A sippy is the same as a bottle-relying on sucking. If you are eager to go to straw for speech/developmental reasons, do it. There will be a transition 3-5 days that could be tough but most children do not dehydrate or starve. It will be harder on you.

On the other hand-a sucking reflex is still positive for self soothing and you can wait until 18 mos before ditching.

We had good luck with the OXO Tot straw cup.

14:34 again - thought it would be helpful to mention: my 12.5 mo drinks about 10 ounces per day of WCM from a straw cup, eats 3 meals of solids + 1 snack, and nurses 2x/day. She also drinks water throughout the day. Milk is something we offer with meals, not a replacement for meals.

My daughter went straight from a bottle to a straw cup because she is obsessed with straws. Figured out how to drink from my straws at about 5 months and has wanted her very own straw since then. We sometimes use sippy cups for water because they leak less, but milk always goes in a straw cup.

My favorite is the Take and Toss straw cups because DD doesn't have to bite down on the straw or suck very hard - it's just set up like a normal cup with a straw. My second favorite is the orb-shaped Lasinoh Momma straw cup with handles. It rarely leaks and DD can easily pick it up and drink from it on her own.
I HATE the Zoli cup and will only use it for water. It leaks terribly.

We went straight to a straw cup, never bothered with the sippy. I assume you've dropped bottled entirely (or at least during the day)? I found that helped--we kept the bottle at naptime and bedtime, then dropped it except at bedtime, then dropped it altogether. But other than that, we only offered the cup. Because that was all that was on offer, she drank out of it.

Also, keep in mind that you don't want your kid drinking the same amount of cow's milk as breastmilk/formula. Milk is not a replacement for BM/formula--it's food. So the fact that they drink less milk from the cup is not necessarily a problem. "Liquid" isn't the first priority in terms of nutrition--don't equate BM with cow's milk.

Anonymous wrote:One more thing, this is 14:14. While my DS has transitioned quite well to the straw cup for water, he doesn't drink half as much milk from them as he will when using a bottle. I'm stuck on that one.

I guess it's because I've always given milk with bottle, water with sippy. Any advice on this end is appreciated too!

I see. I think that is my biggest concern. I don't want her toddling around at 3 still drinking from a bottle. But I also want her to have enough so that she doesn't go hungry. I guess once solids are even more heavily relied upon (post-12-months) my concerns will wane a bit, because liquid isn't the first priority nutrition-wise anymore.

One more thing, this is 14:14. While my DS has transitioned quite well to the straw cup for water, he doesn't drink half as much milk from them as he will when using a bottle. I'm stuck on that one.

I guess it's because I've always given milk with bottle, water with sippy. Any advice on this end is appreciated too!

Like a camelbak?

12 month DS did really well with this one, and actually drinks WAY more water now vs when he was on a soft spout sippy cup - probably because he was having to suck much harder to get the liquid out.

http://www.amazon.com/Nuby-Handle-Straw-Months-Colors/dp/B000Y2GY40

He now likes this one better with thinner straw, but we started with the thick straw first.

http://www.amazon.com/Zo-li-Bot-Straw-Sippy-Cup/dp/B0031E1GEG/ref=sr_1_2?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1391627575&sr=1-2&keywords=zoli+straw

I alternate between the sippy and straw for my 13 month old. She most definitely prefers the sippy though. I have found that cups with wider the normal straws helps her a little bit. She still automatically tips it up to get the last bit out and then gets frustrated so I usually hold it in place for the last bit for her to suck up in straw. Its just a gradual transition but try something with a wider straw if possible.

My daughter is 11 months old. I know I need to wean to a sippy or straw cup, and I have bought several. I'm trying to at least use the straw cup in public and at the table, and she will take a little bit, like an ounce or two. She's taken 4-5 oz too, but it takes a loooong time. I pour whatever is left into a bottle right before nap or bed and give her the rest then. The fact that she's at least taking some of a cup seems to be a good sign; anything else you'd recommend to help her transition?