It is every mother's dream: a sippy cup that does not spill, can go in the dishwasher, does not fade or degrade, and is still appealing to their child. Finding a spill proof cup that works, and continues to work after being used and washed every day, is hard to do.
There are many kinds of sippy cups, and toddlers may, in fact, need to use each of these different kinds throughout their transition to a normal cup. If you are breastfeeding your child during his or her first year or beyond, it is a good idea to occasionally use a bottle with them so that they are still able to use one well when it comes time to wean. If you bottle feed your child, moving to a sippy cup is easier, but by no means fool proof.
The first step is to find a spill proof cup that has a nipple similar to that of a bottle - in other words - soft. There are several brands that make these cups in bpa-free materials: nuby, playtex, gerber. By one of a few different brands and test them over the course of a week. You may have a child who does not care what kind of texture the cup has. You may have an extremely picky child and need to experiment with even more brands.
After a few months, you can gradually move to a spill proof cup that has a hard top and spout. There are some brands that work better than others for this: the Safe Sippy Cup is perhaps the best, along with the KleanCanteen, and the First Years Take and Toss cups. The First Years Take and Toss cups are great because they are cheap, recyclable, bpa-free, and designed to be thrown away (but recycled!) after a few months. KleanCanteen and the Safe Sippy are much more expensive, so they work better for use at home where the risk of losing them is far less. Take and Toss cups are ideal for keeping in your car or diaper bag, or for taking with you when your child insists on bringing a drink in the car.
The cups mentioned here are the most spill proof ones out there, if such a perfect dream is really possible. However, what matters most is your child's comfort level with the cup, so do not be afraid to experiment and try a few different brands.
No comments:
Post a Comment