Toddler

By 6 months your little one should be offered water with meals. Until then your baby’s hydration comes from breast milk or formula.

Many parents P2B see say they are offering their little ones water but they struggle to drink from the cup.
Why is this?

Firstly, it takes time to learn to drink from a different source. Your baby has only ever had to suck to feed (breast or bottle). Drinking from a cup requires a completely different sucking action / mechanisms – not to mention trying to get the cup to their mouth in the first place. Remember, there will be loads of spilling initially as your little one learns the new skill of drinking from the cup.

Secondly, the main reason your little way may be struggling is actually the cup itself.

Many ‘no spill’ cups have valves in them – as their name states – so they don’t spill. BUT as good as the ‘no spill’ selling point sounds – these valves can make it extremely hard for your little one to actually drink from the cup.

Parent test: fill the cup with water and YOU try and drink from the cup.
If you struggle your baby will struggle.

If you can, remove the valve from the cup (see photo).

The problem is then easily fixed.

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