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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Original poster

I'm having trouble teaching my 6 month old to drink from an open cup.

72 replies

Walkingtree · 14/04/2023 16:53

I'm trying to tech my 6 month old to drink from an open cup. I wondered if anyone has experience of this.

He's had a go a few times but mainly just tips the water out then plays with the cup.

Am i expecting too much from him? How long does it take most children?

All The examples i've seen show young children obediently letting their mums pour water in to their mouths, but he doesn't like that. (We're doing baby led weaning as he only likes to feed himself aswell)

If anyone has experience teaching an independent little soul...i'd love to hear it!

OP posts:
Linio · 14/04/2023 17:14

Seems like OP is only interested in engaging with those who agree it’s wise to teach a 6 month old to drink from an open cup!

cocolocoe · 14/04/2023 17:14

This is just ridiculous! Someone been watching far too much Tik Tok.

Original poster
Walkingtree · 14/04/2023 17:15

Thanks this was the reassurance i was looking for. I'm the same, the mess is no bother.

OP posts:
Divebar2021 · 14/04/2023 17:15

Am I missing the point? Why does a baby need to be able to do this?

MSJK · 14/04/2023 17:16

We use the doidy cup and tum tum cup (can use as straw cup and open cup) and started at 6 months. Baby is 9 mo now and he can more or less use them, he just sometimes over pours into his mouth. I usually just keep a hold of it as he tips it so he doesn’t spill it all down his front.

Kitcaterpillar · 14/04/2023 17:16

Linio · 14/04/2023 17:14

Seems like OP is only interested in engaging with those who agree it’s wise to teach a 6 month old to drink from an open cup!

I don't think it's wise to do it. But I don't think it's particularly deserving of this level of sneering.

Glamgwen · 14/04/2023 17:17

Just to add, my DC was also 100% baby led weaned (too stubborn to let us feed him) but we never poured water into his mouth. That's just odd.

Whinge · 14/04/2023 17:17

Op why do you want to teach your DS to do this? It feels like such an unnecessary chore that benefits absolutely no one, unless your reason is to post a bragging video of how advanced he is. Confused

Viviennemary · 14/04/2023 17:19

That is far too young to be drinking from a cup. TRy a tipee cup or bottle even.

Kitcaterpillar · 14/04/2023 17:19

I have no idea why this has enraged people so much. Noone's coming to your house to take your sippy cups.

I did it because COVID was deeply boring and I had nothing better to do. But it has been fairly convenient to have a small child that can drink from anything on the many, many occasions I forget a bottle.

SunnySaturdayMorning · 14/04/2023 17:25

DoesItHaveKosovo · 14/04/2023 17:12

This is odd. Use a 360 cup or a sippy cup!

360 cups and regular sippy cups are not good for oral development as they force the mouth into an unnatural position.

Straw cups with a valve (like a tumtum cup) or an open cup are recommended.

If you have the time and inclination to teach a baby how to use an open cup why wouldn’t you? There’s only benefits and no harm Confused

I think this thread has attracted so much sneering because these parents haven’t bothered to put in the time to teach it and feel guilty about it 🤷‍♀️

Original poster
Walkingtree · 14/04/2023 17:27

Ahh, i'll just wait for him to get the hang then. Thanks for the experience!

OP posts:
ChirpyChirpyCheepCheepBeep · 14/04/2023 17:28

Doidy cup and sounds random, but promise it works, get some hard plastic shot glasses. The rim is so much smaller they can manage much better.

Neither of mine ever had a sippy cup or a bottle, just doidy and shot glasses.

FlounderingFruitcake · 14/04/2023 17:31

Do you never leave the house? It’s one thing letter them spill everywhere at home but how does that work in a restaurant? I’d be so stressed!

Original poster
Walkingtree · 14/04/2023 17:33

Thanks for understanding, that's why i'm doing it. I wasn't trying to start a contraversy.

OP posts:
Linio · 14/04/2023 17:38

I think this thread has attracted so much sneering because these parents haven’t bothered to put in the time to teach it and feel guilty about it

Yes, that’s right. We know absolutely nothing about weaning and have all been doing it wrong. We’re completely ignorant about the topic. 🙄

Or maybe we don’t have the patience for Instagram mums who make other mums feel like shit when their child won’t do the exact same thing as the child they saw online.

CalpolDependant · 14/04/2023 17:44

OP, I taught all of mine to drink from an open cup. Started at 6mo, with the pouring into their mouth method. They all got the hang of it by about 1 year. It’s a bit messy and it takes 6 months, but weaning IS messy so 🤷🏻‍♀️

I would only bring out the cup at the end of a meal and I would announce it as “cup”. I think that cup was one of my kid’s first words actually.

Open cup is not always practical, so the rest of the time we used a straw cup. We didn’t have sippies.

Contrary to most of the opinions on this thread, I’m not a loser with nothing else to do. Worked full time all the way through. Just an ordinary person doing open cup method.

CalpolDependant · 14/04/2023 17:44

And, for the record, I don’t have Instagram, TikTok or Facebook. 😂

CalpolDependant · 14/04/2023 17:45

Also, this is the very first time I’m learning about cups being something sanctimonious. I didn’t know it was contentious. Thought everyone did cups. Turns out I’m actually just a Cup Cunt

HerculesMulligan · 14/04/2023 17:48

I love these threads. "Giving your child a sippy cup will distort their mouth."

WILL IT? Where are all of the teenagers with distorted mouths? Can we fundraise for them?

Btw, Beyonce's kids use a 360 cup, if we're talking influencers.

Madamecastafiore · 14/04/2023 17:51

What a lot of faff.

9 year old DD still uses her sippy cup with cow print for hot chocolate in the morning as I can't be arsed if she spills milk everywhere!! Her mouth and teeth are not deformed as far as I'm aware.

Original poster
Walkingtree · 14/04/2023 17:52

Ahh thanks for this! That's practical. I'll keep on trucking. I got a bit discografia as the nhs just says 'introduce an open cup' with no reference to a realistic timeline. I got conviced i was missing something!

OP posts:
UndercoverCop · 14/04/2023 17:56

DS had a doidy cup and also some of these https://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/babycup-weaning-cups-set-of-4-b1881.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw8-OhBhB5EiwADyoY1XCrtUkBONJU0DpanWOzbEWuDD_Iy7CfGCNLm8b1hKhMxX8iSw9KZRoCprkQAvD_BwE

The latter we had because he needed a tongue tie snip when he was tiny and couldn't latch, MW advised tiny open cup with expressed milk rather than a bottle which might make it trickier to get him back BF after the snip, but by weaning stage he liked them with a tiny bit of expressed milk in with his food, he spilled a lot initially, but loved milk so that was a good incentive

Babycup Weaning Cups 4-Pack

https://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/babycup-weaning-cups-set-of-4-b1881.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw8-OhBhB5EiwADyoY1XCrtUkBONJU0DpanWOzbEWuDD_Iy7CfGCNLm8b1hKhMxX8iSw9KZRoCprkQAvD_BwE

UndercoverCop · 14/04/2023 17:57

I also don't have Instagram or tiktok and fewer than 30 FB friends most of whom are family who live in other countries.
I have DS a cup because he liked to copy us and I didn't see any harm

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