Baby is 6 months old and can’t take a bottle?

Next Steps?

It’s not that baby won’t they just can’t !

By 6 months a baby’s oral cavity has changed . There is so much room and the tongue is dynamic and some baby’s are starting solids

I work together with families using techniques to help their babies drink from a bottle but it doesn’t always work so what next ?

If your baby can sit up mostly unsupported with stable head control either in a parents lap or in a highchair then can start trying a straw sip cup

Straw sip cups are preferred over spout sippy cups as they promote more dynamic oral development, for example lip sealing around the straw.

The straw sip cups with a solid base and a valve in them are too difficult for a young baby to be able to learn how to draw up the. liquid thats why we start with the squeezable !

What will you need?

-a soft silicone straw (buy a cheap silicone straw cup from bigw/kmart and take out the straw).

N.B Some of the cheaper soft silicone straw cups at kmart/target and baby bunting other than the one below when squeezed the top pops off and they are not clear so you can’t tell how much liquid is in it . But the straw comes in handy as your spare straw

-bibs, cloths as this is going to get messy!!!!

-patience !

Equipment availablilty in Australia is a little limited but the devices below are the most easily accessible that fit the bill

The Reflo cup with a flow regulator is for when the straw sip cups are not working out

N.BIf the baby is going to childcare you will need to check that they are happy to have breastmilk being taken in a sip cup or a open cup

Contact me for more information on the process of how to introduce the straw sip cup . If you would like to still try to have a bottle in the mix then I have gentle strategies we could try at the same time .

Honey Bear Therapy Straw Cup

The Therapy Store Australia or Lactation Matters

Soft Silicone Straw cup

Little Rawr Smoothie Cup at Baby Bunting or online

Reflo drinking cup

Amazon Au or Lactation Matters

Squeeze and sip drinking cup

Amazon US or Lactation Matters