Teaching Infant to Feed Himself and Take Sippy Cup

Updated on August 11, 2008
B.O. asks from West Chester, OH
19 answers

My son is 9 and 1/2 months old. Our pediatrician told us to start putting the sippy cup in front of him instead of a bottle (reason being he's used to us feeding him the bottle, but he's not used to us giving him the sippy cup, so he's more likely to put the sippy cup to his mouth himself). We've tried it a few times. He will lift it and shake it, but he won't put it to his mouth. Any suggestions? I've tried holding it up to MY mouth so he can see how it works, but he's not catching on. Also, we're trying to get him to feed himself finger foods and we're having trouble with that too. He will pick them up, but he won't put them in his mouth. Any suggestions? Thanks!

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K.P.

answers from Cleveland on

Just let him play with both things the sippy cup and finger foods and dont interfere or try to demonstrate he wont really understand a demonstration anyways...he will learn in time just let him have his way with thius learning experience and he'll pick it up sooner than you think

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G.F.

answers from Bloomington on

He will eventually start drinking from his sippy, just be patient. My oldest daughter is having the same problem with her 1 year old about feeding him, you just have to be patient.

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R.N.

answers from Columbus on

keep giving it to him, put the cup to his lips help guide hi hand when he has food in it to his lips ( buit don;t force him) and tell him eat its good drink, its good etc. He iwll get it. they say you sometimes have to try something 30 times before a child will actually grasp the concept or eat the new food.... good luck, be patient he'll get hungry enough!

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C.S.

answers from Indianapolis on

These 'tricks' will take a while. It took my daughter a couple of months to really master the sippy cup. At first she thought it was a toy and just kept throwing it down. lol Just keep giving it to him. He will get it eventually. As for the finger food, that takes time also. He is still young. GL.

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S.D.

answers from Indianapolis on

I found that if I ALWAYS had Cheerios in front of my son, he eventually ate them. It took a few weeks, but he did catch on.

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M.M.

answers from Fort Wayne on

my lil one is 11 mo and he has been on sippy for about 3 1/2 mo. I use the Nuby ones. They have a hard tip to drink from and he will bite it and he sucked on it and realized he could get it from the cup lol. He drinks from a reg cup to with help of course. On the feeding I would try to give him the little snacks that melt in his mouth I can not think of the name right now. Put it in his fingers and put to his mouth. He will catch on eventually I am sure. Good luck..... I am a SAHM of 2 kids Avery she is 4 in Sept and Quentin 11 mo..

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H.M.

answers from Cincinnati on

Most things eventually end up in the mouths of kids this age - it's only natural - just relax and give it time. Keep offering - he'll feed himself eventually - some kids like being fed and if you keep doing it for him he'll keep letting you (I'm not saying to starve him or anything like that) just keep trying - give him the finger foods before feeding him his "meal". Sippy cups are a little harder than the finger food in my opinion - it requires a different kind of sucking than the bottle/breast does. If it has a valve in it, take it out so some can trickle into his mouth and once he gets it put the valve back in so he doesn't get too much at once and choke.

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T.R.

answers from Columbus on

I had this problem too. Put the sippy up to his mouth so he can suck it out and see what is in there. After he has taken a drink wither let him hold it or sit it down in front of him. He will take it when he wants a drink.

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A.C.

answers from Cincinnati on

B.,
My daughter is also 9 1/2 months old (Oct 8 birthday). She is doing the SAME THING with that stinking sippy cup! LOL! A suggestion they gave me was to switch brands of sippy cups. There are about a trillion of them out there. The doc told me she probably just doesn't like that kind. Also, watch how heavy the cup is. If it's too heavy, they won't get it near their face.
As for the eating, all I can say is keep trying. I usually put stuff on her tray in front of her. I will take one piece with my fingers & put it in her mouth for her. Then she'll try a few times (sometimes misses her mouth). But she picked up on that pretty quickly.

Good luck B.!
A.

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C.C.

answers from Reading on

Hi, B., well I have to say with all of mine as soon as they were introduced to juice the juice went into a sippy cup, as early as 4.5 months, watered down of course. I breastfed all 4 of mine and milk was from me and juice was from the cup. They catch on but you need to establish what comes from where, it might be confusing him if you give him formula in bottle than formula in cup, so give him some water in the cup and maybe stick alittle applesauce on the sippy part to get him warmed up to it. He'll get it. It just takes a little practice, just like using the spoon and fork and chewing. I'll tell ya though, introducing solids was sort of a hit or miss, 2 of mine got it the other two I'd have to wait another month to try again, wasn't the right time. When they were ready they were and thats when they just did it, just like potty training down the road. Good Luck, hth.

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D.I.

answers from South Bend on

Seeing as your son is just starting something new you may need to help guide him for a while. Take the sippy cup and put it up to his mouth and when he has his food in his fingers help him guide his hand to his mouth. This usually helps them to get into the swing of things then before you know it he'll be doing it himself. Don't worry he'll get the hang of it.
D.

I am 31 and have been married for almost 12 yrs. My husband and I have 3 boys ages 10,7, and 4.

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K.S.

answers from Columbus on

Just keep offering it and he'll get it. If you feed him in a high chair, feed as normal, and add some cheerios or other finger food at the same time. Don't make a big deal about. Before ya know it, he'll be doing it.

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T.P.

answers from Canton on

He's still young. Give him time. Even if he's not off the bottle by a year, but a little after, it's no biggie. Just keep working with him. We started introducing the sippy cup around 11 months with our youngest (he was preemie, so we took his gestational age into account and went by that). He had no interest in it at first, so we backed off. We tried every couple of weeks and he was off the bottle and onto the sippy at 14 months (which was 12 months old by his gestational age). So don't stress. 9 months, in my opinion, is still young. Just take it slow, and go by your gut, not your dr. :-)

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P.W.

answers from Columbus on

Sounds like your son is about like a lot of other kids. You have been given a lot of very good advice already. You didn't mention whether you sit down as a family at the dinner table and eat. The kids will watch the parents and do what they do. If you sit at the dinner table and place the highchair at the table where he can watch what you are doing. Cheerios is a good start. I also gave mine peas and green beans

Karen

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D.K.

answers from Indianapolis on

FEED ME I'M YOURS by Lansky

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K.P.

answers from Fort Wayne on

Hi B. now if you are expecting this out of your nine month old what are you going to expect him to do at five yr.? I would continue to set the sippy cup in front of him and the finger food too and he will in his own time start using them. Not all babies react at the same age. It is the same with potting training. Don't expect to much from him it will only wear you out and frustrate him. Good luck K.

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S.R.

answers from Muncie on

first, dont let the doctors rule your childs "timeline" on when he or she should be doing something. Your the one raising him and who knows him the best, the doctors usually go strictly "by the book". Nothing makes me more irate than some doctor (god bless them but they arent raising my child) tells me my kid is "behind all the others his age" when its jsut not true. All 3 of my kids did the same things at different ages, just be patient, stay focused, and he will find his right time.

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M.G.

answers from Columbus on

Hi B.

Doctors try and give good advice but why are you rushing your son. He is only 9 1/2 months. Don't force the sippy cup on him. Give him to his 1st birthday or try just giving him the bottle for milk and sippy for juice until he gets the hang of it. Switch the routine around but not too much that he gets confused.

M.

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A.C.

answers from Indianapolis on

Just be patient. Most doctors rush everything. If he doesn't want it right now, so what wait a few weeks and try it again. Why are you rushing your baby to grow up? Is it a convenience issue for you? Just let him be a baby for a while and enjoy it.

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