Question

A mother is breastfeeding her newborn. She asks when she can switch the baby to a cup. The nurse concludes that the mother understands the teaching about feeding when she says she will start to introduce a cup after the baby reaches:

1. 4 months

2. 6 months

3. 12 months

4. 16 months (Nugent 329)
Nugent, Patricia M. Mosby's Review Questions for the NCLEX-RN® Examination, 7th Edition. Mosby, 2011. VitalBook file.

Answer 1

A mother can consider introducing a cup to her breastfeeding baby at around 6 months of age, when the infant has developed sufficient motor skills and visual acuity to handle a cup.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer to the question regarding when a mother understands she can introduce a cup to her breastfeeding newborn is around 6 months of age. At this stage, infants develop the ability to pick up objects, transfer them from hand to hand, and sit upright, which are key skills needed to handle drinking from a cup. Moreover, their vision is nearly as acute as an adult's and they begin to understand their environment better, enjoy vocal play, and may make two-syllable sounds. Introducing a cup at about 6 months can facilitate the transition from exclusive breastfeeding as the infant starts to develop the necessary motor skills to use a cup.