When Mackenzie was 5.5 months, I took her out to my local café for a cup of tea and biscuits. The food came with a carafe of water and a small cup. I took a sip of water and realized the cup is the perfect size to feed a baby, so I offered some to Mackenzie. She took it immediately.  Some water spilled, but it wasn’t a big deal compared to giving her a new experience.  She drank more every time I offered it to her – she clearly enjoyed it.

Now, one meal per day, they drink water out of a small glass cup along with their food. There’s quite a lot of spillage, but they love it.  Another step toward independence.

Once your baby starts eating solids, introduce her to a cup. Not a sippy cup, but a real baby-sized glass cup (we use shot glasses). It will take some time for her to learn to drink without spillage, but it is worth it. Pour just 1/2 inch of water each time till they get better and better at drinking without spilling.

Brooke at 8.5 months, she loves drinking water by herself!

Today, I met a 1-yr-old who has only been allowed to feed herself cheerios. She is spoonfed the rest of the time. Her mom tells me she doesn’t like to eat, I told her it’s bc she hasn’t experienced the pleasure of food. When M&B eats, they grab it with their fingers, smear it on their face, some ends up on their chin, cheeks, legs and up their nose. They feel the cold wetness of watermelon, the warmth and slipperiness of farfalle pasta, and they love to squeeze their fingers through bananas! Brooke’s first word was, “Yummy.”

The “aftermath”