I did a ton of research before investing in bottles. I searched the internet high and low for bottles that were the most compatible with nursing babies - lots and lots of "top five" and "top ten" lists. There is a lot of variation, but the most consistent bottle brand I saw listed was Tommee Tippee. They had them at our local Target in stock, so that's what we've used since Peanut went to daycare. He's done great with them, but he's nine months now. He's very, very active, and is starting to resist the bottle. This is strange, as his sister, who also nursed, probably would have stuck with a bottle until she was three if we'd allowed it to happen.
I again did research, and found that Tommee Tippee was the top name in sippy cups for nursing babies. I got lucky enough to get to try a few of their cups! Here is their website for sippy cups: LINK
First we tried the 6m+ First Straw Transition cup (LINK):
It comes in a wide range of colors. It's just the right size for a 6-month-old to use for practice - Peanut was easily able to hold the handles (which are also removable). He did well with the straw, and loved putting it in his mouth. He sort of understood the process, but I had a feeling that he'd do better with a spout. (We've since come back to the straw with much more success!)
Luckily, we also had a 7m+ Trainer Sippee Cup (LINK).
Again, they are just adorable. The handles were very easy to use, but Peanut prefers to hold it like a bottle, so we removed them:
It's very hard to get a good shot of this little man these days just because he's a blur of activity, but he loves this sippy. He began by drinking water out of it, but he's transitioned at daycare to also drinking breast milk out of it. This has been great for many reasons. It gives him more control over his eating experience than he had when the teachers had to give him a bottle, and it teaches him autonomy. It's also a good transition away from the bottle that he would need to make at the daycare center we use at the time he moves to the 1-year-old toddler room.
The cup itself is also wonderful. It's BPA-free, which is important to me. The spout is rubber, which he loves to chew on while he's hardcore-teething. This style does not seem to leak at all, which is a big bonus to me since he likes to keep it nearby while playing. It's also incredibly easy to wash, since the entire top is just one piece. It's been a wonderful trainer cup for us.
We have not yet transitioned to the 9m+ Sippee Cup (LINK), but I am excited to do so. There is a higher capacity for fluid in there, which will be nice as Peanut begins drinking more fluids. The lids seem like they would be swappable with the 7m+ trainer cups, so I am also glad that I will have more options. All of the Tommee Tippee cups are dishwasher-safe, so they are wonderful options for our family-on-the-go.
In short, I would highly recommend the Tommee Tippee line of sippy cups. For our little man who is pretty attached to Mama, these have been an easy transition from the bottle and to a little more freedom. We will definitely be using these long-term - and further exploring the Tommee Tippee line as he grows into toddlerhood!
