Hi everyone~
My daughter drinks from a bottle and sippy cup no problem but has to either have it held for her or be reclined in her toddler rocker or a swing to drink it on her own. Meaning if she's sitting up in her high chair - she doesn't realize she has to tilt the bottle/sippy cup up to drink it. lol And if we try to show her she just lets go completely because we're doing it for her. When we don't help her she usually gets frustrated because she sees the liquid in there but can't drink it. With the exception of bedtime we've tried all different times of the day, when she's really hungry and not so hungry. It's not really a big deal right now but curious if anyone else had this problem and when did they finally figure out how to tilt the cup up? Thanks a bunch!
My 2.5 year old (almost 3) never got the hang of the sippy cup. We would always have to hold it for her. Shortly after her first birthday, we started using straw cups, and she's been on her own ever since.
My son was the exact same! He wouldn't even let me tilt it for him because he is so independent. But when he was 12 months, we discovered that he could use a straw and enjoyed drinking from a straw. That way, he would get enough to drink. There are a few types of cups/ thermos-like containers with built in straws you can get, though some straws on those are bigger and tougher for littler mouths than others. Even just a regular bendy straw in a cup with lid works. We did continue to show him by example and using the word "up". Eventually, my son figured out to tilt a bottle or a sippy cup, if i remember correctly it was probably by around 14 months.
My son did the same thing at the same age and it worked itself out in about a month or so... I just kept saying the same thing "Tip it back" and gesturing the same way as if I was drinking from the bottle with my head back and hand up - and I think the consistency with the cues helped him get the hang of it. Although, now that that's in the past, I really like the comments about progressing to the straw. You could use this time to totally just skip the sippy cup and go right to the straw. Maybe this is a great oppportunity (and I missed it!!!)
My daughter loved the straw-type cups at that stage...it teaches them to drink from the sippy on their own, but spares them the tilting the glass thing for a little bit while they get used to drinking. My daughter used the straw type for about a month before we gave her a regular sippy cup, then after about 6 months with a sippy she started using an un-lidded cup. Now, at almost 3, she's completely trustworthy with a glass.
Good luck!
Hi M.! My son had the same problem. And he was also stubborn and did not want any help. It resolved itself for us after about a month or so. The only thing I did do is try and show him whenever I drank that I tilted the cup and still try to tilt his oncce in awhile to help him get it, even though he would then get mad! :) Good luck.
Hi M.,
Have you tried using a sippy cup with handles? Maybe that would help her. We like the take and toss cups with removable handles. Also, my highchair can be reclined slightly - does yours do the same?
Good luck - sippy cups are tricky for little ones!
This is pretty normal. And even though it seems so obvious- she just hasn't figured it out yet! :) She will. Keep holding it for her, and soon she'll surprise you. She's about to go through a HUGE leap intellectually, and her desire for independence will skyrocket! I bet she'll figure it out sooner than you think.
Hey M.,
Have you tried a cup with a straw in it? She won't have to lift the cup to get the liquids out. I got my children used to a straw from using a juice box. Put the straw in their mouth and squeeze the juice box it will automatically bring the drink into the straw and they will get the sucking motion down as well. My son was so lazy to drink (he is now 24) that back then they made straws that go into their bottles it was great they didn't even have to lift their bottles to drink. I am not sure if they still have them its an insert into the nipple. if that doesn't work then just keep showing her even if you have to get a cup and show her yourself she is young she will get the hang of it. Have a great holiday!!
