally made of plastic with various sizes and attractive designs and colors.
Benefits of Training Children to Drink with Sippy Cup
As children grow and develop, they need to be trained to be able to eat and drink on their own. One way to hone children's eating and drinking skills is to introduce them to sippy cup.
The use of this glass aims to train children to drink independently with a glass without spilling its contents. This is useful to make it easier for the child to switch from the habit of feeding on the mother's breast or a bottle of milk to a new drinking habit using a regular glass.
In addition, training children to drink from sippy cup It can also stimulate children's motor skills, especially the ability to move their hands and mouth simultaneously. With this exercise, children will get used to drinking from their own glass, so that the habit of drinking with a milk bottle can be reduced slowly.
Tips for Training Children to Drink with Sippy Cup
A child can generally begin to be taught to use sippy cup when he reaches 6 months or when he can be given solid food or solid food.
However, not all children are ready or willing to use sippy cup. If he doesn't want to use the suction cup, you can try to train your little one to use sippy cup come back a few months later, for example when your little one is 9 or 12 months old.
When you want to get used to your little one drinking with sippy cupYou can try some of the following tips:
Use sippycup especially for beginners
In the early stages, you can give your little one a special suction cup for baby beginners. These suction cups usually have a soft, supple, and soft spout. The texture of this kind of funnel will make the baby more interested in sucking it because it resembles a mother's nipple.
On the other hand, sippy cup especially for babies who are just learning are usually small in size with a non-slip plastic handle. This is to make it easier for the child to hold the cup itself.
Show kids how to use it
Children are great imitators. Therefore, the best way to teach your little one is to set an example. You can show your little one how to hold, lift, and direct sippy cup to the mouth.
So that your little one doesn't choke, Mother can help him to tilt the glass slowly so that the little one can drink the contents of the glass sippy cup.
Train children regularly
So that your little one gets used to using sippy cupMother needs to get used to using the glass regularly. Try to create a pleasant atmosphere when giving your little one sippy cup, for example when watching his favorite movie.
Don't forget to give praise to your child or just applaud when he manages to drink from sippy cup.
If your little one looks uncomfortable or can't use it sippy cup well, you don't need to feel discouraged. Be patient. Mother can try it another time and do it repeatedly until your little one can and wants to use it sippy cup.
Tricks for Kids to Use Sippy Cup
There is no need for children to use this suction cup, so you don't need to stress if your little one refuses it constantly. Not a little how come children who don't need help sippy cup to be able to smoothly drink using a glass.
Before giving up with sippy cupMothers can use the following trick to get your little one to drink from a suction cup:
1. Dip the funnel sippy cup to breast milk
By dipping the tip of the funnel sippy cup To breast milk or formula that your little one usually drinks, he will be attracted to the aroma so he wants to suck from his cup.
2. Stimulation of the Little One's sucking reflex
Touch a bottleless baby pacifier to the roof of your little one's mouth to stimulate his sucking reflex. Once he starts sucking, immediately thrust the funnel sippy cup. In addition to the pacifier, you can also directly use the tip sippy cup.
3. Divide the milk into two portions
If your little one is used to drinking milk from a bottle or pacifier, put half the milk in the teat and the other half in the pacifier sippy cup. When it's empty, replace the nipple with sippy cup containing the remaining milk.
4. Use sippy cup other models
Try using sippy cup another model with a different shape of the tip of the glass. For example, if the muzzle sippy cup hard-textured, try replacing it with a soft-textured muzzle.
5. Try thrusting a straw first
Try giving it a straw first. A number of sippy cup Equipped with a straw that makes it easier for children to drink. After he is fluent in using a straw, you can start giving your little one sippy cup.
Another trick you can use to get your child to switch from a bottle to a bottle sippy cup is to replace the contents of the milk bottle with water and fill it sippy cup with milk. That way, children may be more interested in using sippy cup.
Important Things to Pay Attention to in Use Sippy Cup
Basically, sippy cup safe for use by babies and effective enough to help babies switch from a bottle or breast to a cup. However, there are some things to be aware of when using sippy cup, including:
1. Make sure sippy cup made of safe materials
Before buying it, you can check the triangle code at the bottom of the package sippy cup. When choosing sippy cup plastic, make sure the material uses BPA-free plastic.
Try not to use sippy cup made from recycled plastic with code 3 or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and plastic code 6 or polystyrene (PS).
Check condition sippy cup before giving it to your little one. Avoid giving your little one sippy cup damaged, visibly dirty, or mossy.
2. Clean sippy cup regularly properly
Sippy cup need to be cleaned immediately after use. When cleaning it, wash all the parts sippy cup until clean, including the end of the funnel because this part is prone to overgrown with fungus. Use a bottle brush to reach areas that are difficult to clean, then rinse with warm water.
3. Pay attention to the drinks that babies can enjoy with sippy cup
If the age of the Little One has not reached 6 months, Mother can give sippy cup containing only breast milk. If your little one is more than 6 months old or can already consume solid food and other drinks, you can fill it up sippy cup with other drinks such as water and fruit juices.
When giving drinks through a sippy cup to your little one, you should not give your little one sweet drinks, such as packaged fruit juice or cow's milk, before bedtime. This is because the consumption of sugary drinks at that time can risk making your little one's teeth more easily damaged.
4. Pay attention to the period of use sippy cup
As with the use of milk bottles, the use of sippy cup also should not be too often, especially in the long term. Limit giving juice or milk from sippy cup, for example at lunch or when snacking.
Too often give drink or milk from sippy cup can cause the child not to be hungry when it is time to eat because he drinks too much fluid from sippy cup. Sucking sippy cup containing milk all day is also not good because it can cause cavities.
If your little one is already drinking from sippy cup, it's time he switched to drinking with a regular glass.
Just like when I introduced him to sippy cupMother needs to get used to the Little One drinking from an ordinary glass slowly and gradually until he is used to it and does not need to use pacifiers, milk bottles, and sippy cup again.
The thing that you need to remember is that this learning process does not only require your little one's skills, but also your patience. Therefore, Mother, don't give up quickly, continue to accompany your little one and provide warmth in the form of a hug or lap, thereby increasing his comfort when learning to drink from sippy cup.
If your little one still doesn't want to use sippy cup at all, even though you have tried everything, you can consult your pediatrician via the ALODOKTER application.