There are a lot of things to learn with a first baby-turning-toddler… High chair or not? Co sleeping options as baby grows and rolls? When to introduce solids and what solids to introduce… Baby Led Weaning or not? Sippy cup or straw cup? When to allow watching TV and what programs, if that!? When do I start tooth brush training? What is the best way to potty train? Should we work on sign language? The list goes on and on and on.
So… In transitioning Kamea to drinking fluids on her own when not breastfeeding, we opted for two kinds of cups. We went with a straw sippy-type cup (I’ve read that traditional sippy cups can cause speech problems and experts recommend straw cups instead) … and the brilliant Doidy Cup.
Let’s start with the Thinkbaby straw cup. It seemed to be love at first site. It passed the eco-mama issues (BPA free, etc), it was a straw cup (importance of that detailed above), and Kamea took to it with the first attempt. I thought we were home free for a while, I was bubbling over with excitement at how well she used it. Such a proud mama! But, when it came time to clean the darned thing, problems! I’ll put it mildly… it’s a pain in the ass. Nonetheless, we still use it occasionally because it (kind of) works for smoothies better than a traditional cup.
A couple of things: For the most part, it keeps the beverage in the cup and not on Kamea’s shirt (notice I wrote “for the most part” – that’s because it’s not spill proof depending on what the contents are, but the spills that have happened are not catastrophic). And, I like that it’s pretty much airtight so her smoothie doesn’t oxidize if she takes her time drinking it. I’ll be honest, I have a love-hate relationship with this straw cup, so I recently ordered another brand to compare. Maybe all straw cups have the same issues… I’ll see and report back.
The next cup that I really love, and what this post is about really, is the Doidy Cup. This cup meets the eco-mama issues and is brilliant in helping your child really learn to drink from a regular cup. I LOVE IT! It’s an awesome transition cup because of its unique design where she learns to drink from a rim cup without having to force her head back. First things first, right?
I think the aforementioned straw cup is useful because she likes to carry it around, dangling from her hand. So, that cup has its place in our lives for now. You couldn’t do that with the Doidy Cup unless you didn’t mind the contents being all over the floor. But, Kamea can’t always drink out of a straw cup, right?! She needs to learn how to drink from a regular cup eventually, and the Doidy Cup is great for that.
Here are some details I grabbed from Amazon about it.
Product Features
- It may look strange! but for teaching your child to drink from a rim it is the best!
- The DOIDY Cup was scientifically designed with its unique slant to teach children to drink from a rim and NOT a spout.
- Weaning ~ The DOIDY Cup is an ideal aid to weaning as the natural mouth action used is the same as in breast feeding.
- The DOIDY Cup is made from food safe HD Polyethylene and is Bisphenol free.
- This proven 40 year-old design helps your baby learn to drink safely from a cup with fewer spillages along the way. The DOIDY Cups are UNICEF baby friendly and they are sold by the National Childbirth Trust in the U.K.
Product DescriptionThe Doidy cup is an ideal aid to weaning as the natural mouth action used is the same as in breast feeding. Babies as young as 3 months find the two handled cup easy to hold and use but with Mum’s help the cup can be used from birth. The unique slant of this cup enables your baby to drink easily as she moves from breast to cup. Starting with a small amount of liquid she will soon become adept at drinking from it. Complete with resealable bag for travelling. Dishwasher (top shelf) and microwave safe. Imported. Designed and made in the U.K.