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Praise & Giveaway: The First Lil’ Gripper Straw Trainer Cup

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I can remember the day that my son learned to drink from a straw.  We had forgotten his trainer cup at home and we were eating out at a restaurant.  The waiter had grown tired of watching my husband and I take turns power wrestling a cup to his mouth so he could have a drink and casually suggested that he could teach Eph to drink from a straw.  Now, we had tried this multiple times and it had never worked for us, but that night, during stops at our table, my son learned to drink from a straw. 


Now parents don’t have to let random strangers teach their children to drink from a straw because Playtex Baby has introduced the first squeezable trainer straw cup perfect for teaching babies to suck and drink from a straw. 



The feature that I like best about the The Playtex Lil’ Gripper Straw Trainer is the special squeezing feature that can be used by an adult to help push the liquid up, allowing the child to learn to suck more easily.  


Because of my daughter’s trachea/laryingomalacia she has a very difficult time drinking liquids. Half of what she takes in she swallows and the other half dribbles down her chin.  Most trainer cups are either too slow or too quick for her so using straws was a recommendation made by her speech therapist. 



Lu really likes the Lil’ Gripper Straw Trainer and I like it because it helps us to teach her to keep the cup in the down position to get the liquids to come up.  This allows her to get the right amount to swallow rather than the “flood” that comes from a normal cup.  Plus because the cup has a Twist ‘n Click leak proof top, she can tilt it up or down without it spilling all over the place.

Wondering if your baby/toddler is ready to start using a trainer cup? 

Here is a list of Sippy Cup Do’s & Don’ts from expert pediatrician Dr. Bill Sears and Playtex that you are sure to love – 
  1. Do enjoy this wonderful milestone with your baby who will proudly master a cup at her own pace.
  1. Don’t be in a hurry. Wait until baby can sit up and hold an object with both hands — usually between 6 to 10 months.
  1. Do choose a first cup with easy-to-grasp handles and a soft spout that’s gentle on baby’s sensitive gums — like the Playtex® The First Sipster® cup, designed with a feeding specialist and pediatrician. 
  1. Do make it fun for your baby by playing a little game. Sit face to face with him and place an empty cup within his reach. Drink from your cup and see if he grabs his sippy to mimic your actions.
  1. Do consider a cup that your child can hold and control easily and can help them transition from bottle to cup. The First Lil’ Gripper™ Straw Trainer Cup was designed with a child development expert for just this purpose. This easy-to-use cup helps moms teach their babies how to suck and drink from a straw. It’s ergonomically designed with easy grip handles for little hands and also has a squeezing feature, such that a parent can squeeze, but a child could not easily do so. 
  1. Don’t overfill the cup when baby is first learning to use it. Start by adding water or diluted juice into the cup only to about one quarter-full until baby’s skills mature.
  1. Don’t worry about spills or leaks as babies graduate from trainer cups. With the Playtex® Twist ‘N Click lid — you’ll see and hear it click closed — and you’ll know it’s Leak-Proof Guaranteed!
  1. Do enjoy every moment of your baby’s newly blossoming independence as he makes his way up to the big-kid cups.

Is this just the trainer cup you’ve been looking for? 
Want to try one out with your little one? 

Playtex Baby is giving one of YOU a free Lil’ Gripper Straw Trainer Cup in your choice of color! 

Mandatory Entry: How have you trained a little one to use a straw? Haven’t yet? Which one of the Do’s and Don’ts do you think will be the most helpful?

Extra Entries:
  • Visit the Playtex Baby Website and tell me your favorite feature of the new Lil’ Gripper Straw Trainer Cup.
  • Follow on Google Friend Connect.
  • Like Playtex Baby on Facebook.
  • Like Sunshine Praises on Facebook.
  • Follow Playtex Baby on Twitter.
  • Follow Sunshine Praises on Twitter.
  • Sign up for Sunshine Praises Email (3 entries – do each separate)!
  • Tweet this (2x per day): 

#Win a Lil’ Gripper Straw Cup from @SunshinePraises & @PlaytexBaby Enter Here – http://bit.ly/h3ba3j #giveaway #contest #baby


Giveaway ends on Sunday, May 1st, 2011 at 11:59 EST. The winners will be selected by random.org and notified by email and will have 48 hours to reply back before a new winner is selected. Must be 18 years of age to enter. No purchase necessary. Open to US residents only.


I was not financially compensated for this post. I was given a sample product from the company. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and have not been in any way influenced. For my full disclosure statement click here.*

This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media!

Comments

  36. Lola G says

    She likes to use a straw but still gets confused sometimes! I never taught her to blow in it though because that would just make lots of messes!
    lkgreene05(at)yahoo(dot)com

  57. Sarah Schulz says

    I trained my son (9 mos) to use a straw this week! After I read this post I ran out and got one and it worked! 2 squeezes and he can use a straw now. Thank you!