Why it’s important for babies and toddlers to use an open cup!
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies breastfeed/bottle feed until 12 months. But did you know that you can introduce your baby, as young as 6 months old, to an open cup?
What do we mean by “open cup?”
An open cup is simply a cup with no lid, such as what adults use to drink. What?! You mean to tell me I should have my baby drink from a cup with no lid? Yes! It may be a little messy, but keep reading as to the significance of open cups.
Why should I introduce my child to an open cup around 6 months of age (or when they start solids)?
Open cup drinking teaches your baby how to take in and swallow small amounts of liquid, an important skill for feeding and speech development!
The swallow patterns children use to drink from bottles versus cups are very different.
Drinking from a cup requires a more mature swallow pattern (tongue moving front to back) that is not only important when eating solid foods, but also for making speech sounds.
Babies that use a bottle for an extended period (after 18 months) or children that drink from hard spout cups may develop issues with their swallow patterns that lead to a forward resting tongue position, resulting in improper development of oral structures and speech sounds.
How to teach open cup drinking:
Start with 1 - 2 tablespoons of breastmilk, formula, or water.
Place your hands over your baby’s hands on the cup.
Help them guide the cup to their mouth and tilt just enough so the liquid starts to touch their lips.
Gently tip the cup enough until your baby is able to drink some of the liquid.
Guide your baby’s hands to show them how to set the cup down!
*As your baby gets older, they will be able to control the motion of drinking from the cup by themselves!
What if my baby refuses to drink from the cup?
Try to make the experience fun and positive! If your baby is getting frustrated or not interested, then try again at the next mealtime!
Which open cups should I use?
You can use any open cup, however, if you want a break-proof, baby-safe cup, we love these:
As parents, we also understand that open cups are not always practical with little ones ALL the time (spills, outings, daycare, etc.)! If you cannot use an open cup, we then recommend using a straw cup. The swallow pattern used when drinking from a straw is similar to that of an open cup. Here are a few of our favorite straw cups that we use with our own little ones!
