Tips to Getting My 8 1/2 Month Old Son to Drink from a Cup.

I didn't get a chance to read all the responses so I don't know if this was already suggested but what I did when I was teaching my little ones to use a sippy cup was remove the stopper in the lid for the first few week or so til they really got the hang of it. When they were able to get the water out with just a little effort, they learned how to use it, then I was able to put the stopper back in and it was a smooth transition. They couldn't even tell a difference. It'll be messy for a little while, but I found it was worth it to have something other than the bottle to use for meals and snacks. Good luck!

I don't have any suggestions other than he might be a little young. Maybe try again in a few months. We started sippy cups closer to 1 tear old. The straws definitely take a little longer than the regular ones.

You could try the Nuby cups. They have some that have what looks like a nipple on the top but it's more like a sippy cup to get him adjusted. I got something like that when I was trying to switch my daughter from a bottle to cup and she took to it faster than a cup with hard sipper. Good luck!

At that age I recommend holding a cup for him while giving him a chance to practice drinking. Do this for a brief time at each of his meals, but don't really expect a lot of success. I start the child out with water in the cup, because most of the liquid is going to end up down his front anyway. (You may want to be sure to put a good bib on him, and perhaps even put a towel in front of him to catch the spills. This is practice time and you need to be ready to spend a bit of time with it to help him learn. By the age of 14 months or so, he'll be more ready to hold the cup on his own and handle it if you give him this practice time now.
We do childcare and our kids are all drinking fairly well from their cups totally on their own by the age of 15 - 16 months. Yes, there are messes because little kids tend to play with their food and drink, but when you have several kids to deal with at the same time it's important to get them to eating and drinking independently as soon as it's practical. I've said this before and feel like I'm repeating myself, but we don't even use plastic cups. What we start our children out with in training them to a cup is the little juice sized glasses that Kraft cheese spreads come in. They are sturdy glass and a good size for the child to grasp. Haven't had one of those break yet! But remember, I don't just hand the child a glass and walk away. Instead, I sit with the child and help him or her learn to use it. Once they have shown me they can handle the glass I begin to move away and give them the opportunity to drink from it by themselves.

As frustrated as I was, my son didn't drink from a straw until he was 18 months old!! My almost 7mo daughter does the same thing as your son with her sippy cup. She just chews on the spout, but I'm sure she'll figure it out soon enough :)

I started my son on sippy cups around this age and had the same experience. I just kept one around with fresh water in it, modeled how to use it, didn't push it but had it available at meals and play time, and eventually one day he just got the hang of it. I don't think there's harm in giving him options, just don't get frustrated if he doesn't get it right away. I think my son was 11 months or so before he really got it.

It might be too soon... my daughter did not use a cup till 12 months. I started putting a sippy cup by her around 9 months to get her familiar to it but she did pretty much what your little one did. Shortly after her 1st birthday she finally started using the sippy cup (we did take away the bottle at 12 months).

Is there a reason he has to drink from a cup so soon? At least for my daughter at 8/9 months she still was getting most of her nutrition from the breast/formula in the bottle.

Just keep giving it to him and he will eventually get it. Maybe show him how to use it by drinking out of one yourself while he has one. Otherwise you will just have to wait till he learns how when older.

I agree it is probably too soon! I have 3 kids and all were about 11-13 months before they got the hang of a sippy cup. A friend told me her doctor told her to start introducing the cup at 8 months which surprised me, my friend got really frustrated because her daughter wouldn't use it! She finally gave up and tried again at a year with a lot more success. I tried to get my third to use it at 8 months just to see what he could do, but also had no luck until a year. Good Luck!

Just get letting him play with it filled with water, and he will figure it out. My son was 12 months when he got the hang of it.

My son wouldn't take from a sippy cup until he was a year. He just couldn't quite get the act of sucking from a straw or sippy cup until then. So I gave him his water and juice in the bottle. He now drinks from sippy cups, sippy cups w/straws, regular cups and regular cups with a straw. He's 17 mos. Don't let other people freak you out. Do what works for your son. He will develop when he is ready. Try re-introducing the sippy cup later. I found the gummy green sippy tabs that are soft are better for "first" time sippers. The hard ones slip out of their mouths. Avent had a some good ones. Feel the tab of the sippy cup for the soft, gummy types. Hang in there.

I think that your trying a little to soon. I know my grandaughter at 9mos. would have nothing to do with a sippy cup. At his age a straw would be hard for him to understand. Just gradually give him the sippy cup while you hold it, try it a couple of times a day and see what happens. If this doesn't work, he's not ready to give up the bottle. I myself wouldn't have him off of the bottle until at least a yr.old. Most pediatricians will tell you the same. They want children on formula until 1yr. although I know this doesn't normally happen. Good luck but again, I would say give him time.

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I think that your trying a little to soon. I know my grandaughter at 9mos. would have nothing to do with a sippy cup. At his age a straw would be hard for him to understand. Just gradually give him the sippy cup while you hold it, try it a couple of times a day and see what happens. If this doesn't work, he's not ready to give up the bottle. I myself wouldn't have him off of the bottle until at least a yr.old. Most pediatricians will tell you the same. They want children on formula until 1yr. although I know this doesn't normally happen. Good luck but again, I would say give him time.

he'll drink from a cup eventually. how many teenagers do you see drinking out of bottles? my kids used bottles until they were three. not worth stressing about.

I think maybe you are expecting too much from him at this age. Most kids who are 8-1/2 months are still drinking from a bottle and then a sippy cup from about 12 months until they are ready for pre-k. I'm not even sure that your son is phsically capable of drinking from a straw or holding a cup without spilling. Besides the developmental limitations, everything is a plaything for babies and toddlers, including cups filled with liquid.

There's a great set of books that you may want to check out from the library or purchase called What to Expect the First Year and What to Expect the Toddler Years. They're easy to read and will let you know what stages your child is going through and what your child may or may not be capable of doing and when.

Hope this helps.