Your baby can learn to drink from a regular open cup at 6 months when she starts eating solid foods. This helps your baby build hand eye coordination, a strong jaw and develop muscles for proper speech and swallowing.

To get started

• Seat your baby in a high chair and offer a small amount of breastmilk, formula or water in regular lidless cup.
• Expect messes – it takes practice to learn this new skill.

Hot parent tips:

• Continue to breastfeed your baby for two years and beyond.
• A breastfed baby can go directly from the breast to a cup.
• If your baby is bottle-fed (breastmilk or formula), continue to use the bottle until she can drink enough from an open cup.
• A bottle-fed baby should be weaned from the bottle by 12-14 months

Which kind of cup should I use?

Nowadays, there are many different types of “trainer” cups on the market (straw cups, sippy cups, 360° cups)… the choices are endless and can be confusing. A regular open cup is the best choice for your baby. However, parents may choose a “trainer” cup as an easy, mess-free option.

Open Cup is the best choice

Straw Cup

• Straw cups are recommended over sippy cups
• The straw should sit on your baby’s lips at the front of her mouth, not on top of her tongue.

Sippy Cup

• Sippy cups are not recommend. Babies drink from a sippy cup the same way they drink from a bottle. Using a bottle or a sippy cup for too long can increase the risk of cavities and cause problems with speech development.
• If you choose to give your baby a sippy cup, only fill it with water and use it occasionally.
• Babies should be weaned from sippy cups by 12 to 14 months of age.