The BEST Straw Cup with Handles

Update: May 15, 2010

Another great NEW straw cup with handles found by a Mom on BabyCenter.
Check out the cool mOmma Rocking Cup Green

I have searched far and wide for the best straw cup with handles for my son. Trust me, I have looked everywhere! I finally found something Jack and I really like. It's the Combi Straw Cup and although it is rather pricey, it is far better than anything I have seen and well worth the money.

Combi Straw Cup

Pros:
1. No leaking
2. Easy clean
3. Lid closes tight for easy travel
4. Contoured handles
5. Lightweight
6. No straw biting needed to start flow of liquid

Cons:

1. Pricey at $13


I use the Combi cup for milk during meals and then I use the Munchkin Straw Cup for juice/water outside of mealtime. Since the Munchkin cup does not have handles and is heavier, I help Jack hand over hand and hold the cup with him. When he is stronger and a bit older, I am hoping he can hold it on his own (and not toss it across the room). Here is the cup.

Munchkin Straw Cup

Pros:
1. Easy clean
2. Good straw mechanism

Cons:
1. Leaks slightly from lid rim when upside down
2. Heavier
3. No handles


Now for beginner straw cup recommendations, I like the Rubbermaid Juice Box and the Honey Bear. I call these beginning straw cups because you are able to squeeze the liquid into your child's mouth for them to understand the objective, before they are able to actually use the straw themselves. I personally only used the Rubbermaid one, but many of Jack's friends love the Honey Bear cup. The key to teaching your child how to drink from a straw is repetition, repetition, repetition! I started Jack on a the Rubbermaid Juice box filled with water when Jack was 9 months old.


If you are interested in purchasing any of these 4 cups, here are the links.
Combi cup
Munchkin cup
Rubbermaid juice box
Honey bear





Nuby Straw Cup with handles - NO

This is a straw cup I considered buying, until I saw the tip of the straw. You have to bite the straw to get the liquid out, which does not teach the proper straw drinking technique. I would NOT recommend this straw cup.


Sippy Cups - NO

And for those of you wondering why I just don't use a sippy cup, since that's all that is sold in the stores. Drinking from a straw promotes a closed mouth drinking method, which is much more strengthening for those kids that have low-tone. Sippy cups promote open mouth drinking and only use muscles in the tongue to get the liquid out. Drinking from a straw teaches the correct drinking methods and erases confusion from going from bottle, to sippy cup, to open cup. Now for the typically developing kids out there, it's not the end of the world to use a sippy cup, but even for my baby #2, I plan to go straight to the straw cup from breastfeeding.  Here is a great article I found, So Long Sippy Cups.

*I consulted Jack's Speech Therapist for help in describing why straw cups are better.

**Also, I don't mean to preach, I just figured I'd help other Moms out there, since I've already done all the research.