When to Introduce a Sippy Cup: A Guide to Transitioning from Bottle or Breast

Quick answer: Introduce a free-flow cup from around 6 months, alongside starting solids, and move away from bottles entirely from 12 months. Open or free-flow cups are preferred over valved spill-proof ones because babies sip rather than suck, which suits dental health and speech. Offer cooled, boiled water at mealtimes, then full-fat cow's milk from 12 months. No juice or sugary drinks.

What parents need to know

The transition from breast or bottle to an open cup or sippy cup is one of those milestones that can feel deceptively tricky. Your baby may be completely uninterested at first, or take to it immediately.

When to introduce a cup

The NHS recommends introducing a free-flow cup (also called a sippy cup or beaker) from around 6 months, around the same time as solid foods. Starting early helps babies get used to the sensation and concept of drinking from an open vessel before they're reliant on it.

From 12 months, the NHS advises moving away from bottles entirely and using a cup as the primary drinking vessel (other than breastfeeding, which can continue as long as mother and baby wish). Prolonged bottle use beyond 12 months is associated with tooth decay and speech development concerns.

Types of cups explained

Open cups

The NHS and many dental professionals recommend open or "free-flow" cups over spout cups with valves. Open cups require babies to sip rather than suck, which is better for dental health and speech development. They're messier but more developmentally appropriate.

Free-flow sippy cups (no valve)

These have a soft or hard spout that liquid flows freely from when tipped. Messier than valved cups, but the NHS prefers them for this reason: babies can't use them with the same sucking motion as a bottle.

Valved or spill-proof cups

These have an internal valve that requires sucking to produce flow. Convenient and less messy, but less ideal from a dental and speech perspective. Best kept for travel or out and about if used at all.

Straw cups

Drinking from a straw uses a different set of mouth muscles to bottle feeding. Many speech and language therapists recommend straw cups as a good option from around 9 months as they encourage mature oral patterns. A straw cup with a valve is still better than a bottle from a dental perspective.

What to put in the cup

• From 6 months: Cooled, boiled water is fine alongside meals. Breast milk or formula can also be offered in a cup.
• From 12 months: Full-fat cow's milk (as a main drink), water. No juice, squash, or sugary drinks.

How to introduce the cup

Tips for reluctant cup drinkers

• Try different liquid temperatures — some babies prefer warm milk, others prefer cold water
• Let them see you drink from a cup (babies are natural mimics)
• Offer the cup alongside, not instead of, familiar feeds initially
• Be patient. Some babies take weeks to accept a cup; this is normal

Dental health

The NHS advises that bottles should ideally be phased out by 12 months for dental health reasons. Sugary drinks in any vessel — including cups — should be avoided. Water between meals and milk at mealtimes is the ideal pattern from 12 months.

Frequently asked questions

Are spill-proof valved cups a problem?

Valved cups need sucking to produce flow, so they're less ideal for dental health and speech. The article suggests keeping them for travel or out and about if used at all.