Help to get DD to take a sippy cup?

I've decided I need to start building a stash of ebm for when I head back to work in March, and thought I'd get DD used to taking it in a sippy cup. Will also be handy this Saturday if DH needs to feed her while I'm getting my hair done for 3 or so hours.

So I bought a pump today, and expressed just over 100ml (woohoo!). We put it straight into the cup with the no-spill valve in, and all she did was rub her teeth and gums on the mouth piece lol. She won't accept help from us, and if we manage to tip it up for her she spits it out. I took the valve out so it was free flowing, and she was seriously unimpressed when she found milk coming out!

We then tried the bottle that came with the pump. She grabbed it and straight away put the year in her mouth, but again only to chew it. It's only a newborn year so she won't get much anyway, but she won't suck on it.

It's frustrating because in the bath she grabs the cup we use to wash her hair, holds the handle and puts it to her mouth as if she's drinking. Once there was actually water in it and she puzzled it! So a solution would be to give her milk in a regular cup, except that between 'drinks' she throws it around like a drunken sailor and we'd have milk everywhere! And again, she won't accept help from is - she very much wants to do it herself.

Any ideas on how to help get her used to it would be great!

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Hi,

Guess what/ You are doing just what you set out to do! You are getting her used to it. But like all new things it's not necessarily an instant hit. You need to get used to it. stick with it. Let her play and and experiment with it. Let her copy you. Over time she'll get the hang of it.

Thanks Barb :) I guess it's just going to take her some time to get the hang of how it works. I was probably expecting a bit much from her after seeing her with the cup in the bath.

I wonder, should I keep giving her ebm to practice with? It seems like a bit of a waste if she won't drink it. Is it ok to give her water instead, or is that just going to unnecessarily fill her up when she does drink it?

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I just wanted to pop in and say that my son never took to a sippy cup (didnt even try a bottle) but he loves drinking out of a straw, so the straw cups were a big hit, but he prefers free flowing. So that's another idea if you feel like experimenting with different types! It's not easy but just takes time! Lucky for me I haven't needed to get my son to have milk other than by my breast but he will only drink water or juice from a straw cup, regular cup (with help) or lately he'll use a pop top with help too.

Good luck! :)


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Yes, they do LOVE straws (don't we all?)
It's fine to give water while they pracitce - ebm does seem like a waste

You know, I did see one of those straw cups there and wondered about it, but it said 12 months+ so I just went with the other. I might give her time to just practice with this one with water, and if it's really no good we'll give a straw cup a go.

Thanks ladies :)

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I used a nuby cup first off, it's shaped like a spout but soft like a bottle teat (my DS2 would never take a traditional bottle). Alot of the age range on cups is a guide line only. You sound like you have a smart little cookie and could be worth giving the straw cups a go :)
Leave them about the house with water in them so she can get them herself and then try EBM once she seems interested enough.
The Avent sippy cups are pretty good as well, if she flukes some milk out of it, she may want to keep going.

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You know, I did see one of those straw cups there and wondered about it, but it said 12 months+ so I just went with the other. I might give her time to just practice with this one with water, and if it's really no good we'll give a straw cup a go.

Thanks ladies :)

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My son was able to use a straw cup from about 7.5 months old - so don't always trust the labels :-P but it only worked without the restricter at first or he wouldn't have known anything came out of it. Hope it all works out for you hun!


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You sound like you have a smart little cookie and could be worth giving the straw cups a go :)

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Well I reckon she's the smartest bub around, but I'm a little biased hehe :) I'll see how she goes with water in it today and just let her play around, and might get a straw cup next time I'm in town to see what she does with it. As for fluking milk out of it and keeping going, she seemed kind of horrified that milk would come out of anything other than a breast! Lol, the look on her face when some came out was pretty funny :)