How to Transition Your Baby From a Bottle to a Sippy Cup With Ease
9 minute read
Leaving behind their baby bottle and learning how to drink from a big-kid cup is an exciting milestone for your little one! But helping your baby start to make this transition can feel a little daunting.
You may wonder…
When is the right time to begin weaning your baby? How do you comfort your child for a tear free and seamless process? What cups are best for fostering your child’s development?
We’ve got you covered! We’re here to ease your worries and give you a step-by-step guide to help you transition your baby from a bottle to a cup with ease. Let’s dive in!
Is Your Baby Ready to Transition from a Bottle to a Sippy Cup?
Finally, you’ve got the hang of feeding your little one breastmilk or formula. But before you know it, suddenly it’s time to start thinking about transitioning from a bottle to a sippy cup!
Even though it may feel like your little one is still a newborn, many babies are ready to start weaning from a bottle when you begin to introduce them to solid foods. (Check out our go-to guide with expert tips to help introduce solid foods to your baby with ease.)
You can introduce your little one to solids as early as 6 months of age or later. Some babies may be ready earlier and others may need a little more time with the bottle…and that’s ok!
Some signs that your little one may be ready to start experimenting with a sippy cup are:
- They can sit up alone or with support.
- They are able to control their head and neck.
- They open their mouth when food or beverages are offered.
- Your baby can bring objects (like their bottle!) to their mouth.
- Your baby tries to grasp small objects, such as toys or food.
Best Age to Transition from a Bottle to Sippy Cup
It’s important to listen to your pediatrician’s guidance, your internal intuition, and your baby’s cues when it comes to deciding on the right time to wean your baby from their bottle.
In a “perfect” world, you’ll start to introduce your baby to a sippy cup when they are 6 months old. But according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the transition from a bottle to a sippy cup can happen anytime before your little one reaches 18 months.
The main goal? To ease your baby off the bottle so that they can drink independently from open cups, straw cups, and/or sippy cups sometime between 12-18 months. If your little one is able to make the transition sooner…great!
But don’t worry if you’re nearing the 18 month mark (or have already breezed past it!) and are still struggling to get your little one to accept a sippy cup. This is a big adjustment for your baby and it’s ok if it takes them a bit longer to get the hang of it.
Why Transitioning from a Bottle to a Sippy Cup is So Important for Babies
Most likely, your baby’s bottle is an important source of comfort, helping soothe them during some of their most difficult teething phases or drift off into dreamland before naptime…
But drinking from a bottle for “too long” may lead to some unwanted challenges for your little one, including:
- Not getting the right nutrients — While whole cow’s milk is rich in calcium and vitamin D, your little one may miss out on other important nutrients (like iron) if they don’t eat a variety of solid foods.
- Skipping meals — Toddlers 12-18 months old aren’t recommended to drink more than 24 ounces of milk a day. Some babies that drink too much milk throughout the day may not be hungry at meal time.
- Developing cavities — A cup of cow’s milk contains around 3 teaspoons of sugar! Drinking too much milk can cause your baby to experience unwanted cavities and tooth decay.
- Unhealthy weight gain — Whole milk is considered a “high-calorie” meal by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and drinking too much milk can lead to excess weight gain that may cause obesity.
Thankfully, you can ease your worries and help your baby stay healthy and strong by encouraging them to let go of their beloved bottle and embrace their “big-kid” cup!
How to Transition from a Bottle to a Sippy Cup
This method may take a little longer, but allows your baby to slowly get used to their new sippy cup. Because after months of drinking from a bottle, it may take your little one a little while to get used to their new sippy cup. And that’s ok! Habits are hard to break — even for us adults!
Plus, learning to drink from a new cup is an entirely new skill for your baby. Giving your baby the time and space to practice drinking from a sippy cup — without the pressure of quitting their bottle “cold turkey” — will also help you avoid unwanted tears and tantrums.
A Gradual Approach to Transitioning from a Bottle to a Sippy Cup
Let’s take a look at an easy, 3-step, gradual approach to help wean your little one from their bottle:
- Start offering your baby an open cup, sippy cup, or straw cup at mealtime — You can give your baby milk, water, or a little juice to encourage them to drink from their new cup.
- Move away from bottle feedings during the day — Gradually decrease the number of bottle feedings that you offer your baby in between meals — especially before naptime. Try to limit bottle feeds to mealtime, while offering their preferred drink (milk, juice, etc.) in their new cup.
- Finally, drop your baby’s nighttime feeding — This is often the most challenging bottle feeding to drop, which is why we leave it last! Gradually move your baby’s bedtime feeding earlier in their bedtime, eventually removing it from their bedtime routine altogether.
This may feel difficult at first, but remember, you don’t have to rush through the weaning process! Be patient — and consistent — with your baby, giving them plenty of time for each step.
How Long will it Take to Wean My Baby from a Bottle?
Photo of EzPz Tiny Cup
The weaning process may take as little as a week to multiple weeks or even months!
Try not to get frustrated if it feels like your baby is taking longer to make this transition than you expected. Remember — every baby is different and your little one’s age, medical history, developmental stage, and unique preferences all have a role in determining how long it will take them to transition from a bottle to a sippy cup.
Tips for Weaning Your Baby from a Bottle to a Sippy Cup
For some babies, transitioning to a sippy cup, may be a super smooth process that hardly takes any time at all. But for others, the change may be a bit more of a challenge.
Your little one may refuse their sippy cup… Throw tantrum after tantrum when you take their bottle away…Or even refuse to eat solid foods as they stubbornly demand their milk…
The weaning process can be really frustrating, challenging, and down-right hard.
But here are some helpful tips from parents who’ve been in the trenches to help make the switch a little smoother:
- Be consistent and encouraging — Commit to the transition process and stick with it! Be positive and encouraging to your little one, even when things feel tough. If your baby isn’t getting it right away, remember there’s always the next meal to practice.
- Set a good example — Your baby learns so much from watching YOU! You can set a positive example for your little one by drinking from a cup during mealtimes. Show them how you hold your cup and take a sip and help your little one do the same.
- Praise and celebrate your little one’s accomplishments — Pay attention to your baby’s progress and offer them praise when they succeed! Tell them how proud you are of their efforts. Clap and cheer with your baby! Play music and throw a dance party to make the transition fun.
- Limit your baby’s use of their bottle — Try not to let your baby take their bottle to bed or carry it around in-between mealtimes. Gradually limit the number of times you offer their bottle along with the amount of milk you provide.
- Help your baby self-soothe — Give your little one an extra dose of love during this time with lots of snuggles, bedtime stories, songs, and one-on-one attention as you drop their bottle feedings. Many parents use a special sleep sack, blanket, or lovey to give a little extra comfort.
And remember…all transitions take time and come with their share of twists, turns, and bumps along the way. If you are really struggling to wean your little one off their bottle — ask your pediatrician for advice tailored to your child.
Best Cups to Transition Away from a Bottle
Photo of EzPz Mini Cup
There are literally hundreds of toddler cups out there to choose from. But this can make it really confusing and overwhelming to pick the perfect cup for your little one.
Do you need a sippy cup, straw cup, or open cup?
Does the cup need a weighted straw?
Do you go with handles or without?
Not all cups are created equal and it’s really important to choose a cup that will support your child’s development and make the transition process as easy as possible for your little one.
Here are a few of our favorites cups to wean your baby from the bottle:
Mushie Silicone Sippy Cup — $15.99
Photo of Mushie Silicone Sippy Cup
Mushie’s Sippy Cup is a perfect first sippy cup for your little one. It’s great for little hands (and even soothing your little one’s sore gums!) thanks to its soft, durable silicone material. We love the dreamy color options and that this cup boosts your little one’s fine motor skills and independent eating habits during the weaning transition.
Sugarbooger Flip & Sip — $14.99
Photo of Sugarbooger Flip & Sip
The Sugarbooger Flip & Sip gives you the best of both worlds — a soft silicone sippy lid with all the benefits of a straw cup. This makes it perfect for helping your little one learn how to use a straw cup, while easing the transition away from the familiar feel and shape of a bottle’s nipple shape.
GoSili Stretchy Lids with Sippy Spout — $7
Photo of GoSili Stretchy Lids with Sippy Spout
If you don’t love the idea of gathering a collection of plastic sippy cups in your kitchen, opt for the GoSili Stretchy Lids with Sippy Spout. These lids will fit on just about any cup in your cupboard, making it a great option if you want to save space or create a sippy cup while visiting your favorite restaurant, grandma’s house or while on vacation.
Zoli BOT 2.0 Weighted Straw Sippy — $19.95
Photo of Zoli BOT 2.0 Weighted Straw Sippy
For a spill-proof straw cup that will grow with your child, look no further than the Zoli Sippy Cup! We love this cup’s comfy handles and weighted straw that encourages your little one to keep drinking — even when tipping the cup like a bottle!
EzPz Mini Cup — $17.49
Photo of EzPz Mini Cup
The EzPz Mini Cup is great for teaching your toddler how to drink from a straw — without having to bite the straw to access the liquid like many other straw cups. This is an important developmental milestone for your little one! And as a bonus, remove the lid to allow your child to practice drinking from a toddler-safe open cup.
Miniware 1-2-3 SIP! — $19
Photo of Miniware 1-2-3 SIP! Cup
The 1-2-3 SIP! is one of our favorite toddler cups that truly covers all the bases of helping your little one to transition from a bottle to an open cup. Your baby starts with the soft, silicone straw, then moves on to practice tilting and drinking from the Lid + Spout, and in the final step — masters a real cup on their own!
Final Thoughts About Helping Your Baby Transition from a Bottle to a Cup
Much like finding the perfect pacifier or bottle… When helping your baby move from a bottle to a cup, you may have to test out a few different cups to find the ones your baby likes best. All babies have their own preferences and may have an easier time with one type of cup over another.
Start with one or two options and go from there! You can always order a different type of cup online or swing by the Babies in Bloom Boutique to pick up your child’s new favorite.
Boutique Website: https://babies-in-bloom.myshopify.com/
Boutique Address: 127 Main Street, Vista, CA 92084
Boutique Hours: Monday – Saturday: 9 am – 4 pm (We are closed on Sunday!)
