For many, parenting is an epiphany, revealing the rapid passage of time and the seemingly temporary nature of everything. Every baby phase comes and goes before you realize it, and so does all the baby gear, from books and toys to bottles and sippy cups. This can make a minimalist lifestyle seem impossible, but it’s not; it’s just a little challenging to find the right balance.
While it’s true that there’s tons of baby stuff that’s essential, such as diapers and clothes, you don’t need everything that is marketed for babies. When it comes to sippy cups too, you simply need to do some research and figure out what will work for your baby for the next year so that you don’t need to buy more than one sippy cup.
How to Choose One Sippy Cup to Do It All
If you want to take the easy and quick approach, simply look at sippy cup recommendations from experts and parents as this will help you narrow down your choices significantly. These curated lists also often include links to discounts or sales so you can get a great deal.
You can also try to browse through parenting communities and shopping site reviews to find out what parents have to say about specific products that you might be considering. If you find that some products serve parents well for the entire transition period from bottle feeding to open cup drinking, you can assume that it will probably also work for you.
Once you’ve narrowed down your options, it would be a good idea to consider these features to make sure that you don’t need to get another sippy cup again.
Leak Proof – Avoid sippy cups with no-spill valves as they will not help your baby learn to drink independently and are also associated with developmental problems. You can still get leak proof sippy cups that work just as well without the valves. They use weighted bottoms, flattened straws, and other design features to prevent toppling and the backflow of liquids.
Easy to Use – A sippy cup that’s going to serve all your needs must be functional and easy for your baby to use. This means that it should have handles or a textured surface for easy gripping so that your baby can maneuver it easily. Cups with soft silicone spouts are likely to be easier to use as hard spouts can cause some discomfort to a teething baby.
Easy to Clean – Constantly having to clean up after a baby can be tedious, but hygiene is non-negotiable, especially when you’re dealing with a food storage container for your baby. You can lighten your burden a bit by choosing a cup that is completely dishwasher safe and easy to clean. Some products contain several parts that have to be handwashed so find out what other parents have to say.
Toxin Free – These days it can be tough to find products that are free of toxins, but there are things that you can do to protect your baby from exposure. When buying a sippy cup, make sure that it is free from BPA, BPAAs, and phthalates. These are chemicals that are commonly used in plastics and they have been linked to endocrinal disorders and cancer.
Fun for Baby – While you may find the best possible sippy cup in terms of safety, utility, and durability, it won’t do you much good if your baby doesn’t care for it. To make sure it does it all for you, simply narrow down the options, but leave the final choice to your baby. Sippy cups come in a range of colors, as well as with animal designs and cartoon characters so just figure out which one excites your baby the most. This will make the transition so much easier for both you and your baby.
Marissa is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist turned stay-at-home mom who loves sharing her tips, tricks, and ideas for navigating motherhood. Her days are filled starting tickle wars and dance parties with three energetic toddlers and wondering how long she can leave the house a mess until her husband notices. When she doesn’t have her hands full of children, she enjoys a glass (or 3) of wine, reality tv, and country music. In addition to blogging about all things motherhood, she sells printables on Etsy and has another website, teachinglittles.com, for kid’s activity ideas.
