Moving the baby onto drinking cups after breastfeeding

[poppy101]

I am currently breastfeeding. What type of drinking cup should I give my baby, when introducing juice. I want to continue to breastfeed and therefore don't want to confuse the baby. Can anyone recommend what I should use to offer juice etc. in ?

Hi Poppy101

Try one that your baby doesn't need to suck too hard from - not an anyway up cup or similar with a valve in as apparently the extra-hard sucking they have to do can harm palate development. An Avent magic cup with the valve removed is good to start with or you can buy a beaker with a soft spout from Boots which is great - my breastfed DS took to that one like a dream and snatched it off me to drink from when just 6 months old. It doesn't have handles, but this is partly a blessing because it's harder to shake all over the place!

I don't give DS juice as I don't think he needs it - he has a bit of water, but it's just to get him used to a beaker rather than because he needs the extra fluids. He's seven months now and still breastfeeds quite often. If I can help it, I don't want him to get used to having juice - I think water and milk are better for him at the moment. There's plenty of time for him to pester me for juice when he's bigger!

HTH xxx

Hi poppy101, I used anywayupcups for my DS and he had no problems - it didn't interfere with BF at all. He had water from the cup from about 5 months and started on cows' milk at 12 months. The spouts are quite hard but he used to use them as teethers as well - now they all have a ridge in them! Good luck

I was told not to give juice to babies under 12 months because it can rot their teeth to give only milk and water or if I really had to give juice dilute it very very well and the ready made juices you can buy are a waste of money.

Many Thanks, I will have a look tomorrow for an Avent Magic cup or Boots soft spout. I don't think I'll give my baby juice drinks but will stick to breastmilk and water and introduce formula at a later date in a cup.

hi, just wanted to ask a question (sorry to hijack thread). I'm going back to work 4 days a week when ds 6 months old. want him to have my milk at nursery. think it's feasible for him to drink my milk frm beaker at this age? when should i start getting him used to one. thanks.

I think boots have stopped selling the soft spout ones unfortunately, as I need some more! Dinny, I should just get one to practice on and see how it goes - we had to buy several different ones before we hit on the right one though.

dinny my dd has her formula in a beaker at nursery. She's the only one the rest all have bottles.