When should your baby start drinking from a cup?
Once your baby is six months old, it is a good idea to get them used to drinking from a cup. Find out why and how to do it.
If you have chosen to bottle feed your baby or you are cutting
back on breast feeds, from six months onwards it is a good idea to
get your baby used to drinking from a cup. Comfort sucking on
sweetened drinks from a bottle is a major cause of tooth decay in
young children. Also, sucking on a bottle can become a habit that
is hard to break in some babies.
How can I get my baby used to a cup?
- Start by giving your baby sips of water from a cup with their
meals, as well as between meals if you are bottle feeding.
- After that, you can try cutting out a bottle feed at one meal
in the day and using a cup instead.
- Do this until eventually your baby is taking all their milk
from a cup.
Aim to have your baby weaned off their bottle and using a cup by
their first birthday.
What kind of cup should my baby use?
An open cup or a free-flow cup without a valve will help your baby
learn to sip and is better for your baby's teeth.