CONTENTS :
- Bubble: the leak-proof training cup for a well-hydrated baby
- Which training cup should you choose for your baby?
- Hydration for toddlers
- 7 fun and useful uses for the drinking and playing cup
Water is essential to life. In both children and adults, it has many functions. It regulates body temperature, helps transport nutrients, vitamins and minerals, rids the body of waste products, and is a constituent of blood. Water accounts for 75% of your baby's birth weight. Hydrating your baby is therefore one of the most important things you can do for his or her health, especially in summer. But how do you go about it, and why opt for the learning cup?
Bubble: the leak-proof training cup for a well-hydrated baby
At Élhée, to make parenthood easier for you and your baby, we've developed a learning cup that can be used from the age of 6 months. Ergonomic and practical, it makes it easier to switch from bottle to glass.
Made of soft, unbreakable medical-grade silicone, it fits snugly in children's little hands for safe, all-terrain use, even if it falls over.
Equipped with a leak-proof suction spout, it won't leak, even upside down. The training cup can therefore be used without fear in the bed, in the stroller or even on the living-room sofa.
Your child can take his water bottle everywhere with him, put it down, roll it around, put it away, take it back, fill it up, drink it all and empty it, then start again. And since a well-hydrated baby is one who drinks small quantities all the time, what could be better than teaching him to play with the prettiest and safest of containers?
As an added bonus, and because Élhée is committed to the evolution and durability of its products, all the components - physiological teat, suction spout, ring, cap, bottle and cap - of the BibRond and Bubble are interchangeable! So you can mix and match colors to suit your outfit of the day and your mood.
Which training cup should you choose for your baby?
- The type of cup Whether it's a sippy cup, straw cup or 360 cup, choose the model that best suits your baby's age, habits and preferences. For young children, choose the sippy cup, which is easier to learn to use alongside the bottle.
- Materials: for your baby's personal crockery, choose safe, healthy materials such as medical silicone, rather than controversial plastic or fragile glass.
- The design: Ease of grasp, lightness and flexibility are all major advantages for a learning cup that can be used by babies. What's more, Bubble is unbreakable.
- Anti-leak system: An effective non-leak system prevents leakage and allows your baby to drink on his own, without getting wet. The non-leak suction spout is particularly effective in this respect.
- Manufacturing: French design standards for babycare products are very strict, so a training cup made in France is your guarantee of a quality product for your baby. At Élhée, for our cups, as for our feeding bottles, we encourage the use of short distribution channels, manufacturing our products in the Rhône-Alpes region and using environmentally-friendly raw materials.
Hydration for toddlers
Water is essential for your child's cellular and organic growth, as well as for digestive health and brain function. A sufficient and regular intake also helps babies to regulate their body temperature, especially in summer.
Whether your baby is breast-fed or bottle-fed, if there's a risk of dehydration, the rule remains the same: before 6 months, no more feedings (the water in the milk is enough); after 6 months, a regular supply of mineral water (in addition to breast-feeding or bottle-feeding).
Recognizing the signs of dehydration in babies and children
- Dry mouth and tongue, chapped lips,
- dark circles or hollow eyes,
- drowsiness, extreme fatigue, lethargy,
- hollow at the fontanelle (soft area at the top of the infant's head),
- persistent skin fold in the event of pinching,
- few diapers or diapers that are not very wet,
- vomiting,
- unusual weight loss.
In older children, some symptoms are clearer and more focused, such as great thirst, dry, cold and pale skin, headaches, dizziness and a feeling of disorientation.
When should baby be given water?
In hot weatherEven if the heat is bearable for you, there's a greater risk of dehydration in children. Stay cool and in the shade, avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, and offer your child water regularly, even if he or she doesn't ask for it.
In the event of fever or illness, especially diarrhea or vomiting (even in winter), babies can quickly become dehydrated. Offer more fluids than usual (mineral water after 6 months, extra feeds or bottles before that) to compensate for this loss.
Whether on vacation, travelling or away from homeBefore you leave, always make sure you have enough milk and water for your baby, so you can prepare his bottles and give him extra drinks if necessary.
As soon as symptoms appear, offer your baby rehydration solution (ORS ) (available over-the-counter in pharmacies) and consult your baby's doctor or pediatrician immediately. If none is available, go to the emergency room without delay.
How much water should your child drink at different ages?
For the first 6 months, bottles of milk - infant or breast - and breastfeeding are enough to keep your baby hydrated. In hot weather, simply offer more feedings or more bottles. In addition, the Société Française de Pédiatrie (French Pediatric Society) indicates that a child's water requirements vary according to age:
- Up to 3 months: 150/ml/kg per day (i.e., for a newborn weighing 3 kilos, 450 ml of water per day, covered by feeds or bottles),
- 3 to 6 months : 125 to 150 ml/kg per day, covered by feeds or bottles
- 6 to 9 months: 100 to 125 ml/kg per day,
- 9 months to 1 year: 100 to 110 ml/kg per day,
- 1 to 3 years: 100 ml/kg per day.
Les biberons Élhée accompagneront votre bébé de la naissance jusqu'à 24 mois et plus, pour lui permettre une parfaite autonomie, sans risque de casse.
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What water should be used to fill baby's training cup?
The best baby water is mineral water. Bottled, it carries the label "suitable for infant feeding", which can be found on the labels of Evian, Mont Roucous or Volvic, for example.
With regard to tap water, the ANSES (Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail) indicates that it can be drunk by babies and young children, provided a few simple precautions are followed:
- let a little water run through before filling the baby bottle, flask or cup,
- use only cold water,
- regularly clean and descale the faucet aerator,
- do not use filtered or softened water to avoid the proliferation of microorganisms,
- in older homes, find out about the materials used to manufacture pipes, which may be made of lead.
Up to the age of 6 months, milk is the exclusive food for babies. It covers all their needs perfectly. So wait until your baby has started to diversify his diet (possible from the age of 4 months) before offering him small quantities of water, without fruit juice or syrup. This will compensate for the gradual reduction in the volume of milk consumed.
7 fun and useful uses for the drinking and playing cup
The training cup was designed to keep baby hydrated by making him drink easily and regularly. Over time, however, it will be replaced by a tall glass or a sippy cup. Fortunately, the Élhée water bottle has more than one use. It can be used for :
- drink without spilling, from 6 months,
- moisturize baby all summer long, day and night, and during playtime,
- carry a few ice cubes without getting wet and stay cool,
- enjoy a sip of fresh water in the bath (instead of drinking from the tub),
- develop baby's autonomy,
- play, with other children or with dolls and cuddly toys to feed them and give them something to drink,
- growing up: drinking without getting wet thanks to the suction spout, carrying small cookies or applesauce without the suction spout, but with the lid, and even, later on, storing pencils or small accessories.
As well as being lightweight, portable and multifunctional, the learning cup is hygienic and easy to clean. As with BibRond, simply unscrew the colored ring, remove the suction spout with a simple press, and remove the white ring from the neck. Each element can then be washed separately, by hand and without the need for a brush.
2 unbeatable tips for hydrating a baby who doesn't like to drink
Compared with milk, water seems bland. So if baby doesn't want to drink, you may have to trick him.
Offer ripe, juicy fruits and vegetables.. Examples include tomatoes and cucumbers, watermelon, melon, strawberries and peaches, all of which are very rich in water. Depending on his age, prepare small pieces, offer crushed fruit or use a feeding teat (also known as a fruit teat).
The container is another ace up your sleeve. The practical and fun learning cup can be your solution. All your child has to do is find it beautiful, fun or pleasant to handle, and you've got a winner.
The warmer your baby is, the less he sweats, and therefore the less risk of dehydration. Staying cool, dressing him in light clothing and taking advantage of every shady spot will help you get through the summer better, especially if your little one isn't a big drinker.
