Lots of toddler questions!

Hi denny

1) How do I teach her to drink from a straw? Shes using a normal sippy cup at the moment and I saw today in the supermarket the 12 month plus cups have straws. Do i need to teach her to drink from a straw at all even?
I didn't really teach Hannah, as such. I just bought one of those cheapie dinkee drinkie cups and left her to it. She figured it out before too long (she still gets a little confused and tips the cup up, while sucking on the straw but then she remembers).

2) Should I offer her milk in a bottle still or in her sippy cup?
Hannah's morning and night milk is still in a bottle. But she drinks milk out of her sippee cup during the day (we're still learning how to use a normal cup).

3) When should I be teaching her to use a spoon?
Anytime is good, really. Hannah's been experimenting since she was about 14 months old. She's only just now (at almost 19 months) really got the hang of it, but I know of others who were earlier, some later.

4) She is still rearfacing in her convertible car seat - should I have it forward facing now. She is about 10kg.

Still rear-facing here, in the infant position. I haven't even thought about putting her upright. It's never crossed my mind, to be honest. I'd like to know what others do on this one, too.
She's not quite 10kg. We'll keep her rear facing until she's 12kg, as that's how heavy her carseat will allow.

But that's just how we do it. I'd like to see what others do, as I'm still clueless

I agree with everything the others said. I turned Tom around in his carseat at 11months and he loved it! You dont have to turn them round at a set time...if they are happy rear facing it is the safest for them.

1) How do I teach her to drink from a straw? Shes using a normal sippy cup at the moment and I saw today in the supermarket the 12 month plus cups have straws. Do i need to teach her to drink from a straw at all even?

I'd just offer it and if she's interested then she is, otherwise no biggie! Harry liked to copy us so he'd watch and eventually got it.


2) Should I offer her milk in a bottle still or in her sippy cup?

Whatever you prefer really... Harry still has his in a bottle, just cos I know he'll drink more that way. Though I'm gonna change him over to a sippy cup soon.


3) When should I be teaching her to use a spoon?

Def give her one to play with now and she'll learn that way. Harry was feeding himself weetbix totally independant at 13 months I think, weetbix is a good one to start with actually cos it's easy to scoop and thick so it doesn't fall off too easily.


4) She is still rearfacing in her convertible car seat - should I have it forward facing now. She is about 10kg.

Personally, I'd keep her rearfacing for as long as possible. It's a heck of a lot safer rearfacing (in case of accident), and although they say you can put them forwardfacing at 1 year, that doesn't mean you should. My boy is still rearfacing at 19 months and over 13kg, and will for a while yet (his carseat goes up to 25kg rearfacing). I say if she's happy, keep her rearfacing as it's safer if there's an accident. You might be interested in this vid... watch til it gets to the crash test dummy part... rearfacing video

) How do I teach her to drink from a straw? Shes using a normal sippy cup at the moment and I saw today in the supermarket the 12 month plus cups have straws. Do i need to teach her to drink from a straw at all even?
We bought Jackson a sippy cup with a straw, it did'nt take him long to figure it out.

2) Should I offer her milk in a bottle still or in her sippy cup?
We offered Jackson milk at lunch in a sippy cup at first, and he kept with his morning and evening bottle. We've now dropped his morning one (he's 16 mos) and have replaced it with a sippy cup.

3) When should I be teaching her to use a spoon?
I gave Jackson a spoon to play with while I'd feed him. At the moment he still hasn't quite got the hang of it, he usually gives up and picks it up with his hands!

4) She is still rearfacing in her convertible car seat - should I have it forward facing now. She is about 10kg.

When I went to my Porse Carseat safety course, the plunket nurse said to keep them rear facing as long as possible if your car seat allows it. She said even if the legs are hanging out of the carseat they are still much safer rear facing. She mentioned in some other countries children at 6 years were still rear facing (Not in baby carseats though!)
I personally have Jackson forward facing as he's a monster!!

though re the bottles he still likes to try to throw the dinky cup we offer so as if yesterday he has no more cups of milk at night ...will be given at lunch or sometime instead.

all of it is personal preference..for me getting rid of the bottle was important...some people don't mind...

Hey chic my 2 are 16 months

1) We got our girls the bottles your talking about at 10 months it took them a while to figure out how to use them. Usually they would just suck the water up then spit it down them so we started by giving them the bottles when they were in the bath so they could make a mess and get used to using it. I think these bottles are a great buy :)

2) We still give milk in a bottle. One in the morning one at night We'll probably stop at 18 months

3) We still haven't tried teaching them to use a spoon. I'm terrified of the mess lol

4) Doesn't hurt to keep them rear facing for longer but we had ours turned around before the girls we're 1