Congrats! Your baby or toddler transitioning away from breastfeeding or bottles is a big milestone. As you prepare for their next stage, it is important to know that not all bottles and cups are created equal. Our doctors suggest looking for sippy cups that are going to be beneficial for your child’s oral development.
RECOMMENDED BABY BOTTLES
When it comes to choosing a bottle, every baby has different preferences. Transitioning to a bottle is easier for some babies than others as well. There are so many different options out there that we suggest trying different ones to see which one your baby prefers. Remember to always wash and sterilize the bottle nipples and bottles to avoid infections. When choosing the flow for nipples, base your decision from the suggested age on the product. When giving your baby a bottle for the first time, we suggest putting some breast milk in just the nipple portion of the bottle and giving it to your baby to make sure they are able to latch well to that specific nipple. If your baby has colic or gas issues, try bottles that help with those too!
RECOMMENDED SIPPY CUPS
There are also all kinds of different cups for kids. A good option for transitioning from breastfeeding to a bottle is a cup with handles and a removable nipple. This way your baby can hold the bottle and learn to drink by themselves. Nuk Simply Natural Learner Cup is a good option and there are many others that have a similar design.
Believe it or not, most sippy cups promote improper tongue placement and swallowing patterns. These cups could lead to orthodontic problems later in life, so we recommend using an open cup option when transitioning away from a bottle. This is most important once your baby begins to get more teeth. However, we understand that an open cup with a baby will end in a mess in most situations. Our recommendation is a leak free, easy to clean, open cup design like the Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup or the WOW Gear Baby Cups.
ALL BABIES & TODDLERS ARE DIFFERENT
Although these are our recommendations, we understand that all babies are different and have unique needs. In conclusion, the most important thing is that the bottle and cup is safe and clean for your child. If you are ever concerned or have questions feel free to let us know! You can always bring your bottles and cups with you to your pediatric dental appointment for us to check it out.