Transitioning from Bottles to Cups
I know that transitioning from bottles to cups can feel overwhelming. There is so much to think about! I’m here to help you feel more confident during this process - let’s break it down step-by-step.
A Quick Note:
Remember to go easy on yourself during this process. Learning to drink from a cup is a skill - like any skill, it takes time and practice. Your baby may take a little while, with some ups and downs along the way, and that is perfectly normal. You’ll all do just great.
Why Is Transitioning to Cups Important?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends switching to cups sometime between 12-18 months old for your child’s dental health (to reduce risk of cavities) and oral motor development (to support development of skills related to speech and eating).
When Should I Start?
Starting with a cup around 6 months old (or whenever your child starts solid foods) can set up a strong foundation for cup drinking. Kids can start practicing early, and it gives you all some pressure-free time for exploration. Ideally, you would start really focusing on transitioning from bottles to cups between 12-18 months old. Every baby goes at their own pace - some take months and others days. However long it takes, I promise they will get there.
What Cups Do You Recommend?
Try to keep it simple. It’s so tempting to try a hundred fun cups (there are so many options out there, it can feel overwhelming!), but just pick one open cup and 1-2 straw cups to start. Here are some of my favorites (affiliate link).
How Do I Teach My Baby To Drink From A Cup?
Though the research doesn’t favor any specific order, many feeding professionals recommend starting with an open cup + then introducing a straw cup. Once your child can swallow a small amount from an open cup with your help, you can introduce a straw cup. FeedingLittles has wonderful step-by-step videos here.
How Do I Actually Do It?
There are two ways you can transition - gradually over time or all at once. There is no one right way - do what feels right for you and your baby. Some parents love daily routine examples, and others find them stressful. These are just some ideas to help, so if they are too much, skip right past!
Gradually Over Time
Breastfeeding
I hope this goes without saying, but please know that you should breastfeed as long as you want. Transitioning to cups doesn’t mean that you have to wean. You can continue nursing as you like and add in cups for water and/or milk (if you’re also introducing milk) at different times.
Sample Routine: 12-15 Months Old
Wake Up. 6:00 AM: Breastfeed after waking.
Early Morning. 7:00 AM: Breakfast + Cup (4-6 ounces of water or milk)
Mid-Morning. Nap #1. 9:00 AM: *Breastfeed before nap.
Late Morning. 11:30 AM: Lunch + Cup (4-6 ounces of water or milk)
Early Afternoon. Nap #2. 1:30 PM: *Breastfeed before nap.
Late Afternoon. 3:00 PM: Snack
Evening. 5:00 PM: Dinner + Cup (4-6 ounces of water or milk)
Bedtime. 7:00 PM: Breastfeed before bed.
Sample Routine: 15-24 Months Old
Sample Routine: 15-24 month old
Wake Up. 6:00 AM. Breastfeed after waking.
Early Morning. 7:00 AM. Breakfast + Cup (4-6 ounces of water or milk)
Mid-Morning. 9:00 AM. Snack.
Late Morning. 11:30 AM. Nap. *Breastfeed before nap.
Afternoon. 2:30 PM. Snack + Cup (4-6 ounces of water or milk)
Evening. 5:00 PM. Dinner + Cup (4-6 ounces of water or milk)
Bedtime. 7:00 PM. Breastfeed before bed.
*If you are weaning, you could start with the daytime breastfeeding sessions first and replace them with cups. Do this over a week or two. Then over time, as you feel comfortable and if you want, you could wean off of the early morning and bedtime feeding sessions. Work with your pediatrician or lactation counselor to see what makes most sense for you and your baby!
Bottle Feeding
Sample Routine: 12-15 Months Old
Wake Up. 6:00 AM: Bottle after waking.
Early Morning. 7:00 AM: Breakfast + Cup (4-6 ounces of water or milk)
Mid-Morning. Nap #1. 9:00 AM: *Bottle before nap.
Late Morning. 11:30 AM: Lunch + Cup (4-6 ounces of water or milk)
Early Afternoon. Nap #2. 1:30 PM: *Bottle before nap.
Late Afternoon. 3:00 PM: Snack
Evening. 5:00 PM: Dinner + Cup (4-6 ounces of water or milk)
Bedtime. 7:00 PM: Bottle before bed.
Sample Routine: 15-24 Months Old
Wake Up. 6:00 AM. Bottle after waking.
Early Morning. 7:00 AM. Breakfast + Cup (4-6 ounces of water or milk)
Mid-Morning. 9:00 AM. Snack.
Late Morning. 11:30 AM. Nap. *Bottle before nap.
Afternoon. 2:30 PM. Snack + Cup (4-6 ounces of water or milk)
Evening. 5:00 PM. Dinner + Cup (4-6 ounces of water or milk)
Bedtime. 7:00 PM. Bottle before bed.
*Wean the daytime bottles first over a week or two and replace with cups of water or milk. Next, wean the morning bottle and replace with cups. Finally, the bedtime bottle – this one can be the hardest for a lot of babies, so save it for last when they’re used to taking cups at other times and have mastered the skill. It can take time, but they will get there!
All At Once
Some families have their babies start with cups all at once. Prep your little one ahead of time, talk through it, practice saying “bye bye” to the bottles (or you can plant them in a garden outside, put them in a box to send away, have a party, whatever feels right to you!), and then start cups all at once, for every meal. Some kids do just fine with this immediately. Others may take more time - it can sometimes be a hard couple of days (they will drink less over that time, so just be prepared for that and offer lots of food/snacks as well) but with eventual adapting to the new flow.
Common Questions
What if my baby has never taken a bottle, can I go straight to cups? Absolutely! In fact, many babies do very well with straw cups, because they have a strong sucking reflex and can use that with a straw.
What if my baby is taking forever to wean off the bedtime bottle? It’s okay. This is often the hardest bottle to wean - it’s associated with nighttime, feelings of comfort, and routine. Try to change the order of the bottle before bed if possible so that it’s not the last thing that baby is doing before they go to bed - think bath time, bottle, brushing teeth, book, song, bed. Work on the other daytime bottles first, and slowly try every few days or so. Be persistent and patient. It will come over time.
If my 11 month old is taking 22 ounces of formula a day, should she be taking 22 ounces of milk after she turns one? Before 1 year old, formula provides the majority of babies’ nutritional needs. After 1 year old, milk (if you choose to offer milk) is simply one part of a whole, balanced diet. So it’s not necessarily a 1:1 conversion - if your baby was drinking 22 ounces of formula a day, they may not drink that same amount of milk and that’s perfectly fine. In fact, we recommend 16-20 ounces of milk a day for children after 1 year old.
Do I have to switch to milk after 1 year? Not at all. Many babies do just fine with other sources of vitamin D, calcium, fat, and protein after a year. See my Instagram post for alternative milk sources. Or if you prefer to avoid milk altogether, you can simply focus on foods that have enough of the other vitamins and nutrients to make up the difference.
My baby is really struggling with cups, how do I know when to seek help? It can really help to talk with your pediatrician and/or a health professional (like a speech language pathologist/feeding specialist/occupational therapist) if your baby is/has:
Been trying for a few months without any progress
Choking and sputtering with cup use
Other medical conditions that may be affecting their ability to use a cup
Weight loss
If you have any concerns at all
There is so much to say about this! Please let me know if you have any questions or want to chat more! And please remember - there’s no one right way. There are a lot of ways to do this transition. You’re doing just great.
