All young mothers, without exception, are faced with the expected problem when they are trying to wean the child from drinking from a bottle and go to circles. The child does not want to part with her in any way. It is important to know how to approach learning correctly and how to properly teach a child to drink from a circle on their own, and make this learning as pleasant and “painless” as possible for your child.
When to start learning
It is better to start teaching your baby to drink from a mug right away when you wean him from the breast. So, already in 7-8 months you can teach a child to drink from a mug.
It is imperative to choose a beautiful, light and unbreakable mug, but it is better for the child to choose it himself.
As a transitional means, you can use a special sippy mug. It is convenient when it is time for a child to get out of the habit of a bottle, and he has not yet learned to drink from a mug. It is not advisable to tighten with a sippy cup. As soon as the child learns to drink from it, you need to move on to learning how to drink from a regular circle. The sooner the child begins to learn, the sooner he will succeed.
Where to start your studies
When you have already chosen a suitable cup (mug) that the child likes, you can try to give him some water. You can take a sip or two and bring it to his mouth. Tilt and let him take a sip. It is imperative to do this when the child is in a great mood so that he does not later have negative memories at the sight of the cup.
Do not get angry yourself if the baby does not succeed. The first time is enough for him to understand what the mug is for. His desire to consider a new object for him, to touch and play, should not be hindered.
Remember that a child at this age understands well when you praise him and when you scold him.
- It's okay if he spills water. Try again later.
- Give him what he likes to drink the most (juice, compote, jelly ...).
- You can offer him a drink when he is in the bathroom. For him, this is a comfortable environment and there is no danger that he will spill the drink on himself.
- Give him a break while drinking, and if he does not open his mouth, then never try to pour liquid by force.
Say goodbye to the bottle forever
Hide the bottle and he will soon forget about it.
When he wants to drink, bring him a mug and make it clear that he will now only drink this way. If the desire to drink from a bottle comes to hysterics, and you cannot calm it down, go for the trick:
Pour the drink he doesn't like into the bottle and his favorite juice into the cup. In this case, he will most likely prefer a cup.
If it works, then do not show the bottle to the baby again. He must learn that drinking from a cup tastes better, and there is no more alternative. Drinking from a bottle at first can be given only before bedtime.
Learning consistently
The kid can not drink a drink from a cup, start being capricious. You can wait a little and give him a sip again. You can let him drink from a spoon, but in no way return to feeding through the nipple. Otherwise, all study will have to start over. The child will not get used to drinking immediately, it takes time. But by training it consistently, you will very quickly achieve positive results.
Other ways to teach your child to mug
There are other ways to teach your baby to drink from a mug.
- If he doesn't want to pick up a cup, then grab it yourself. Show that it is convenient, pleasant and tasty to drink from it.
- Drink his toys - a doll or a teddy bear.
- When the child reaches for a bright, interesting mug, give it to him, holding and letting him swallow. See that he does not choke. You need to start with a small amount of the drink, gradually increasing it.
To cope with your child's reluctance to give up the bottle, you can try another method:First, start drinking it from a spoon. The spoon contains just one sip of liquid. When the baby learns to swallow several times in a row, you can move on to the cup. If the baby cannot close his lips around the edge of the cup and the drink spills, help him and lightly squeeze his lips with your fingers.
Do not worry
The child learns to drink from the mug 🙂
Remember that every child is different. One may flatly refuse the mug, while the other himself, following the example of his parents, begins to reach for the mug. If you are told that it is high time to teach your child to drink from a cup, and you are doing everything wrong, do not pay attention.
The fact that your baby is not yet ready to drink from a mug should not be unusual. Each child has its own characteristics in development. You don't even need to worry and worry. Very soon he, with your help, will learn.
Don't forget to praise him for his success. Teach and show patiently how to drink. Talk to your child and praise even failure. The process of weaning from the bottle should leave only positive emotions in the child's memory.
Learning further: how to teach a child to use a spoon | How to teach a child to eat independently and carefully
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