When should I start weaning?

Weaning from a bottle to a cup depends on your baby’s need to suck and his ability to drink from a cup. A baby is usually ready to be weaned to a cup between 9 and 18 months. When your baby is 6 months old, you can start giving him a cup, but wait to completely wean your baby until he is about 9 months old.

What kind of milk should I use?

You can use breast milk or infant formula in the cup until your baby is 1 year old. If your baby is over 1 year old you can use regular whole milk.

How do I wean my baby?

• Plan ahead. Don’t let your baby use the bottle as a security object. For example, don’t give a bottle to your baby in bed. Your baby may link the bottle with security and comfort and may not want to give it up. This can make weaning harder.
• Give yourself and your baby plenty of time. Slow weaning gives your baby time to adjust.
• Give your baby time to get used to the idea of a cup. After the age of 6 months, you can sometimes give your baby breast milk, formula, or juice in a cup just to show that drinks can come in another container. You might start with a sippy cup with 2 handles and a lid with a spout. This is easier for your baby to hold, and it helps prevent spills.
• Start small and increase the amount of milk. When you are ready to fully wean your baby from the bottle, start by giving your baby a cup with 1/2 ounce (oz) of milk or formula at every meal. Don’t use juice to replace milk at feedings. End the meal with a bottle of milk. Your baby will slowly take more and more milk from the cup. Once you start weaning, make sure you give a cup at every meal.
• Eliminate 1 bottle feeding at a time. When your baby is taking at least 4 oz from the cup at each meal, you can stop a bottle-feeding. Stop the least preferred bottle feedings first. The early morning and evening meals are usually a baby’s favorite and is generally the last bottle-fed meal he is willing to give up.
• If your child uses a sippy cup, use it only at the table or while your child is in the high chair. Don’t let your child walk around with a sippy cup. Your child may link the sippy cup with security and comfort. Also, using a sippy cup too much may cause tooth decay or an overbite of the upper teeth. Wean your baby to an open-rimmed cup as soon as you can.

Your baby is weaned when he takes 16 to 20 oz of milk by cup each day, has solid food for 3 meals a day, and doesn’t seem to miss the bottle.

What if I have problems with weaning?

Setbacks in weaning can be caused by many things, including stress, major changes in meal or bed times, or illness. If you have a setback, it’s OK to wait until things calm down, and then continue weaning your baby. Call your baby’s healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns.