Teaching to drink from a normal cup

[Ladybird]

Autumn is now 18 months and have started trying to teach her to drink from a normal cup.

Actually I use the doidy cup which is slanted and designed to train children to transition from sip cup to normal, but either way she continues to keep her mouth wide open and pour the drink down which results in a lot of gagging and coughing

Any tips to teaching her how to do it? I tried getting her to watch me do it saying mouth closed but she doesn't seem to understand.

[mommasboys]

I have no advise. Sorry.  I just wanted to say i know it can be frustrating.  Dorian is also 18 months old and i've been letting him experience with a regular cup.  I just don't see it happening in the near future.

I'd also be gratefull for any advise.

[Lilah'sMommy]

We are also starting to make a transition from a sippy to a normal cup.  We're going VERY slowly.   What helps for us is to put just a tiny bit of fluid in the regular cup, so if they spill, they don't drown (or waste all the milk).  I also only give Lilah her own cup when she's sitting down, in her high chair.  We use sippies for out and about, but now only use the sippies without the one-way valve, to teach her to modulate the flow of the liquid.  I'm also planning on ordering her this cup:

http://www.beyondplay.com/ITEMS/T353.HTM

The lid sits inside the cup, and helps control the flow of liquid while also allowing her to drink from the rim of the cup.  I also like that once you no longer need the lid, the cup is still useable, unlike other kinds of sippies.  I'll let you know how it goes with this one.

[Harrisonsmummy]

When I first gave Harri a cup I used a steady cup with one handle. I always made him sit down, and to begin with I stood behind him in his chair and helped guide the cup with a tiny bit of liquid in it. I also emphasized "gently" to him, so that he went a bit slower with it. I found by helping him to control the cup he was less likely to drown himself!!

Now although he uses a cup quite happily (19 mths) I generally give him a drink with a straw (useful when out) and he drinks more liquid that way - cups still tend to be slow progress and he's fed up before he has drunk enough water!

HTH - good luck.

justine

[sa]

try to put the edge of the cup in front of her front teeth.
so her mouth will make an "O" shape and she will get the hang of it soon

hope this works