Cup confusion!

[Cydonia]

I bought some bickiepegs for DS today, inside was a leaflet showing their other products, including the doidy cup. Intrigued, I looked it up on their website and came across this :

" Healthcare professionals are advising the use of the Doidy cup to prevent long term health problems caused by delayed weaning and prolonged use of feeding bottles and spouted cups. "

What health problems??

DS is BF but we are just starting weaning, and I was already confused about when and how he needs to start taking a drink that isn't breast milk! I guess he won't need water until he starts to reduce the milk feeds, but when he does I was just going to use a sippy cup. I'm currently undecided about when to stop BFing, but if I decide to stop or to mix feed should he have formula in a bottle? Or a cup? Or a Doidy cup?!! How long is " prolonged use " of a bottle?

Can anyone make sense of this please?

Have no idea of the health problems myself without doing a quick search on the internet but after a look at this thread parents don't seem too keen on them www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1240472-to-ask-if-a-doidy-cup-is-really-useful/AllOnOnePage

Prolong use of bottles can cause tooth decay and speech delay. You can google for more information on this. I believe the spouted cups referred to are the soft ones where you have to sip to get the liquid out. Basically bottles in cup form. I don't think any free flow cup has these problems. So you don't need to go straight to an open cup.

As usual NHS has useful information on this
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/drinks-and-cups-children.aspx

HTH

I have weaned all 3 DC at 4 months (I have been very happy with that decision too!) DC3 is nearly 6 months, EBF, other than food, so I mean no bottles, and he can drink water from a doidy cup, he holds the handles and tips, I obviously still have my hand at the bottom of the cup. DC1 and DC2 used them as well and could drink independently very quickly, they only ever had water and a little at a time.

I found them very useful at any early age, DC1 would not drink from any of those spouted things I bought loads, so gave up and just went with open cups.

Oh and I offer water when eating, quite hard to give a quick drink from breastfeeding when they are in the middle of eating in a highchair.

Thanks for that link one..., don't know why but wouldn't have thought to look on the NHS website.
I'm quite surprised by this, as everyone seems to use the spouty non spill cups, I never would have thought there would be a problem with them. It's not something that's been mentioned to me by any HCP either.
Definitely mixed reviews for the Doidy cup, I guess it's just down to what the individual child prefers.

We'll be starting weaning with DS in about 3 weeks when he's six months old. In preparation, I've been giving some EBM to him in a Doidy cup while we have our dinner so he gets used to the concept of eating as being social event and not necessarily on me. As a PP said, he'll hold the handles with both hands and tip while I hold the bottom, which is outrageously cute, so I really like the Doidy. He'll also reach for it and bring it towards his mouth (cue mum leaping in so milk doesn't end up everywhere) so I'm guessing it won't be long before he can use it himself - no need for a sippy cup.

I use the tommee tippee free first cup
www.tommeetippee.co.uk/product/first_cup_4_months_/

It's free flow and available in all the supermarkets. DDs nursery uses them too for the little ones. Once they can drink from open cups you can use them without the lid as well. It's just a normal cup without the lid.

I think most prefers non spill because its less messy. DD sometimes would leave her cup lying on the floor, leaking. Or she would pour water out of the cup with glee.

I've probably had every cup ever made. Every snazzy flashy one. I always end up back at the tommee tippee linked ^^. Its the cheapest one too. I have non spills for out and about but for weaning I used the tt. Your baby hasn't taken a bottle yet? I'm guessing she's six months - don't go there stuck to sippy cups. It would probably be a battle to get her to take it and soon enough you will be training her off it again. Sorry if you have a little boy I've forgotten since I started typing!

Yes he is a boy Lucy but I'll let you off! He does take a bottle of EBM but not very often. He's 6 months next week. I think I'll stick with the bottle for another month or so while he gets started with solids then try one of the TT cups when he starts to have water.

Has anyone else come across these great little cups from www.babycup.co.uk? They're a brilliant size, my 8-month-old can already hold it (I found doidy cups way too cumbersome). I absolutely swear by them. The health risks you were wondering about are dental ones - apparently dentists recommend using open cups as early as possible. Also these babycups help develop fine motor skills. So wehey, they can learn and drink simultaneously!

Doidy cups are fab, and make very good water holders for painting when the child has outgrown them!
DD has started to use hers at 8 months now, she loves it.

From my HV: basically the cheapest free-flow spouted cup you can buy. She sort of (but wasn't allowed too) said that the cheapest Tommy Tippee one is the best. We are using it to give water to DS (only just 3 months!). Not because he needs water (he only actually gets about 1/10 of an ounce a day from it) but so that he can learn how to use it himself.

If you like the idea of a spout for certain occasions - for example, maybe seems easier for when out and about - then try and use an open cup at mealtimes/when seated in highchair. Really good as LO's learn to sip not suck and it helps encourage correct jaw and facial development. If you get a little cup (sadly lots of cups seem equiv of us drinking from a bucket) then I've found babies learn to use pretty quickly. It's v impressive and quite heart melting/ proud moments stuff.