With its soft, silicone, free-flow spout, this cup from NUK is a great choice for breastfed babies as it mimics the shape and feel of a breast while teaching them to sip from a cup. It’s a great place to start for your baby to develop more strength and coordination before moving onto an open cup or similar. Non spill cups with handles make the transition from table to mouth much simpler and less messy. The ability to grip large, grooved handles with two hands massively increases stability. Dentists suggest avoiding no-spill designs or sippy cups with valves in them. They recommend choosing an open cup, or a free-flow cup or beaker.

For the disabled, drinking cups that help them to sip a comforting cup of tea by themselves is a small act of independence that can be life changing. For carers, safe and sturdy drinking cups for the elderly relatives they care for will make a huge difference to the ease of their days. Limited co-ordinationYou might have looked at what cups are out there and if so, you’ll know the choice can be overwhelming. You can get sippy cups, beakers, ‘no-spill’ designs, free-flow and open cups for babies and toddlers. Here’s some advice:

Your Granny who loves a tipple but who also lives with Parkinson’s may love the idea of a non spill wine glass. Whereas a disabled friend might need a cup that allows them to drink tea independently without choking or dropping the cup, then you would choose from the range of plastic mugs with handles on each side, a secure lid and multi-flow spout. The differences between non spill cups for adults and a non-spill cup elderly people might find useful aren’t necessarily huge. It can feel quite overwhelming to introduce a new way of drinking to your baby, especially at a time when you're also contending with the mess weaning brings along. Here's some advice from baby experts the NCT: Spoutless/flat lid: Lastly, there are cups with a flat lid - no spout at all. Like the Munchkin on this list, they’re sometimes called 360 cups. Kids can drink from any angle so it resembles a normal cup, but it still has a lid (often, this seals shut after use) to prevent spills.

Types of sippy cup

Resist letting your child crawl or walk around the house with a sippy cup all day long. Doing so may affect their appetite and cause dental issues, like tooth decay, if the sippy cup is filled with milk or juice. You can mix and match the lids and cups and write on them with a Sharpie to mark kids' names. They can be hand-washed or put in the dishwasher and reused but because they're not as durable as a regular sippy cup, you will eventually want to recycle them (if your town recycles plastic #5) or toss them (not eco-friendly, which is why we wouldn't use them as an everyday solution). We would not put these in a steam sterilizer either. While a ceramic mug with two handles and a good wide base may be the preferred choice of a lady who hates the thought of drinking her Earl Grey out of plastic drinking cups, they are clearly the least fragile option. Materials. If designed with plastic (which many are), ensure it’s BPA-free. A scientific review by the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology concluded that BPA exposure is associated with increased likeliness of anxiety, depression, and hyperactivity. Other commonly used safe materials include silicone (though you might have to replace these more often if your baby is teething) and stainless steel.

This doesn’t mean that a no handled mug is a bad idea. For the right person ‘grabbing’ a wide vessel between the palms will be much easier. Lids Leak-free design. Children are messy; no secret there. So leak-free and leak-resistant features are ideal. However, it’s important to remember that the ADA recommends transitioning to no-valve sippy cups to help your child learn how to sip. To begin with, your baby will still get most of their liquids from breast milk or formula milk (NHS Choices, 2015). So don’t worry if your baby becomes frustrated and wants to stop trying to drink water after a sip or two. I used one of these for my daughter, it took her a few attempts to get used to it and I didn’t push/rush it & just used bottles till she got the hang of it’ - recommended by Mumsnet user, MarigoldMoonStone Our Verdict Drinking cups with lids for elderly people often also provide the option to drink without them on. Some conditions can present symptoms on one day but not the next, so this level of flexibility is vital.Our support line offers practical and emotional support with feeding your baby and general enquiries for parents, members and volunteers: 0300 330 0700.