Talktools Honey Bear Drinking Cup with 2 Flexible Straws - Includes Instructions - Spill-proof Lid by TalkTools

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As pediatric speech-language pathologists of Speech Sisters, we hear four common questions pertaining to the “bottle to cup” transition. Here is the WHEN, WHY, WHAT and HOW to make this transition easy and successful! Question #1A: WHEN should I introduce my baby to a cup?

Honey Bear Cup | Sensational Kids Honey Bear Cup | Sensational Kids

As a speech therapist specializing in oral motor development, I have very strong opinions about cup drinking.Teaching your toddler how to drink from a cup is a precursor to speech development, and making a smooth transition now will prevent problems down the road. How Bottle Drinking Effects Tongue Position Kary Rappaport, a Solid Starts feeding specialist, teaches her daughter Lucy, 7 months, how to drink from a straw with the pipette method. Straw trainer method In some therapy circles, the honey bear is an obvious adaptation that is used to help kids learn to drink from a straw. I was unaware of this great use of a honey bear for many many years, and it was kind of a “duh” moment when I learned about using it. You don’t actually have to use a honey bear, and I have used condiment squeeze bottles as well because I did not want to wait until I finished all of the honey and I could buy an empty picnic condiment bottle at walmart. OPEN CUPS WE LOVE: First, we advise introducing your baby to an open cup. We like to start with the (#1st Open Cup) Tiny Cup and then move to (#2nd Open Cup Options)another small, safe and soft rimmed open cup. See some of our favorite open cups below! Other side sipping cups are ok too! These are just our favorites!Open Cup #1: (5-6 months old) The EZPZ Tiny Cup is a silicone training cup specifically designed for infants by a pediatric feeding specialist. The Tiny Cup is made to help a baby smoothly transition from a bottle to cup. The description of this cup says, “open cup drinking supports healthy oral and speech development, aids with teething, helps baby learn to have a strong swallow and can decrease tooth decay.” This cup is meant to be used with parent assistance. You will hold the cup to your baby’s mouth and allow your baby to take tiny sips from the rim.Open Cup #2 Option 1: (6 months old) Bambini Bear Elephant Mug is made from a soft and comfortable silicone material that is BPA free! This mug has “ a built-in handle that teaches kids to gradually learn to drink independently. This cup helps to improve fine motor skills and hand-arm coordination.” Additionally, this cup promotes proper tongue placement, so it is a great option!Open Cup #2 Option 2: (Any age) Olababy 100% Silicone Training Cup for Baby and Toddler. The Olababy Training cup is “gentle and flexible, specifically designed for little hands. The weighted base provides stability for toddlers trying to master fine motor skills and does not tip over easily. And the see-through measuring dots allow parents to monitor liquid consumption while doubling as a measuring cup.” And don’t forget it allows for proper tongue placement! Sounds like a win to us! STRAW CUPS WE LOVE:Straw Cup #1 (6 months old): Talktools Honey Bear Drinking Cup is the straw cup we like to introduce first. The description states, “a cute honey bear cup that teaches and helps transition to straw drinking. This cup is used by many speech and feeding therapists to teach tongue training, lip rounding, tongue retraction, and other oral motor skills.” You can squeeze the bottle of this cup to help push the liquid through the straw into your baby’s mouth. This will help your baby start to understand the purpose of drinking from a straw.Straw Cup #2: (8+ months old) We recommend introducing a weighted straw cup with handles. A weighted straw cup is spill-proof and allows a child to drink from any angle, while also being spill-proof! These more advanced straw cups will require your baby to engage those articulatory muscles (e.g. tongue, lips, cheeks) to gain access to the water inside. You have three great options here: Yes, cup drinking is messy for a few days. But open cups are much easier to clean than sippy cups and straw cups.To introduce an open cup:Step 1: Put a small amount of breast milk, formula, or water* (1-2 oz at most) in a cup. Show your baby how it’s done by bringing the open cup to the table at mealtime with 1-2 oz of breast milk, formula, or water in it. EZPZ Tiny Cup : Designed by a speech therapist, this cup has a weighted base and little bumps on the bottom to help prevent it from tipping over. It’s the perfect size for your little one’s tiny hands and mouths. Chase the why. If your baby is older than 8 months and/or starting to show outright refusal or frustration, continue to stay calm and unruffled. Take a minute to ask yourself, “why?” Does your baby want to do it independently and you’re trying to help? Is your baby just completely baffled about what to do with the cup or straw? Allow your answer to guide your support. For example, if your baby is independent, you may need to be hands-off, even if that means your baby spills water over and over again. Put only a small amount in the cup, bring a towel to the table, and remain calm. Modify the recommendations above based on what you suspect might be contributing to the refusal. Parents love the look of the Olababy, and appreciate that even if babies accidentally hit themselves in the face or mouth with this cup, the soft silicone won't bang them up. A final high point: When your baby's ready for an open cup, just take the straw and lid off and you're all set.

Honey Bear Cup - Etsy UK

Baby loves it. We have been using it for small sips of water since 8 months. Now he’s drinking 7 oz of formula out of it at lunch time. We have the ezpz also, but I find that he drinks much more from the Dr. Browns."Bottom line: if you’re just starting out, skip the sippy cups. If you’re set on using a sippy cup, we suggest a soft spout over a hard spout because they are more similar to a large straw and might not pin your baby’s tongue down quite as much as a hard spout. And if you’re already using a hard spout sippy cup and your baby loves it, don’t overthink it. Just consider practicing a straw or open cup over the next few months to begin transitioning away from the sippy. What about cups with handles, or a weighted straw, or a cut-out or angled rim, or… It looks like a little container that is commonly used to store honey. However, this adapted cup has helped many children who have struggled in their initial exposure and experience with straw drinking. It does this by creating a safe and no-fuss method to intake fluid. We recommend introducing your child to a side sipping cup (with your assistance) around 6 months of age, as this is the time that your baby will begin to eat food. Remember, at 6 months old a baby does not need more than an ounce or so of water. But, offering water around this time will help flush down solid food during mealtime and will allow your baby to become more comfortable with the act of drinking from a cup. Question #1B: WHEN should I wean my baby off of the bottle? Step 1: Bring the straw trainer with water, breast milk, or formula to the table and offer the straw to your baby by holding it in front of their mouth. Often babies who may have already decided that they hate straw cups will happily accept this cute little bear! The take and toss cups are brightly colored and fun as well. ADA. Undated. American Dental Association. Transitioning to Cups for Babies and Toddlers. https://www.happyfamilyorganics.com/learning-center/article/the-pros-and-cons-of-cups-sippy-cups-and-straws/ Opens a new window [Accessed March 2023]