Natalie has been using an Avent sippy cup, with the valve in backwards, to drink. The milk/pediasure flows out, so she doesn't have to suck, and she has actually resisted sucking when we turn the valve correctly.
Yesterday Christina, Natalie's OT, put some cuts in the sippy cup valve. At first a few drops would come out without Natalie's sucking, and it encouraged her to suck. Now it seems nothing comes out without her sucking, but I'm sure it comes out more easily than a non-modified valve. Anyway, yesterday we tried it several times and Natalie took about 20 minutes to drink one ounce. Today she drank about 4 ounces in 20 minutes--all work she had to do--so I think she's getting the hang of it! I'm going to give her another day or so with the modified valve, then use an intact valve and see if she'll use that. Whoo hoo!
She also likes to hold the cup with it's handles. She can bring it to her mouth, but not in a very coordinated way (we hold the cup for her if we want her to actually drink). But if she can finally use a valve in the right way, then I can give her a cup more often to practice self-feeding, and not worry about making a huge mess. Her favorite thing is to bang the cup on her highchair, and smile at us as if we're sharing a great joke.
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