7 Month Old Won't Take Sippy Cup or Bottle

My little girl was the exact same way. I bought the Nuby sippy because it was easier to get the liquid out of. She bit down on everything so once she bit on the spout of the Nuby sippy she would get liquid in her mouth. With the Avent ones they actually have to suck to get the liquid. This may be the problem. It also took her some time to get used to water. I just kept trying and giving her the sippy to mess around with herself and eventually she liked it and now drinks it like a pro from any kind of cup. Just keep at it. He'll get it!

He should be breastfed before getting solids anyway. Solid food is only "practice" for the first year--nutrition still comes from breast milk. He should not be filling up on solids because his nutrition will suffer.

Have you tried just a regular cup? My daughter wouldn't ever use a sippy cup either, but would drink from a regular cup. I had to hold it for her until she could hold it herself. Didn't have to worry about her wandering around with a sippy cup or bottle and losing it.

Hi S.,

Our little guy is breastfed, too (and has forgotten how to use a bottle), and we got him the Avent sippy cups to use also. At first he wasn't having much success, so I decided to see what it was like to drink from the sippy cup. What do you know, it works like a bottle! They have to suck to get the liquid to come out. After many tries (I held the cup up to his mouth to start with), he got it and now doesn't have a problem. However, he's a bit over a year and this may make a difference?

Maybe try a sippy cup without a valve in it if he doesn't seem to got it? Then again, if he's not eating LOTS of solid food, the milk may still provide enough liquid. Good question for the doctor.

Good on you for breastfeeding up to a year! There are lots of statistics to support breastfeeding even longer, so don't hurry it. :) The longer you nurse, the more they (and you) benefit.

babies under 1 year get all of their liquid intake needs from breastmilk or formula. You don't need to force water down him. However, a little water might not be a terrible idea on ahot day outside. I wouldn't worry about him not taking it... give him a few month... he'll warm up to it. Also, you would try taking the valve out so that when you tip the cup up a little pours into his mouth, instead of him having to suck on it. That might help him understand. Good luck!

Both my girls, who are now 2 1/2 and 1, did not take to the sippy until they were 9 and 10 months old. Both were eating some solids, I just kept breast feeding until they were ready to go to the sippy. Even then neither of them would take water, so I just gave them whole milk or watered down juice. I wouldn't worry too much about you little one not taking to the sippy. They get plenty of the fluid they need from your milk. My oldest was very attached to the breast but weaned just fine when the time came.

Hope this helps

I wouldn't push it. I had a sippy available but didn't worry about it. Both of mine ended up pretty much skipping the sippies and went to cups fairly early (like 9 months). They also liked straws but your is too little yet for that. Try it in a couple of months. I would not worry about him drinking water until 9 to 12 months. Breast milk is plenty if that is going well. There is so much else he is worried about now..like just trying to eat...he may not be ready yet.

Don't worry. He's only 7 months and fine without water. Our son did well with the Nuby trainer cups. If your son has teeth, they won't last long. He also liked the Avent cups and later the straw cups by Nuby. Our first son took anything, so it really is just a matter of personal preference. If you don't want to spend a ton of money on rejected cups, wait a while and see what happens.

I would just keep trying. I gave my kids water with just a little bit of juice. I'd keep trying the sippy cup. Good luck!!!

Since you're breastfeeding you do not need to give your child water. He gets all of the water he needs from your breastmilk. I didn't give Amelia any water until she was over a year old. Also try the nubi sippy cup. Those are the only sippy cups my daughter will use. Oh and don't be concerened that he is so attached to the breast still. He is only 7 months old. Good luck.

I just read an article that babies under 9 mos (and after 9 mos only very minimal amounts) DO NOT NEED water as a supplement on top of breast milk or formula, that it can cause problems with their kidneys!!!! So I would do research or ask another Dr. I have read that in Parents Magazine I believe just this month. I never gave either of my children water until after the year mark and only if they were outside playing a lot.
Continue to offer the sippy with breast milk in it.
He doesn't need juice of any sorts either, that only fills him up with empty calories.
Try strawed cups too, those were a favorite for my kids big time. Just keep exposing him to it, even try mixing formula and breast milk. Just keep offering it, eventually he will take it and it might be more welcome from your husband or someone else since he can smell your breast milk on you, hee hee.
However, I would talk to your Dr again as I have never heard a Dr recommend water for a baby that young! If he is breast feeding regularly then he should be getting all he needs. What do you mix the cereal with? That should be a liquid too, like formula or breast milk.

There is no need to be too concerned just yet. He's still quite little. Keep the sippy cup available,though I'd resist trying to put him on a bottle as you'll end up having to wean him off that too. Offer the cup often, he'll pick up on your cues. Since you plan to nurse til he's at least a year, enjoy every moment!! He should be getting enough fluids to thrive from you, even if he isn't drinking regular water just yet.

Hi S.,
Mt daughter would never take a bottle or sippy either. When she was about 8-9 months old she was able to dring from the sippy cup with the suction piece removed. And she was also able to drink from a straw at this point. With the cups,you have to help so your child doesn't gag too much on the liquid until he gets used to it but that is what worked for us. I also nursed my child until she was a year old. It all worked out fine.
Try not to stress too much. As long as he is growing it will all be fine.
Take care,
B.

My son, who is now almost 10 months wouldn't take a sippy cup when he started eating solids either, but takes one happily now. I have two pieces of advice, first, keep trying, offer the sippy cup throughout the day, but know that if you are nursing and he is making wet diapers, your son is getting the liquids he needs. Second, try a regular cup. I know it sounds crazy, and there will certainly be some spills, but he may be more inclined to try the same kind of cups he sees his mommy and daddy using. I buy little 2 or 3 ounce paper or plastic cups and give my son small amounts of water or watered-down orange juice (his favorite, and the only juice he will drink) with each meal. He needed lots of help at first, but now can take the cup in his hands and get a drink with relatively minimal spilling. He also recently started drinking from a straw, so you could also try a straw-type sippy. Good luck!

Have you tried a cup with a straw? Sippy cups can be hard to suck out of and he might just think it's not worth the effort! My son caught on REALLY quickly to a straw and it was much easier and more fun to drink out of. It can be the sippy cup style or just a regular cup that you would drink out of with a plain straw in(that you help with).

Honestly I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just make sure you always have a cup and offer it to him when he eats solid food. As long as you are nursing him he will get what he needs. My DD was the same way and I was so concerned because I was drying up at about 10 months old. I worried about it so much and then one day she just took the cup.

Many children don't do well with cups at first and they have to get used to them slowly. Unless you Peditrician is worried about dehydration, just keep doing what you are doing.

just something that works well for me--

i breastfeed before i give my son solids. he is the same age. Breastmilk is the best thing for him, you'll know he is getting a full feeding, and then whatever solids he eats after is the supplement. If you aren't trying to wean him yet (you still have 5 months), breastfeed just as often as you did before you started the solids. (I know sometimes it might seem nice to have a break, but you won't worry this way, right?) I've noticed with my son he is so interested in anything different, especially if we don't offer it to him, so maybe put the cup (empty), on the floor with him for a few days, let him get acquainted with it and interested by it.... but really, it has been best for me to breastfeed first before solids. (i personally don't ascribe to the idea that a baby needs something to wash down the solids-- if he is thirsty, breastfeed him after, but he doesn't have to have water).... oh, and btw-- my son won't take a bottle either, but where we are at in the breastfeeding relationship, that is fine for both of us. Good luck and if you want to empathize, message me, i totally get where you're at!

Hi S.,
Here are a few suggestions:
Try a different cup that will give immediate gratification. I like the little Gerber cups with two handles and a hard spout. Take the valve out to start with until he gets the idea that liquid is coming out of the cup. I would use breast milk or watered down juice or just water. Put it on his tray for each meal and offer it but don't force him to drink from it.
(There is another cup I like that has 2 handles and a hard spout at Walmart and sometimes Babies R U but I don't know the name of it. It has a valve in it that can be turned around for fast or slow flow. I would start with it out.)
I don't recommend the flat sippy cups like the Advent as it makes the kids purse their lips in a funny manner and they often chew on them.
Wait a little after solid foods to see if he asks to breastfeed so he doesn't think he doesn't have to eat much because he gets to breast feed.
I would give your son lots of chew toys with textures so he gets use to having different things in his mouth. Vibration could also be good for his mouth. Try letting him chew on a child battery operated toothbrush! Try the nubby beginning toothbrushes by Nuk at Babies R Us.
Hope these suggestions help. Good luck to you!
C.

It took my daughter over 4 months to get the hang of a sippy cup, it was just too hard to get the liquid out. You can keep trying, my daughter with me trying so much that it was some sort of toy she needed to play with, a toy to shake up and down, when I tried a normal glass, she shook it up and down, so if you keep trying on a daily basis help him :) I use a straw in water and put my finger on one end and just put drops in her mouth. She went on a baby food strike for me at 7.5 months, from eating a whole jar to 2 bites, when I give her a mouth full of water between every 3-4 bites she will eat more for me (1 jar + some solid foods) and still takes her 32+ oz of breastmilk. Our pediatrician did confirm with more solid foods, start 1-2 oz of water per day, especially because cereal can contipate them. When she got her teeth (9mon), pediatrician increased it to 2-4oz per day, rather than juice, so she could get her flouride. Juice waste, rots teeth, lots of sugar, so breastmilk and water good choices for liquid. People quote articles on their responses all the time, without knowing the author of the article, I tend to ignore those, I have to see the author before I trust the source and I always consult with a pediatrician or dietician. Good luck!