When to Introduce a Sippy Cup: Age, Signs and How to Start
Most babies are ready for a sippy cup around 6 months, when they start eating solid foods. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends offering a cup at that point, using it for small sips with meals, and finishing the move away from the bottle between 12 and 18 months. By about age 2, the goal is drinking from an open cup.
Last updated: October 7, 2026. Based on AAP guidance (sources at the end).
Sippy cup timeline at a glance
| Age | What to do | What goes in the cup |
|---|---|---|
| Around 6 months (starting solids) | Offer a cup at meals and let your baby practice | Breast milk or formula, plus a few sips of plain water |
| 6 to 12 months | Offer the cup at every meal; replace bottle feedings one at a time | Water: 4 to 8 oz a day in total. No juice. |
| 12 to 18 months | Finish the switch from bottle to cup | Water and plain whole milk (about 16 oz of milk a day) |
| By about 2 years | Drink mainly from an open cup | Water and plain milk |
What are the signs my baby is ready for a sippy cup?
Age is a guide, not a rule. Your baby is likely ready when they:
- Sit up with little or no support
- Have started eating solid foods
- Grab objects and bring them to their mouth
- Watch you drink or reach for your cup
If your baby pushes the cup away, put it aside and try again at the next meal or in a week or two. Some babies are curious right away; others need a few weeks of practice.
What should I put in a sippy cup?
- 6 to 12 months: breast milk or formula, and a few sips of plain water at meals. The AAP suggests 4 to 8 oz (half a cup to one cup) of water a day in total. Water is for practice and does not replace breast milk or formula.
- No juice before 12 months. The AAP advises against juice for babies under 1 year; whole fruit is the better choice.
- After 12 months: water and plain whole milk.
- Between meals, stick to plain water. Sipping milk or juice throughout the day keeps teeth in contact with sugar and raises the risk of cavities.
How do I introduce a sippy cup?
- Start at a meal. Seat your baby upright and put a small amount of breast milk, formula or water in the cup. A familiar drink makes the new cup easier to accept.
- Show how it works. Drink from your own cup, then guide theirs to their lips. Expect spills and chewing on the spout at first.
- Offer it every day. Bring the cup to the table at the same meals so it becomes part of the routine.
- Replace one bottle at a time. Over several weeks, swap one bottle feeding for a cup, then the next.
- Practice other cups too. The AAP notes that sippy cups are a learning step. Letting your baby try a straw or a small open cup (with a little liquid) builds the skills they will need next.
Which type of cup should I start with?
The AAP says a spouted sippy cup, a cup with a straw or an open cup are all fine places to start. Pick what your baby takes to and change if it is not working.
| Cup type | Why parents choose it | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Soft-spout sippy cup | Feels familiar after a bottle; fewer spills while learning | Use it as a learning tool, not for all-day sipping |
| Straw cup | A good option if your baby does not like a spout | Straws take practice; show your baby how to sip |
| Open cup | The end goal; the AAP says it is healthiest by about age 2 | Messy at first, so use a small cup with very little liquid |
When should my baby stop using a bottle?
The AAP recommends completing the move from bottle to cup between 12 and 18 months. Babies who keep sipping from a bottle well into their second year are more likely to skip meals and to develop cavities, because their teeth stay in contact with milk or other drinks for long periods.
About the HEORSHE Sippy Cup
If you are choosing a first cup, the HEORSHE Sippy Cup comes in two sizes: 7 oz for babies 6 months and up, and 10 oz for 9 months and up. It has a soft, winged silicone spout, a weighted straw that follows the liquid so your baby can drink even when the cup is tipped, an easy-grip design for small hands, and a leak-proof lid. It is made from BPA-free materials.
Frequently asked questions
Can a 4-month-old use a sippy cup?
It is best to wait until about 6 months, when your baby starts solid foods. Before then, breast milk or formula covers all of your baby's fluid needs, and the AAP suggests starting small sips of water around 6 months.
How much water can a 6-month-old drink?
The AAP suggests 4 to 8 oz (half a cup to one cup) of water a day in total for babies 6 to 12 months old, offered as a few sips at meals. Most of it will be practice, and it should not replace breast milk or formula.
My baby refuses the sippy cup. What should I do?
Keep offering it at meals without pressure. Fill it with breast milk or formula so the taste is familiar, let your baby watch you drink, and try a straw cup or a small open cup if the spout is not working.
Is it bad to use a sippy cup for too long?
Sippy cups are meant for learning. The AAP says it is healthiest for children to drink mainly from an open cup by about age 2, and to keep sippy cups filled with plain water between meals to protect teeth.
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics, From Bottle to Cup: Helping Your Child Make a Healthy Transition, HealthyChildren.org (updated July 3, 2023)
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Recommended Drinks for Children Age 5 & Younger, HealthyChildren.org (updated October 3, 2023)
- Healthy Eating Research, Healthy Drinks, Healthy Kids (beverage recommendations from the AAP, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Heart Association)
This guide is general information, not medical advice. If your baby has trouble feeding or swallowing, talk to your pediatrician.
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