Moving your baby on to a cup or beaker
Switching from a bottle to a cup is a step towards helping your baby become more independent. The ideal time to start introducing a cup or beaker is about the same time as your baby starts eating solids – around 6 months. So by the time they reach their first birthday, they should be drinking solely from a cup or beaker and not using bottles with teats at all.
The main disadvantage of continuing to use teats is that the flow of milk is much slower, leading to your baby having to keep the teat in their mouth for longer. This can delay the development of speech and can damage their tiny teeth.
Choosing a baby beaker
It’s important to choose the right first beaker. It’s best to start with a free-flow, lidded beaker rather than a non-spill beaker with a valve. This will teach your baby to sip rather than suck. A beaker with two handles will also make it easier for your baby to hold. Once they are confident drinking from a lidded beaker, by around 1 year, you can introduce them to a cup.
What to give your baby or toddler to drink
It’s normal for your baby or toddler to take a little time getting used to a beaker, so it’s important to make sure they’re getting enough nutrients from their drinks.
At 6 months, your baby will still need their usual milk feeds, whether in a bottle, a beaker or from breastfeeding. But you can also start introducing them to a little cooled, boiled water at mealtimes. Cows’ milk is not advised as a main drink until your baby reaches 12 months of age, so some mums choose to switch to a follow on milk. These specially tailored milks provide your growing baby with the nutrients they need in a smaller volume of milk, leaving room in their tummies for their first weaning foods.
From the age of 1 year you may consider moving your toddler onto Aptamil Growing Up milk 1+yr which is nutritionally tailored to their changing nutritional needs. By offering your toddler 3 dairy servings a day, including milk or milk-based dairy foods, you’ll provide them with enough calcium to help their bones and teeth develop healthily.
Milk or water are better than giving your toddler fruit juice, even if it’s diluted, as the sugar in sweet drinks can lead to tooth decay and encourage them to develop a sweet tooth in later life.
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