Since my baby was born I have started to pay more attention to other babies and baby’s shops and I see these cups everywhere. Different design, different colors and sizes and different materials, but they are basically the same thing: a How Many 1/4 Cups Are In A Cup with spouts. It is a great invention, very useful for the babies and very convenient for the parents. But are they as good as they look? I am not sure about it.
My baby has started to eat solids and I am wondering if I should start giving him some liquid as well. Apparently he doesn’t need to drink water because he is still breastfeeding and he gets what he needs from breast milk, but it is easier to train them to drink from a cup sooner than later. Once they are one year old they can be a bit stubborn and training them to drink from a cup or a bottle could be very challenging. So the question is, should I give a spill-proof drinking cup to my baby?
Spill-proof drinking cups are great because they are practically unbreakable and almost spill-proof (despite the name), but it appears to be a connection between the use of I did not pay attention to these cups before having my baby, but, since my baby was born I have started to pay more attention to other babies and baby’s shops and now I see them everywhere. Different design, different colors and sizes and different materials, but they are basically the same thing: a cup with spouts. It is a great invention, very useful for the babies and very convenient for the parents. But are they as good as they look? I am not sure about it.
My baby has started to eat solids and I am wondering if I should start giving him some liquid as well. Apparently he doesn’t need to drink water because he is still breastfeeding and he gets what he needs from breast milk, but it is easier to train them to drink from a cup sooner than later. Once they are one year old they can be a bit stubborn and training them to drink from a cup or a bottle could be very challenging. So the question is, should I give a spill-proof drinking cup to my baby?
Spill-proof drinking cups are great because they are practically unbreakable and almost spill-proof (despite the name), but it appears to be a connection between the use of spill-proof drinking cups and cavities in toddlers. Because of the way the liquid is extracted from a this cup it stays more time in the mouth and subsequently on the teeth. That shouldn’t be a problem if the liquid is water, but it is something to consider if you are giving any other liquid like juice or milk to your baby.
Many speech therapists believe that using this kind of cups as the only way of drinking and for an extended period of time can affect the speech skills and oral development of babies. Apparently the sipping way of drinking, unlike drinking from a regular cup or a straw, doesn’t exercise the mouth muscles as it is needed.
Another potential problem appears when the baby carries the spill-proof drinking cup around all day: bacteria. It is very important to wash the cups frequently and thoroughly to prevent the contamination and growth of bacteria.
I have also heard that some breastfeeding mothers have had problems after introducing a spill-proof drinking cup with a valve. Cups with valves need a strong sucking action and this can cause the baby to latch on differently as he gets used to using the cup. As you can imagine, that could be painful so it is something to keep in mind when you shop around for a spill-proof drinking cup.
Using a spill-proof drinking cup can be very useful for the transition from breast to traditional cup, but it is important to keep in mind the potential risks to enjoy the benefits.
cups and cavities in toddlers. Because of the way the liquid is extracted from a spill-proof drinking cup it stays more time in the mouth and subsequently on the teeth. That shouldn’t be a problem if the liquid is water, but it is something to consider if you are giving any other liquid like juice or milk to your baby.