Your baby changes and grows so much in this first year. Track your baby’s development month by month, encourage your baby’s learning with our suggested activities . Find practical information on health and safety. We can help you with tips on crying, sleeping or even what to look for when choosing a baby sitter. Have questions about basic care? We have the answers !
Introducing a cup to your baby
Starting at the age of around 6-7 months old, parents can introduce a cup or “sippy” cup.
Some infants do not take well to a cup, but you should try, try, and try again. Some things you can try if your little one is having difficulty: use a regular cup, a straw, or remove the valve from the sippy cup. Understand that it will get messy, but be patient.
At around 10-12 months of age, bottle feedings should start being eliminated and substituted for a cup. Trying to wean infants off of a bottle proves more difficult the older the baby. Parents can start removing one bottle feeding every few days, or once a week, leaving the night bottle feeding for last. Your baby probably will not drink as much in one sitting as they would a bottle, so a cup needs to be offered at least 2-3 times more often. Note: Bottles should no longer be a part of your baby’s life past 15 months of age. Toddlers older than 14-15 months will most likely refuse cups altogether and demand a bottle. Temper tantrums and screaming are very likely if you chose to wait past that time.
At around 14-15 months of age, toddlers will become very attached to either their bottle(s) or “sippy” cups and they will begin to carry them everywhere. Starting at an early age, certain boundaries while drinking can avoid messes and unnecessary attachments, such as: drinking only while sitting, only on hard surfaces, only in the kitchen, leave your cup on the table, etc.
This may seem young, but the better and more familiar they become with a cup, the easier it will be to wean them from a bottle later.
Some infants do not take well to a cup, but you should try, try, and try again. Some things you can try if your little one is having difficulty: use a regular cup, a straw, or remove the valve from the sippy cup. Understand that it will get messy, but be patient.
At around 10-12 months of age, bottle feedings should start being eliminated and substituted for a cup. Trying to wean infants off of a bottle proves more difficult the older the baby. Parents can start removing one bottle feeding every few days, or once a week, leaving the night bottle feeding for last. Your baby probably will not drink as much in one sitting as they would a bottle, so a cup needs to be offered at least 2-3 times more often. Note: Bottles should no longer be a part of your baby’s life past 15 months of age. Toddlers older than 14-15 months will most likely refuse cups altogether and demand a bottle. Temper tantrums and screaming are very likely if you chose to wait past that time.
At around 14-15 months of age, toddlers will become very attached to either their bottle(s) or “sippy” cups and they will begin to carry them everywhere. Starting at an early age, certain boundaries while drinking can avoid messes and unnecessary attachments, such as: drinking only while sitting, only on hard surfaces, only in the kitchen, leave your cup on the table, etc.
No one will ever tell you weaning a child from anything is easy, but with a little parent know-how and perseverance you can get through it together.
Next: Can I put my baby to bed with a bottle?
Written by Megan Wissel, author of “Simply Baby: An invaluable quick reference to infants”, and mother of two.
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