In the Know for You to Know

You’ve been waiting for this day, your baby has started eating solid foods and is drinking from a cup.

Well maybe not from a regular cup right now, but you’re introducing them to drinking from a no spill training cup. These training cups are also affectionately know as sippy cups.

Children grow to love their sippy cup, but there are a few things you should know about them.

Benefits Of Drinking From A Cup

Pediatricians and Pediatric Dentists stress the benefits of teaching your child to drink from a cup.

1st is to transition from sucking to sipping.

2nd, is that ongoing feeding from a bottle can lead early childhood cavities, which occur when a child’s teeth are constantly bathed in milk, formula, juice or other drinks.

3rd, is that drinking from a cup also helps these little mouths strengthen their smiling muscles.

The Right Cup To Choose

Sippy cups come in a variety of styles. Some have a lid with a wide spout, some have a straw, and some have a one way valve inside the lid to prevent spills.

Cups with valves may sound great but the children have to suck on the spout to get any liquid to come up from the cup and this is just like drinking from a baby bottle.

There are some parents who make their own sippy cups, where they offer their child a regular open cup with or without a straw.

If you choose a sippy cup it’s better to choose one without a valve. The cup should have a snap-on or screw-on lid with a simple spout. Also look for a sippy cup with two handles to help those little hands hold the cup easier. There are some cups that have a weighted base which helps to pull them back upright when they tip over, which is great for helping to minimize spills.

Healthy Beverages For Your Child’s Sippy Cup

Plain water is the healthiest drink, plus the fluoride in your tap water helps prevent cavities. P.S. fluoride is safe for children.

Plain milk is also a good choice, but remember milk also has natural sugars so it’s best to offer in small portions with a meal. This way the food and saliva help to dilute and wash away the sugar.

Flavored milks, juices (even 100% juice) and carbonated drinks have added sugars which cause cavities.

No Carrying Around The Sippy Cup My Dear Toddler

Don’t let your child carry the sippy cup around. Toddlers are often unsteady on their feet. It’s a risk if they try to walk and drink at the same time. Falling while drinking from the sippy cup has the potential to injure their mouth.

No Sippy Cups To Bed Is Best But If You Have To…

When nap time and bed time come, don’t let your child go to bed with their sippy cup unless it’s filled with plain water. Sugary drinks sit in their mouths during sleep giving their teeth a sugar bath which can lead to cavities.

Congratulations, introducing a sippy cup is a huge step and worthy of a celebration!

What is your sippy cup story? Do you have a tip or a trick that made your child’s and your journey easier or more fun? Tell us, we’d really like to know. Send us an email at
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