As parents, we’re always on the brink of a transition period with our kids. Whether we’re transitioning baby from swaddle to sleep sack, from bassinet to crib, or from a bottle to a cup, we’re on the hunt for products to help ease the transition for our baby and us! Whether our baby is breastfed or bottle-fed (or perhaps both), they will eventually need to transition to a cup. But, you might ask, “How do we do that? And what cup should we use?” PopYum has a new silicone training cup designed to help parents and babies transition from bottle to cup easier.
Quick Contents
When to Transition to a Training Cup
Experts recommend transitioning from the bottle to a training cup in around one year. Many kids are ready to start about six months, but either way, if your baby stays on the bottle too long, they are at an increased risk for cavities and other health concerns.1
Why We Love the PopYum Training Cup
We’ve transitioned with each of our kids between six months and one year. I only wish I had the PopYum training cup with our two older kids! I recently had the opportunity to try it out with our 1-year-old, and I know other parents will love these cups as much as I do.
The PopYum silicone training cup has many great features that will make it a staple in your home:
- They feature a wide base, non-slip surface, and bottom-heavy design, making the cup tip-resistant.
- The silicone material is flexible and unbreakable, so we parents don’t have to worry about it falling apart when it’s inevitably dropped (or thrown, if your kids are anything like mine).
- PopYum offers two models for their training cups. One with handles and one without, and they come in various colors, so there’s a cup that’s perfect for every baby.
- They’re also large enough to hold small finger foods and yummy snacks like cut fruits, veggies, crackers, and more.
- Because PopYum cares about making parents’ lives easier, the cups are dishwasher-safe, microwavable, and freezer-safe.
- They are also stackable – you can stack them in your cupboard to save space.
- And because PopYum cares about kids’ safety, their training cups are made of premium stain- and odor-resistant silicone, free of BPA, BPS, PVC, latex, and phthalates.
How to Introduce a Training Cup
Your little one should be ready to start transitioning from a bottle to a cup around six months, which is right around the time when most kids are introduced to some solid foods. When you introduce your baby to a cup, you’ll hold it and help them pour small sips into their mouth.
At around six months old, babies don’t need more than about an ounce or so of water since they’re still on breast milk or formula. When they are ready for a little more independence with an open cup, the PopYum silicone training cups are great because they are designed with beginners in mind. They will have to tip the cup back to drink like a bottle. But unlike a bottle, they will need to learn how to grade their force, so they don’t end up spilling the entire cup’s contents all over their face.1
Remember, They’re Learning!
In the beginning, they’re going to spill. They’ll pour it all out, get it all over their face, and down their clothes. But it’s okay because they’re learning. They might have more success with slightly thicker drinks at first. When our babies were learning, I would purée some frozen fruit into a thinner smoothie consistency. You could also water down some yogurt or purchase drinkable yogurt from your local grocery store because thicker liquids are slightly more manageable for them to control in an open cup. Thicker liquids pour out slower than something like water or milk. Practice with very small amounts at a time, too, so they spill less when they tilt the cup.
They will also need to master certain oral motor skills, like how to close their lips around the edge of the cup and how to time their swallowing correctly. PopYum’s training cups help promote these oral motor skills, and they make them from a soft silicone material that is safe and easy on their developing teeth and gums.
PopYum’s silicone training cups are a great way to introduce your little one to an open cup and transition them from a bottle to a cup. Our 1-year-old loves using them, and I like how sturdy they are for her to practice with. I also love how easy they are to clean. Kids and parents alike are going to fall in love with these. Whether you have a baby who’s getting close to the age of transitioning away from the bottle or a toddler who enjoys their independence (don’t they all), the PopYum silicone training cup is a parenting WIN! Be sure to get yours here for your little ones!
Resources
1. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/no-bottles.html
