My name’s Erica Andrews. I’m a speech therapist here to talk about picking out bottles and sippy cups for your children. We know there are so many options and it can be overwhelming. So here are some recommendations.
What Are the Best Baby Bottles for Healthy Feeding Development?
Dr. Brown bottles are a go-to bottle system that a lot of our speech therapists like. They’re also often used in NICU (neonatal intensive care units). The Dr. Brown bottle system has a more narrow nipple. This allows your baby’s tongue to cup the bottom of the nipple, getting better suction and control of their feeding. This will help create a positive and happy feeding experience for your child. We also know that this doesn’t work for everybody. If this isn’t a good fit, there are other options. We’ve just found that Dr. Brown bottles tend to be a favorite.
When Should You Introduce Sippy Cups?
Now to sippy cups. We often recommend that they be introduced around six months of age. Make sure your child is able to sit up with minimum assistance. Also make sure that they can help you hold the cup and that they show interest in holding the cup and drinking.
As speech therapists, we like to introduce cups with a straw. This allows for oral motor skills to be introduced and continues building their feeding skills. There’s nothing wrong with using a hard spout or soft spout sippy cup, but prolonged use can have a negative impact on how the roof and inside of their mouth is shaped, and on the teeth that are coming in.
We know that it’s hard to avoid using hard spout or soft spout sippy cups; they can be the most convenient and less messy. But whenever you have the chance, offer an open cup or a straw cup to your kiddo. That will help them with their feeding skills. By three or five years of age, they’ll be better able to use the muscles and parts of their mouth in a more appropriate way.
Contact Building Futures for More Information
If you have any questions about baby bottles and sippy cups and how they affect your child’s development, feel free to reach out to Building Futures at our locations in Monroe or Ruston. We’ll be happy to help you!
