Weaning off the bottle and onto a cup

Once your baby can sit up and has made the transition onto solids, it’s a good idea to get him used to the concept of drinking from a sippy cup.

Although your baby may be perfectly happy drinking from a bottle, in the long term it’s not a good way for him to get fluids – children who use bottles over a long period of time are more likely to develop tooth decay and are also less likely to eat enough solids to meet their nutritional needs.

Choose a leakproof cup (it’ll probably double as a toy at first!) with a soft, chewable spout and handles and offer your baby drinks of water in it throughout the day. When he seems familiar with it, you can move towards giving him his milk feeds in it by substituting it for his bottle at one of his feeds – it’s a good idea to choose a feed where he tends to drink just a little milk, so you’re not panicking over the fact that he’s left some. Getting him accustomed to it in this way will make it easier when it comes to encouraging him to take all of his milk feeds from it.

Gradually replace other bottlefeeds with cup feeds as he approaches 12 months. Once he turns 12 months, he can have cows’ milk as his main drink and since he’ll no longer need breast or formula milk feeds from a bottle, it’s a good time to stop using a bottle altogether at this point.

You may run into problems if your baby likes to use his bottle as a comforter, especially before naps and bedtime but you need to be consistent and offer only plain water in his bottle – don’t give in and offer him his milk in it, as you’ll be right back where you started (and never put juice or soda in it, as this will bathe his teeth in sugar and cause cavities). You can also distract your baby with other sources of comfort at this time – a blankie or stuffed animal to cuddle, or even yourself! Avoid weaning your baby off the bottle at times of transition, such as a house move or after they have a new baby brother or sister, as it can be more difficult if your child is unsettled.

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The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.