Learning to drink from an open cup is an important part of feeding skill development. Babies should be introduced to open cup drinking from the time they start to wean by offering small sips of water alongside early feeding experiences. Try these tips when introducing your baby to open cup drinking.
First Sips
- Start with a small cup partially filled with water, breastmilk or infant formula.
- Place the cup to your child’s bottom lip and slowly tip the cup so a small amount of fluid flows to their mouth.
- Position the cup so your child’s tongue stays in their mouth or goes into the cup (not under the cup) in order to ensure their tongue is able to control the fluid as it enters their mouth.
- Help your child keep their head in a neutral position (not tipped back) as this is the safest position for swallowing.
- Pause and wait for your child to show signs of wanting more such as leaning forward, opening their mouth or reaching for the cup before offering another sip.
Becoming Independent
- When your child is confident taking sips from a cup held by you, they are ready to start holding the cup themselves.
- Ideal first cups are small (shot glass size or slightly larger) so they fit comfortably in your child’s hands. Cups without handles are easier for small hands to control. Avoid glass cups to protect baby’s teeth and mouth from being knocked while they are learning how to hold and control a cup.
- Fill the cup about half full so your child does not need to tip it too much to get the fluid.
- Help them guide the cup to their mouth and take a single sip then pause and swallow before having another sip.
- Gradually decrease your assistance until your child is drinking from the cup on their own.
Keep in Mind…
- Children should start learning to drink from an open cup around 6 months of age and should be regularly drinking from a cup by 12 months of age.
- Initially babies will only have a few sips at a time and most of the water will spill out of their mouth. They will still need to breast or bottle feed to meet their hydration needs.
- Learning to drink from an open cup is messy.
- It is normal for children to experience some coughing and spluttering when they are leaning how to control the fluid from an open cup. If your baby is struggling with water, offer a slightly thicker fluid such as breastmilk or infant formula from an open cup; or mix smooth yogurt or smooth puree with a small amount of water so it is a slightly thicker liquid that baby may find easier to control.
- Sippy and lidded cups are convenient, but they do not teach developmental drinking skills. Make sure your child has plenty of opportunities to practice open cup drinking as a part of their feeding development.
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