Teaching your baby to use tiny cups can be overwhelming and time-consuming. If you have a plan at this time and stick to it consistently, many babies will soon master this skill. Learning to drink from a cup is a skill, and like all other skills, it takes time and practice to develop. Stay calm, supportive and patient while your baby is learning. 

 

Tips to help your baby drink water

Ask your child to choose a special drinking cup so that they can fill it with water every morning. Make a habit clearly so they learn to drink on their own.

When you go out, bring a water bottle that is easy to carry, and put it in the cup several times for your child to drink.

To make the water more interesting, add sliced fruit or cucumber.

Use stickers or reward system to finish drinking water. Don't use food rewards! Reward some fun activities, such as extra time in the park or family movies.

 

How to teach your baby to drink from an open cup

Place an open cup on the table while eating, and it contains 1-2 ounces of breast milk, formula or water, and show your baby how it does it. Sit down, smile at your baby to attract their attention, then take the cup to your mouth and take a sip. Pass the cup to the baby and ask them to reach out and grab it to help guide the cup into their mouth. Tilt the cup slightly upward so that the water touches your baby's lips. We want to promote lip closure around the edge of the cup, so we need to keep the cup there for a few seconds and then take it away. In the beginning, don't be too concerned about the overflow of the baby's drinking water, it is just water. Let them try and practice more with a smile, and they will surely master this skill in the end.

 

How to teach your baby to drink from a straw cup

There are many benefits for babies to use small cups for toddlers. Babies who are quick to accept can try drinking with a straw cup after 6 months of age. But if the baby is older and has not started to use the straw cup, how can we train the baby to use the straw cup?

When the baby wants to drink milk, put half of the formula milk powder in the bottle and the other half in the sippy cup. After the baby’s bottle is finished, switch to the sippy cup.

Parents can personally demonstrate to the baby, teach the baby how to lift the cup, how to use force through the mouth to drink water.

In addition to teaching your baby to use the straw cup by demonstrating drinking water, you can also induce your baby to learn to use the straw cup by blowing air into the cup. Put a small amount of water or juice in the cup, first use a straw to blow bubbles and sounds into the cup. The baby will blow when he is interested. If you blow, you will suck the water into your mouth, and you will learn by blowing and blowing.

 

Happy Melikey Cup drinking!