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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

If I want to start fully BF 4 month old on Tommee Tippee cup

18 replies

Twiglett · 07/09/2004 20:03

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OP posts:

poppyseed · 07/09/2004 20:15

Does it matter? She's not going to realistically get a lot, more the experience that counts? I would go for water so that she didn't get confused and encourage her to think that water is another drink that she can experience in increasing volumes in another way. I dare say that somebody will disagree though shortly!! Good luck!

GeorginaA · 07/09/2004 20:21

Wow... I'm impressed that she's only had ds's finger in her mouth

I came downstairs the other day to find ds1 putting his foot near ds2's mouth and ds2 sucking happily on ds1's not very clean big toe Remind me why I'm sterilizing everything again?!

Ahem, sorry. Can't help on the actual advice front

TracyK · 07/09/2004 20:23

It may confuse if milk is offered from 2 sources - although on the other hand - she may work harder for milk. Water isn't much of an incentive to use a cup for initially.

poppyseed · 07/09/2004 20:25

but it's good fun dribbling it out

Original poster

Twiglett · 07/09/2004 21:08

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OP posts:

Oooggs · 07/09/2004 21:16

DS only has water to drink out of this cup, as not to confuse with milk source. Also if it is the same Tommee Tippee cup I have (the one with the flip top spout, and not non spill) he does spend a lot of time shaking it around and the carpet does get a bit of a wash but as it is only water, it you know what I mean.

hewlettsdaughter · 07/09/2004 21:42

Can I ask why you want to start dd on a cup? Are you going to want her to take milk from it?
Am considering introducing a cup myself for dd to have her milk from when I go back to work.

JulieF · 07/09/2004 22:20

To answer your question I think I'd need to know why you want to introduce a cup.

I asked our local infant feeding co-ordinator who ran my peer support course about giving ds cooled boiled water on the days when I worked as it was sometimes very hot. She said it was fine although there was a slight increased risk of tummy upset during the 24 hours afterwards.

If you want to make sure that she will take cup for the future work etc you could either leave it till nearer the time or get someone else to give her ebm.

Original poster

Twiglett · 07/09/2004 22:25

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OP posts:

JulieF · 07/09/2004 22:42

Its entirely up to you, its just that exptressing is such a hassle when you don't have to. A little water won't start off allergies or anything if you wanted to try it.

If you had to leave her for a couple of hours or so she could be fed before you went and would probably be OK until you got back. In an emergency she would take something, she could be spoon fed or something.

Or as the ifc said "if you're not there its not your problem . Not sure how I feel about that philosophy mind.

californiagirl · 08/09/2004 02:54

I went for water. Ice water is DD's idea of a really exciting treat. (She's just weaning now at 6 months and is not yet convinced it's a good idea.) She's had a sippy from 4 months and will drink from it if she wants to; on a really good day she can do it all by herself (given about 5 minutes, it's a trial-and-error process). Because I am a loon who likes my baby strapped in on an airplane for takeoff, it's very handy to have something she'll drink from other than me. She won't take a bottle -- same problem, we got lazy, she got hard-headed.

motherinferior · 08/09/2004 08:27

I'd put a bit of water as it's less sticky when they do dribble and less of a hassle for you.

I'm very impressed by babies who get the hang of cups, I have to say. But mine, I fear, are the opposite of the ones Twiggy complains about, the ones doing complicated mathematics and cooking a four-course meal by the age of two

pixiefish · 08/09/2004 08:28

my hv advised me to use a 'free flow' cup with dd. the sucking action of the non spill ones confuse babies. my dd loves her free flow- just like the ones our parents used with us

earlygirl · 08/09/2004 09:30

twgglet i too have fully breastfed 4 month old but iam not thinking of cups just yet
my ds was fbf until 22 weeks and i did introduce the cup(tt easiflow ) until a good few weeks(maybe even a couple of months) into his weanig as he was still getting bm to drink(and i wanted him to concentrate on the food)
he took to this cup fine and is a good eater too
hth

earlygirl · 08/09/2004 09:31

sorry mistake it should read that i DIDNT introduce a cup until a good few weeks into weaning

poppyseed · 08/09/2004 13:56

Twiglett, I would introduce it whenever you think that she is ready for it - at least she will begin to associate it with mealtimes. She really won't get very much in the first few weeks so I don't think that it is an issue. By the time you go for it at 6 months she will be mentally prepared for her 'proper' drinks to come out of it. I would regard the next few weeks as practice and not worry about boosting her fluid intake. I too am a SAHM and did a similar thing with both of our two. I never gave either of them a bottle - even with ebm as I didn't see the need to really. (I only expressed to give them the milk for their cereals!!). Both went straight onto water from a cup at weaning together with plenty of breast feeds. I did get a few looks when they were both able to confidently use a cup so early on, but I know which I would prefer..... Let her play around a bit and prepare for weaning! After all you'd give your children a knife and fork way before they were actually capable of using it wouldn't you otherwise how do they learn?? Good luck

Portree · 09/09/2004 09:15

Twiglett, your situation re bottles sounds just like my ds. He's nearly 10 m now but I started him on a cup at around 4 and did pretty much as Poppyseed did. It really didn't take him long to work it out. By the time we started on solids he was capable of holding the cup (old-fashioned type hard spout) in 2 hands and drinking from it. I've had no joy with the non-spill valve ones. I get a sore neck myself trying to get the liquid out. My ds can now drink really well from an open cup though obviously I have to help him. He prefers this now as he can get a bigger mouthful and it's more like the bf action with tongue under the cup, iyswim. I'm really surprised at this whole transition without bottles. My HV told me it was possible but I couldn't imagine it.

pesme · 09/09/2004 09:26

Hi, not much to add, except I tried dd on a cup (the heinz one) from 4 months and she had absolutely no interest until I introduced solids at 6 months. After weeks of trying and walked into the room to find dd happily slurping away from a very snug dp. She only take water from her cup as she knows there are nicer ways to get milk!

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