Bye-Bye, Bottle! 7 Easy Tips For Switching to Sippy Cups

Wondering how to switch your child from baby bottle to sippy cup? You're not alone! Our communities are chock-full of conversations and real mom advice on how to transition from the bottle. To help you make the switch, we've compiled your fellow moms' favorite tips and tricks. Happy sipping!

What Is a Sippy Cup?

Simply put, a sippy cup is a cup with a lid and small spout that is used to teach babies how to drink from a cup. Sippy cups often have a valve inside, which regulates how quickly liquid can come out.

When Should I Start My Baby on a Sippy Cup?

There's no magic date when you should get rid of bottles. Some moms start their babies with sippy cups as early as 4 to 6 months, while other babies show no interest until after their first birthday.

Tips For Switching From Baby Bottle to Sippy Cup

  1. Find the perfect cup. As Melissa B. found, sometimes it's just a matter of finding the right cup. "I tried hard-spout cups, soft-spout cups … with handles, without handles... and finally I tried the ones with a straw, and presto! She loves drinking from the straw!" A cup with a soft, nipple-like spout can be an easier transition from the bottle; Alexandria S. recommends the popular Nuby brand: "Nuby worked wonders for us!"
  2. Show 'em how it's done. Is your little one confused by this foreign object? Fill it with water and let her play with it (just be ready for the water to come out), or dip the spout in the liquid and let her taste it. She'll soon figure out how the cup works.
  3. See, the other kids are doing it! Maria F.'s older kids demonstrated how to use the cup to her baby, while Alyssa G.'s son learned by copying other children at daycare: "It helps that at our son's daycare center his whole 'class' is transitioning to sippy cups together too. The kids want to do what the other kids are doing so if you've got a friend whose child is on the cup, it might help to have a couple of snack or meal-time interactions where your daughter can see that other 'big girls' (or boys) are using a cup and it's just fine."
  4. Try different beverages. If water or milk isn't working, several moms suggested trying diluted juice. Says Brandy R., "If you don't have luck with the milk at first, it may be worth trying him on juice to make him want the cup. I had a lot of luck with apple juice mixed with water."
  5. Remove the regulator. As Katrina P. found, babies can get frustrated if the sippy cup's valve doesn't let enough liquid out for their taste: "The real sippy cups he doesn't like unless I take the regulator out of it because he doesn't get enough milk fast enough." Keep in mind that removing the regulator is likely to cause a few spills, so it's best to try this trick in the kitchen high chair, rather than in the car or on the carpet.
  6. Start with one feeding per day. "We started the cup slowly," recalls Brittany D. "At first we only gave it to him at dinner." Start with one cup feeding per day, and gradually increase the number as your baby gets used to it.

Source: Flickr user monkeymashbutton