Drinking from an Open Cup

Teaching your baby how to use an open cup independently is an important skill in their development. This is an exciting time, and like all the little milestones in your baby’s first few years of life, the earlier you start, the better!

When can I introduce my baby to open cup drinking?

• Babies are usually ready to start drinking from an open cup at 6-9 months. During this time, they start developing oral motor skills needed to create mature swallow mechanisms, strong lips, jaws, tongues, and cheeks.

Why choose an open cup and not a sippy or training cup?

• While sippy cups are a great option for preventing messes, they don’t engage the motor skills your baby needs to practice for their development. Open cups allow babies to practice closing their lips around the edge of their cup and having their tongue’s touch the roof of their mouths. They also teach hand eye coordination and build the muscles needed to help your baby talk.

Why is it recommended for babies to use an open cup by 18 months? 

• Using a sippy cup can lead to problems like cavities and tooth decay, which can occur when sippy cups contain juices, milk, and other sweet treats. Ear infections can also happen when babies fall asleep with a sippy cup in their mouths and the contents of the cup goes into their ears.
• Besides that, constantly sipping on milk and juice can interfere with how much iron your baby is receiving. Milk and juice are low in iron and if your baby relies on drinking out of the sippy cup instead of having solid meals with you, it can cause anemia or low iron levels.

Tips for teaching your baby how to use an open cup:

1.  Set up a schedule to begin introducing open cup use to your baby as soon as you know they are ready.
2.  Offer the cup between meals so that your baby can focus on getting to know the cup. 
3.  Be open to the mess. Your baby is learning how to use their hands, mouth, and jaw- it is okay to make messes as you are learning and getting used to new skills. 
4. Keep bottles out of sight. Allow your baby to challenge themselves by using only the cup so that they expect the cup at every meal/snack. 
5. Offer your baby the cup instead of the bottle before bed. Swap milk for water.

And remember, open cup use is a skill that becomes stronger with practice and exposure. Every baby will be a little bit different, and it may take longer for them to feel comfortable with such a new skill. The sooner you start, the more time your baby has to learn these skills at their own pace.