Questions About Pacifiers and Sipper Cups

Hey A.-I'm a big fan of no nuks past the age of 1, the longer you wait the harder it is and if you plan on having more children, you run the problem of the older one stealing the younger ones nuk and starting all over. Plus, I've heard of older children taking on tumb sucking once the nuk is taken away to replace it. Also, you can start the sippy now, he'll be using it like a champ in no time. :)

Both my kids were totally done with bottles by 1 year. 9 months is perfectly fine to start them on it. There are all kinds of theories about nuks. My firstborn loved his and carried it around all the time before he was one. We switched him to only at naps/bed or if he was really upset, and he was done with it by 2. My daughter has always only used it in her crib/bed, and at almost two we are starting the weaning process. I think it depends on the child.

go for it. I started at 9mo weaning off the pacifier by only allowing my boys to have it when they were in bed. At one year old I cut the tips off of them. The sooner you do it the less difficult it is IMO. I already had my boys using sipper cups at meal times but didn't take them off the bottle until 14 mo or so (they still got a bit of formula in it until then 1-2x a day).

H.

Definitely offer sippy cups. A baby does not need to get all their nutrition nad/or hydration from a sippy cups but they need the chance to practice with it since most pediatricians recommend stopping the bottle between 12-15 months.

About the passy...My almost 3 year old was a night-time-only passy user. We warned him when he turned two that his passy would break because two year olds are too big for passies. Well, that was a bust. We talked to our ped at his 2 year check up and he laughed at our passy rules. He said any two year old (or three year old for that matter) that was using a passy only at night should just be left alone. Hearing that was a bit of a relief...We felt guilty that he used one but we felt guilty taking it away. Anyhow, at 2 1/2, we took it away cold turkey and his daycare provider sent his passy in a fancy envelope to the passy fairy. We had 1-2 rough nights but it has been great ever since.

i would highly recommend starting on sippy cups, especially if he is bottle fed. i breastfed and i still started my son on a sippy at 7 months and he LOVED it. we never had to go to putting milk or juice in a bottle, and he doesnt think it is something he needs to drag around all day or nap with. so sippy cups are a GREAT idea as soon as you can

pacifiers are another issue. i recommend www.askdrsears.com. im sure that you could try to get rid of the pacifier, however, it all depends on your child. some kids have a stronger need to suck than others and according to dr sears, an unfulfilled need always shows up as an undesireable habit later. i have a child in my day care who doesnt use a sucker, and really acts like he doesnt want it (he doesnt suck it into his mouth strong enough to keep it there) however, he grits his teeth, and i find that not only painful to hear, but i think it might be a problem, dentally. so consider the risks and benefits carefully and make the decision thats best for your and your child. my son is 18 months old and i am still ok with him having the sucker, however, during the day during regular time, playing etc, it gets put up. he only gets it when hes cuddling or going to bed.

Hi, A.!

My son will be 9 months old next week and this is a great time to start your little boy on sippy cups! We started giving my son sippy cups a couple months ago, but just recently he has really gotten the hang of using them. We like the Gerber and Nuby brands, but you'll just have to try a few until you find what works for you. I would recommend getting ones that have a plastic cover for when you want to just toss it in the diaper bag and don't want to worry about germs getting on the mouthpiece. He'll probably play with it and chew on it at first, but let him explore it and he'll figure out what it's for soon enough.

Also, we've started putting a tiny bit of bottled water in the bottom of a small glass and tipping it up so he gets used to the feel of using a "grown-up's" cup. Some people never use sippies at all and just go straight to a glass. We think that sippies are so convenient, but are doing both so he gets that experience of drinking from a normal cup.

Good luck!!

First of all, kudos to you for doing the parenting alone while your husband is over seas!

As far as the pacifier, whatever YOU and your SON are comfortable with. Maybe make it only a bedtime thing. That is the only time our children were ever allowed to have it.

As for the sippee cup, yes that should be started around this age. But again, pay attention to your son, if he is ready then keep encouraging it (1-2 times a day) but if not, offer it slowly (1-2 times a week).

Hang in there!! As new moms, we all had A TON of questions, I wish I knew about this site 5 years ago!!

My son is also 9 months old and he still has his pacifier. He is not dependant on it other than nap and bedtime, but he does like to have it at times during the day. My plan is when he turn 1 he will only have it at nap and bedtime. He also drinks from a sippy cup during the day. He has a morning bottle and a bet time bottle and during the day mostly a sippy cup. So you could start that at any time. I use the advent beginer sippy cups and he likes them. Every baby is different and you should do what you feel is right for him.

I would make the switch now- they more than likely will not miss the pacifier too much this early, and you definitely want to get them transitioned to a sippy ASAP- by 15 months at the latest....

My daughter started taking a sippy cup around 6-7 months. Probably a bit early but she wanted it! I would start with your son on sippy cups now and try to get rid of the bottle before age one. After age one, it becomes a struggle to get rid of (so I hear).
My daughter is now 22 months old and still takes her pacifier for naps and bedtime. We started taking the daytime pacifier away when she turned one. The earlier you can kick the pacifier habbit, the better! We are trying to get totally rid of the pacifier by age two but she's completely dependant on it for sleep! She didn't have much of an issue when we took the daytime away but it's been a struggle for sleep time. Good luck! I don't think there is a completely right or wrong answer. It all depends on the child.

Nine months old is the perfect time to give up the pacifier. Children no longer have a strong need to suck and they aren't emotionally attached to it yet. It is much easier to eliminate now than it will be in the future. I have daycare and just stop giving the kids pacifiers at nine months. None of the children have had the slightest problem. In some cases the parents still allow it at home and when they try to take it away later it can become a big struggle, but they never want a pacifier at my house. As far as sippy cups, once babies can hold their own bottles, they can start with water or formula in a sippy cup. I find that most aren't really very good at drinking with one without making a big mess until about 1 yr old. I aim to have babies bottle free at around 18 months.

I didn't wean my first until he was 17 months. My youngest is 15 months and I'm going to start weaning him soon. I think it's a personal choice when to take the pacifier away. I know a lot of moms that didn't wean at all and let their little ones give it up when they were ready. There is bad dental history in my family, though, I didn't want the added risk. Our pediatrician said to do it by age 2.

I started offering sippy cups around 6 months and by a year both boys were completely off the bottle. However, neither of them were every really attached to the bottle. It was never part of our bed time routine like I know a lot of babies are used to so I think it was easier for mine to transition. Offer the sippy cup and if your son is interested keep offering, if he's not don't push it. The Nuby cups are pretty easy for most babies to use because the spout is soft like a bottle.

Amada
first off what makes you think all babys need a pacifer? my first child did not but my other two children did so it is up to the child if they need one.
ask your self does he need it all the time or is it just at nap and bed time? does he have a fit when you take it away from him? if not then chances are he really does not need it any more. have you tried hideing it for a day does he cry for it? if not then don't bring it back out for him to see or have any more and be done with it you need to try and see.
sippy cup are fine at this age my children even drank from a straw at 9 months. good luck

A.!

Wow! Another mom after my own heart.... I had the set goal of no bottles or pacy's after 1 year. This is how it worked with my daughter. At about 6-7 months, she knew that pacy's were only for nap or bed, so she would hand it to me as soon as I went in to get her out of her crib. At about 10 months, I quit giving it to her at nap time, and left it only for bed. This whole time, though she was limited in her ability to talk back, I was talking to her about being a big girl and no pacy's. I really do think she understood. On her 1st birthday I cut off the tip of the nipple on the pacy and handed it to her to sleep with... She tried sucking for a little while and then was sick of trying so she dropped it. (Mean mom and a bad b-day present, but it worked) She had about 3 rough nights trying to fall asleep, but after that no problem, and since I DID NOT HAVE A WAY TO FALL BACK INTO AN OLD HABIT, it worked.

For bottles: I started replacing daytime bottles with a sippy of formula at breakfast, lunch and supper. The only bottle she got was her bedtime bottle until about 11 months. At that time, I offered her a sippy then as well and she was off the bottle. Over the next 6 months I introduced a regular glass at meal time when I could help her with it and by 18 months, she wasn't using a sippy unless we were outside or in the car.

Bottom line: Start the changes before he is old enough that you need to negotiate it with him! It will be easier on you both.

I have 2 kids 6 years and 10 1/2 months and started them both on sippy cups with water and watered down juice and gradually worked into milk and on their 1st b-day they got to exchange all their bottles (we put them in a fancy birthday bag) for a big present my son got a dump truck with blocks about $20 it wasn't the cost as we went for size. and we are planning the same for our daughter. with the pacifire as soon as he was able to walk he only got it at bed and nap time we would put it under his pillow for "safe keeping" and he only got to keep one his favorite the rest we gave to a friend who just had a baby and she threw them away for us it was more of the thought that the new baby needed them and she was in on it.Then when he hit 2 it was gone for good eventhought he already would go a couple days without it and my daughter nevers has liked the pacifire so we don't have any issues there. I hope this helps you.

Hi A.! The best advice I can give you is try taking away the paci and try giving a sippy cup and if it goes badly then wait awhile before you try again. It's really not a big deal even though so many are anti pacifier. My son's only "vice" was the paci and he threw it away before he was 2. Everyone was amazed because he seemed addicted to his paci.
Kids just need comfort. Especially when they are teething.
Don't worry too much about the dental aspect. My son has perfect teeth and so do I(I had a paci til age 3) but my sister's kids NEVER had a pacifier and all need braces.
* I thought it was funny that one poster said "what makes you think every baby needs a pacifier?" since you never said that.
Interesting thing....studies show that babies who have a pacifier reduce the risk of SIDS by 90%. My daughter didn't take a paci and I wish she did! I was her paci!
You are doing a great job! All in all you have to do what is right for you.

Both of those issues are for you to decide, but I can tell you what I did and what worked for me...I didn't want a toddler with a bottle or pacifier either! :)

After my children turned a year I started putting their pacifiers away during the day and started only giving it to them at naps and night. And then at about 18 months or so I took them away during sleep as well...I found it a good time because they had run so much during the day they were too tired to stay away and complain.

Both of my children started drinking from sippy cups at about 9-10 months. They both transitioned very quickly and easily and it was no issue. And then it was easier for them to go from breast milk to whole milk at a year as well because they only had one change to make in what they were drinking, and not a change in cup.

I've put together a list of plastic-alternative sippy cups on my parenting blog that you're welcome to look at.

http://uggamugga.blogspot.com/search/label/sippy%20cups

You're doing a wonderful job as a mother thinking ahead and being deliberate. That's my parenting philosophy as well and I've found it's saved me a lot of trouble in the long run. What a blessed son to have you as a mother...and a father dedicated to his country. And thank you both for your sacrifices!

Between 2-4mos.old babies don't need pacifiers anymore. After that it becomes a habit.

It's easiest to take the bottle away around age1 or it becomes a another habit to break. I would start the sippy cup anytime now and have him weaned off the bottle by his first birthday or soon after.

I took the paci away at 6 mo. and it was not as horrible as I thought it would be. He had completely forgoten about it after a few days! I also was introducing a sippy of water with his baby food around 9 mo just for practice. At 1 year I weaned one meal at a time for about a week and then went cold turkey with both my boys off the bottle to a sippy cup. I thought it was going to be horrible, but after a few day they were completely adjusted. My advice is the sooner the better because a baby will adjust to the changes, but once he is a toddler he will put up a much bigger fuss and you may not be able to stick to your guns. I am sickened to see 2 year olds with bottles or paci's.

They say the child should be off the bottle around 1 year of age. Starting him on a cup would be great. You can offer the cup with meals and snacks with only a few ounces of juice or milk in it. You can try getting rid of the pacifier slowly. Like only allowing it at nap and night. You can also try to take it away all together.

Hi, great parenting first off by wanting to take the bottle and pacifier away. I have a 5 year old boy and my choice was by the time he was 1 he would need to be weened off of both. So I had no troubles luckily just slowly introducing the sippy cup out in public or at meal times, then the pacifier I would just kind of forget about them and hope he would too. So weening worked for me and the sooner the better but just start to introduce it and he will probably enjoy the new cups and becoming a big boy ;)

WIC and some pediatricians push for a cup from 9 months and want bottles done with by 12 months. But, as an old mom who has seen the "standards" come and go - that seems pretty early to me. Bottles and pacifiers from 0-24 mos. serve a purpose and their use has to be managed within the context of your family life. We haven't had any trouble transitioning out of bottle/pacifier if we wait until the child is ready to give them up, or until it becomes too socially uncomfortable for the family. Then, going "cold turkey" works best ("You're a big boy now - big boys don't need...") but too early and I think you just ask for other issues (power struggles, transfering the need for a comfort item onto something/someone else, etc.) which are not worth it, in my opinion.

SAHM of seven, 23yr - 19 mo.

Don't get rid of the nuk, just limit it.
Certainly introducing the sippy cup at meal times is a great idea. They do make cups that have a softer top, more like the bottle and not the hard plastics.

My understanding is that up to 4 months, babies instinctually suck for survival (they can eat and sleep at the same time. Both very important things.)
After that point they will use it for comfort, but there are many substitutes.
A routine will help a child be more comfortable all the time, and not require a "soother".

My dentist tld me that it wasn't a problem until around age 4. Some babies/children have a sucking needs more than others. Both my girls gave theirs up on their own around age 3. The only had them for naps and bedtime and occasionaly when they were sick. Neither one of them had any problems as they gave it up when they were ready. I know of some Moms that have taken them away and had to go through the screaming fits nd sleepless nights.

Obviously there is no hard and fast rule, but here's what we did...We transitioned the paci to only at bed at about one. We still let them have it any time, but they had to sit in their crib to have it. Around 2 we actually took it away (through various ways of doing so with different children.) As far as the cup goes, it is definitely worth beginning to introduce. I wouldn't push too hard to take the bottle away until one, but go ahead and start getting him used to the idea of a cup. Good luck!

I have 4 girls, the youngest is 15 months. I have done childcare for over 10 years now. My advice is starting the sippy cup around 6-9 months just to get them used to it. I use it at meals with water to start out with. I use the kind that will spill out water until they understand that they need to suck, then I switch over. I wean the nuk around the age of 18 months or so (depends on teething, their need and desire for it) and the weaning process goes something like, using it for naps and bedtime only. Popping it out when they sleep. Then taking it away at naps, then finally bedtime. hope it helps.

Hi A.,
My son's dr. recommeded taking the pacifier away at 3 months. He told us that until then it is a reflex, but after 3 months it is a learned habbit and to take the pacifier away cold turkey. It was hard at first, especially at bedtime, but it only took a few days and it was really nice afterword not having to worry about leaving the house without it or having it fall on the floor. I also agree with the others regarding the sippy cup. I wouldn't force it, but if he's interested I'd say go ahead. My dr. recommended that at first NOT to use the "spill proof" cups. They are too hard to suck and he said if they have to suck that hard you might as well give them a bottle. So we just pulled out the "spill proof" thing (I call it a plunger) and then the liquid flows easily. Good Luck

I gave my 7 month old a sippy cup just to play with...I think the recommendation is that by a year, they should be done with bottles--but I think with our first at least, we made the transition quite easily; it was just take the bottle and give him a sippy cup and call it good. Pacifiers were harder; we chose a time for our first when we knew we could keep things consistent--bedtime, his need for mommy and daddy, etc. We made sure we weren't traveling or sick, and then just took it away, after a couple weeks of lessening his need for it. With our second, he's not as attached to his pacifier, so we've debated taking it away already, at 8 months, since now he's not too attached to it. I think if you go too far past 1 with the pacifier, it's much more difficult to take it away later because they know so much more. But, if baby still really loves the pacifier, no need to take it away quite yet, I'd think.