Have you decided to introduce a learning mug into your child's life? Before you do, make sure your child is ready!
If your baby seems to reject it, or is unable to drink properly with this new system, which is slightly different from a bottle, we advise you towait a while and repeat the operation a few days or weeks later.
Other tricks can also help you convince your child to drink water or milk from his brand new cup!
CONTENTS :
- Showing baby how to drink from his training cup
- Offer him a drink he likes and serve it in his training cup.
- Try a different learning cup from the one you already have
- Look for an antecedent cause in the child's denial
- Giving baby his training cup: safety first!
- What is the best age to introduce the learning cup into baby's life?
- Should I choose an age-specific learning cup?
- Can the training cup replace the bottle?
- The last word
1 # Show baby how to drink from his training cup
If your child has difficulty drinking from his training cup, it may be because he doesn't know how! Take the cup and explain in simple words how to tilt it.
Mime the gestures he'll have to reproduce to achieve this.
Take the object in your hands and act as if you were using it for yourself!
In turn, each parent can participate in familiarizing baby with this new routine. Integrating new equipment involves a systematic demystification phase that reassures the child.
Try not to worry if baby doesn't drink right away; give him time to adapt.
2 # Offer him a drink he likes and serve it in his training cup
With the WHO recommending that parents only serve water or milk to their children, the choice of drinks is limited. You can, however, add a little cereal to flavour your child's drink. Just make sure you don't use too much, so as not to clog the opening of the spout.
This lovingly prepared milk formula will motivate your child to try again!
Ideally, you should buy a microwavable cup that's easy to clean. While water is no problem, removing milk residues from the bottom of a cup is more delicate than from a bottle. The shape of your cup will play an extremely important role in this respect.
3 # Try a different mug than the one you already have
Unfortunately, the cup you are using may not be suitable for your baby.
Try out different training cup models to see if your baby prefers a different shape or material. Texture is the ultimate criterion. Babies use their sense of touch more than adults.
Did you know that some learning cups have been designed with baby'sexperience in mind? These cups, made from medical-grade silicone (zero harmful agents), offer a silky texture as soft as silk... And babies love them!
Find out more, read this article ! 🍼
Look for an antecedent cause in the child's denial
Is it possible that your baby has had a traumatic experience with his learning cup?
- Did he knock her off her feet?
- Did he inadvertently splash himself?
- Was he frightened in any way?
Try to remember the first times your baby used his cup. If things didn't go well, it's possible that he's dreading a new experience.
Sometimes, a seemingly insignificant situation can be very unpleasant for your baby. Far from exaggerating, your toddler is simply the prey ofheightened emotions that he struggles to channel, andunusual objects that are far from familiar.
Understanding where this stubbornness comes from will help you solve the problem. If you can't remember the event, try offering your baby his cup in a different environment. Your baby may associate his disappointment with the place where he experienced the event.
Giving baby his training cup: safety first!
Although the use of a learning cup is safe, it's important to take precautions to avoid leakage and damage, which, as we've seen, could be the cause of a psychological block in your child.
Make sure the cup fits snugly and the lid is securely closed before giving the cup to baby.
What's more, it's important not to let your baby drink alone from a training cup the first few times, as he's not yet used to it. As a precaution, choose a cup with a slow-flow spoutat first. Later, you can swap it for a faster-flowing format.
What is the best age to introduce the learning cup into baby's life?
In general, babies begin to develop the ability to drink from a cup around 6 to 12 months of age, when their hand-eye coordination and muscle control improve.
But the truth is, you can offer to drink from a training cup as soon as your child shows signs of interest in solid foods and is able to sit up unaided. 🪑
The ideal moment varies according to each baby's individual development.
Should I choose an age-specific learning cup?
In fact, it's best to choose a learning cup adapted to your baby's age and development.
Learning cups with soft, leak-proof spouts are often recommended for younger babies. Most cups and water bottles on the market offer this option.
Some cup models feature handles. If the aim is to make it easier for your child to hold, it's not out of the question that a soft, handle-less model may be just as easy (if not easier) for your child to handle!
It's up to you to decide what's best for your baby.
Can the training cup replace the bottle?
Note that the introduction of a training cup does not completely replace breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, which are the mainstay of your baby's diet until at least 1 year of age.
However, it can also play a part in the weaning stage, enabling baby to discover alternatives to bottle-feeding.
Once this milestone has been reached and your child is practically weaned, it's possible that baby will decide not to leave his cup, and that you'll even struggle to get him to drink from the glass 😉 It all depends on the degree of attachment to the object.
One thing is certain Theinclusion of a learning cup in a child's development greatly enhances the quality of learning. The cup enables them to become independent more quickly. It helps them acquire the right reflexes to hold a tall glass without dropping it!
The last word
Never force a child to drink if he doesn't want to. Try offering the cup later. Or adopt a completely different method for introducing the learning cup into his daily routine (games, dramatization, etc.).
If your baby continues to have difficulty drinking from a sippy cup around the age of one, you should consult your paediatrician for further advice.
Whatever happens, don't worry!
Every child is different. Yours may even love his bottle so much that he just can't bear to part with it... 😉
