When and how should a baby move from bottle to cup?

What does the evidence say about the bottle-to-cup transition?

1. The AAP suggests beginning cup practice around the start of complementary feeding and completing bottle weaning between twelve and eighteen months for many children. Introduce the skill gradually at meals, using a small amount of the milk the baby already drinks. 1
2. Changing the container does not change the age requirements for the drink. Before twelve months, breast milk or infant formula remains the appropriate main milk feed. Cow’s milk as a drink belongs to the later feeding transition unless a clinician gives a specific medical plan. 2
3. An open cup or straw cup can work without a mandatory sippy-cup stage. Adults can model drinking and help with handling. Children with developmental differences or medical feeding needs may require an adapted plan and support from the pediatric team. 1
4. A bottle or cup carried all day can prolong tooth exposure to sugars. Offer planned meals and drinks, and develop another comforting bedtime routine. Changing from a bottle to a sweet-drink-filled cup does not remove the oral-health concern. 3
5. As milk feeding patterns change, keep iron-containing complementary foods in the diet. The cup transition should preserve overall nutrition rather than replacing meals with a different container of milk. 4

Moving through the transition

• Around six months, offer supported cup practice alongside solids.
• Reduce bottle habits gradually while tracking adequate milk and food intake.
• Toward twelve to eighteen months, review persistent difficulties with the pediatric team.