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Spout Accessories

About Spout Cup Accessories

As your baby grows up, it is time for them to learn more about how grown-ups do things, bit by bit. Sippy cups are a great way to teach them to transition from drinking from feeding bottles to drinking from normal cups. And to make things easier, you also need to use spout cup accessories.

Now that you’ve started your baby’s transition from breast or bottle to spout cups, what other preparations will you still need for your little one? Aside from purchasing age-appropriate containers, also look out for spouted accessories that can help your baby’s experience of sipping and drinking a lot better and safer. But before you start shopping, read this article to get a better understanding of them. That will, in turn, help you select the right spout cup accessories for your baby since you have many options to choose from. This guide will assist you in selecting the best. So, read on!

Everything you need to know about spout cup accessories

A sippy cup is basically a training cup. It is a good tool to teach the baby to transition from a nipple bottle to a regular cup. The shape of the sippy cup might look a lot like a feeding bottle itself. But instead of the plastic nipples, a sippy cup has a spout or straw. This helps the kids to learn to pour the drink into their mouths instead of suckling. But the spout makes it less likely to spill. The most attractive thing about this cup is that the liquid does not fill the cup even if the baby drops it. Here you can learn everything about them.

Spout cup parts

Spout cups have different parts and are made for different ages. Aside from the cup, it usually includes handles, a lid, valve, cover, spout and straw. All of these together make a spout safe and easy for even small babies to drink themselves. But they might take some time before realising how to hold and drink from the cup. So, you will have to help them drink a number of times before they figure out how to do it. And if the baby has already drunk too much and still wants to play with the cup, you can close the valve of the cup and let them play with it afterwards.

Soft spout and hard spout

Infants start with sippy containers that have nipple-like, soft spouts. It’s usually made with a flexible top that closely resembles the mother’s nipple. This is the ideal material to use for your baby, as it’s gentle on sensitive gums. Also, sippy cups come with non-spill valves, which helps prevent leaks and spills. Hard spouts, on the other hand, are bite-resistant and are perfect for teething kids. This is ideal for children that are 12 months and older because this is the stage when the baby starts to drink from their containers more confidently.

Benefits of spout cups for babies

Grip handles on spouted cups are quite essential for babies that are just starting to develop their motor skills. Containers that come with adjustable handles will help make it easy for little ones to hold and manoeuvre. Small babies love to grasp and hold things, and a sippy cup is an excellent tool to use, as these are created with holders that go well with your baby’s tiny, little hands. Sippy cups with straws are ideally used by kids that are 12 months and older. It’s a useful tool, especially when a baby is learning to improve their oral motor strength, speech development and oral structure. It can also help strengthen their lips, cheeks and tongue.

Cleaning set

You should also have a cleaning brush set for your baby’s sippy cup and straw. Most sets include a long straw brush that can reach all the way to the bottom and a lid brush that can fit and clean hard-to-reach spots. Some also include brushes specifically for cleaning valves and spouts. If you’re expressing breast milk, you can also use this to clean breast pump parts. Even though it is possible to clean a spout cup accessory using any simple cleaning tool that you use in the kitchen, only a dedicated cleaning set can reach every corner of it easily.

Tips on how to buy Spout Cup Accessories

Now that you know the different spout cup accessories, the next step is to find safe tableware for your child. Not all baby stuff is child-friendly, so always be on the lookout for those that follow industry standards. Although choosing the right spout cup accessories might seem like a simple task, it is harder than you think. But not if you know what criteria to consider in them. Here are some tips that you can follow when you are shopping for spout cup accessories.

  • Material Sippy cups come in different materials. Some are made using plastic, glass, silicone and even biopolymer (just to name a few). You will see a lot of plastic-made containers in the market today, and some of these tend to leach chemicals into food. But if it’s BPA-free, then it’s safe to use by your baby. If you’re out to look for safer substitutes for your baby, consider buying something that is made of biopolymer. It’s an eco-friendly material that is made from items like corn or rice husks.
  • Age of your child Some spout cup accessories are for older kids, while some others are for small babies. Usually, it is not that difficult to choose the right accessories as manufacturers themselves mention the age recommendation on the packaging itself.
  • Size There is a fine balance to strike when it comes to choosing the size of the cup. If the cup is small for the kid, that means it won’t be able to hold enough water for the kid, which makes it less useful. But if it is too large for the kid, they might find it hard to hold the cup and drink from it.
  • Durability For babies, spout cup accessories might also double as toys. They will thrash them on the floor and throw them around. The material of the cup should be durable enough to hold up to all those things. Therefore, go for good quality plastic or silicone cup.

Children grow up amazingly fast. Therefore, the switch between a straw, soft spout, and hard spout will happen faster than you anticipate. Also, it might not be easy to figure out if your baby is ready to transition from one phase to another. And finally, don’t forget to check out other amazing products from the Baby & Toddler category.

Question & Answer

Do spout cups need handles?

The reason to use a spout cup for feeding the baby is not to let them hold on to the same cup forever. Rather, you should encourage them to learn how to drink using a normal cup. But this process will take years. First, you need to start from the basics. So, do you need handles for the spout cup? Well, it depends. If your baby is smaller than one year old, then handles are necessary for them to hold the cup without dropping it. But if they are older than that, it is better to show them how to hold the cup without a handle.

Can you carry the spout cup while travelling?

Yes, you can carry the spout cup with you even when you are travelling. But make sure that the cup you have is leakproof. Fortunately, it is not difficult to come across leakproof spout cup accessories. Sometimes they are also called leakproof trainer cups. Also, choose a straw or spout instead of a free-flow model while you’re travelling. Small kids will find it easy to drink from a straw or spout from a moving vehicle. Having a handle is better while travelling, even if the kid otherwise is good at drinking from a cup without a handle.

What if the baby refuses to drink from the spout cup?

It is natural for some babies to not like sippy cups at first. We recommend you dip the cup’s spout in breast milk or formula so that the baby will start sucking. You can also try putting a bottle nipple in his or her mouth before giving the cup. And when the baby starts sucking, you can replace it with a sippy cup. Switching to a spout cup halfway through breastfeeding can also do the same thing. This way, you can do the rest of the feeding using the cup. Sometimes, the reason that babies refuse to drink from sippy cups can be that it is difficult for them to drink from one. In that case, try modifying the spout to make it easy for the water to flow out.

Where to buy spout cup accessories online in the UAE?

Choose from a wide selection of spout cup accessories when you go online shopping in UAE. There are more than 500 shops offering baby tableware on Shops.ae. You can choose among the popular brands: Philips Avent, NUK, Boon, Tommee Tippee, Munchkin, and Dr Brown’s. To explore more options, check out our product search engine today! If you are looking for cheap options, you can compare prices here. Moreover, you can filter products based on your other preferences as well.