the trouble with sippy cups

[kimbo613]

DD has been getting a sippy of water since we started solids at 6 months or so.  She is exclusively BF, wouldn't ever take a bottle.  She figured out how to get the water into her mouth maybe 6 weeks ago.  But she won't swallow.  Just lets it run down her chin.  Even with straight apple juice.  She doesn't drink anything except when nursing, which I've kept at 3-3.5 hours because she doesn't take any other liquids.  I would like to start weaning her in a month or so (can't believe her birthday is that close!)  How do I get her to actually drink the water?

[amayzie]

Hamish has only ever drank water when he as thirsty. When he was on 3-4 feeds a day he hardly drank anything- just as you describe. Basically once he started having ony 2 breast feeds in the day he started actually drinking more water. So don't worry about her not drinking- she will when she needs to- babies are great at regulating their needs.

Is very messy though!!

[Buntybear]

Could you try putting some expressed BM in the sippy, see if she swallows that? As Katy says though, there is no hurry really if she is feeding every 3-3.5 hours. It is great that she getting it in her mouth- at least she has got the hang of that!

[kimbo613]

So don't worry about her not drinking- she will when she needs to- babies are great at regulating their needs.

I guess I 'm just worried because her brother drank so much, and still does.  Of course they are so different in terms of feeding.  She is always challenging my expectations   She does seem plenty hydrated with lots of wet diapers.  I may still try with breast milk, though I am loathe to pump.  Maybe when we go down a feed would be a good time, since I'll probably need to pump anyway.

[amayzie]

She does seem plenty hydrated with lots of wet diapers

This is the main thing to look out for...

[kimbo613]

So how long do you think it might take for her to get it?   I've been pumping and offering it in a sippy for 3 days and she still spits it out.  And now she's having little river rock poopies.  Still lots of wet diapers, but I'm still a bit worried.  I was doing five BF/day, and now she is getting 4/day.

[amayzie]

Hamish was still only doing a mouthwash approach with the water until he was pretty much on 2 feeds.. on 3 he SOMETIMES frank a little more- but was quite satisfied with the milk. I would sneak in prunes or pears into his food if he was too constipated...

[kimbo613]

OK, she doesn't do many purees, but she likes prunes and pears.  It's on my list for tomorrow

[amayzie]

We also didn't do purees- we were all BLW- but i did tend to spoon him his yoghurt- i would put the prunes in the yoghurt- lapped them up!

[Aishi]

Hi sorry to hop on.
I'm having a similar problem with dd. she's been having water in sippy cup since she was 6 mo. now 9mo and she can get it in her mouth but then just let's it dribble down her chin or squirts out of her mouth. Shouldn't she have gotten the hang of swallowing by now? Or is it normal to do this ? She doesn't seem to be playing its as if she genuinely doesn't know how to swallow...

[kimbo613]

We've been doing BM in the sippy for 2-3 weeks now and she will swallow that now.  She even occasionally swallows water if she's thirsty enough.  Goind from 5 to 4 milk feeds seems to have helped with that.  I also leave out a sippy of water for her to get any time of the day if she wants.  Most of that still goes down her front, but she's pretty happy about having it around.

Aishi, DD seemed to be that way too.  If she would only close her lips, she would have swallowed.  But I don't think she was thirsty enough.  When she IS thirsty, she chugs the milk out of her cup

[Aishi]

Thanks Kim tha helps! Ill try offering it when I know she'll be thirsty and see how she does...

[anna*]

Maybe try a different style of cup? Audrey didn't manage a sippy at all, but would drink a fair bit from one of those bottles with a sports type cap. Or oh boy best of all a STRAW!. With either of those she would really drink quite a bit. And is there anything cuter than a baby drinking through a straw? There is not. Now she's got a taste for water she's taking it from a sippy. Still a little prone to constipation, but nothing too alarming.

[kimbo613]

And is there anything cuter than a baby drinking through a straw? There is not.

Absolutely!  I always love your choice of words, Anna

We tried a straw cup and got the same results, but now that she's better at swallowing she will do any type.

[*Kara*]

I had the same worry too ladies... DD could use the sippy but didn't swallow much at all... she didn't really start drinking water well until I cut her milk feeds way down.. and remember that they won't drink as much water as they do milk!

DD only drinks about 8 oz of water a day now (plus about 12 ozs of formula - milk is not her friend!)