How to Introduce a Sippy Cup to a Baby

Once your baby is around 6 months old and has started eating solid foods, you should begin to transition him from a bottle to getting his liquids from a sippy cup instead. Once he's developed a strong grip and has begun moving objects from his hand to his mouth, you can introduce the sippy cup during the first stages of independent self-feeding.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Select a sippy cup that is lightweight and small enough for your baby's small hands to manage. You might consider purchasing one with built-in handles on each side of the cup.
2. Give your baby an empty sippy cup during meals so he can practice holding and moving the cup in his hands. Make sure that he doesn't try to drink from the empty cup because this will cause him to swallow air.
3. Show your baby how to hold the sippy cup with both his hands. Once you've filled the cup with liquid, your baby might have difficulty holding it with only one hand.
4. Fill the cup with water, breastmilk or formula once your baby demonstrates a steady hand and eagerness to drink from the cup. Allow your baby to familiarize himself with the way the filled cup feels in his hands.
5. Demonstrate how to use the sippy cup by pretending to drink from it yourself, and then guide the sippy cup up to your baby's mouth.
6. Give your baby the sippy cup in between feedings and during snack times to increase the opportunities for him to learn how to drink from it.
7. Experiment with different sippy cup models until you find one your baby enjoys drinking from. Some sippy cups have slippery handles and some are so spill-proof that your baby might have a hard time drinking from it, so it might take you a little time to find the right one for your baby.

Tips & Warnings

• If you decide to fill your baby's sippy cup with juice, dilute the juice with water to protect your baby's teeth from decay.
• Most babies are able to drink unassisted from a sippy cup between 7 and 9 months old, so don't worry if you introduce it at 6 months and your baby isn't ready.
• If you introduce the sippy cup to your baby and he won't drink from it, dip the tip of the sippy cup into breastmilk, formula or water, and then give it to your baby.
• Avoid filling your baby's sippy cup with sweetened juices, and instead fill the cup with water, breastmilk or formula instead. Drinking all day long from a sippy cup filled with juice can cause tooth decay in babies and toddlers.