Seema Kazi Rangnekar

SAVE THIS: Transitioning your baby from bottle to cup? Start gently.

Moving from a bottle to a cup is a gradual learning process. The goal isn't to stop bottle-feeding overnight, but to help your baby develop new drinking skills while continuing to meet their nutritional needs.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

- Start early: Introduce an open cup or straw cup around 6 months, when complementary feeding begins.

- Practise during meals: Offer small, supervised sips and let your baby explore at their own pace.

- Make one change at a time: Around 12 months, gradually replace bottle feeds with cup feeds rather than changing every feed at once.

- Protect milk intake: Before 12 months, breast milk or infant formula remains essential. Don't replace milk feeds with water or snacks.

- Keep it pressure-free: Let your baby practise without forcing them to drink. Learning takes time.

- Choose the right cup: An open cup or a suitable free-flow or straw cup can help your baby learn to drink independently.

Remember, every baby learns differently. If your baby struggles with drinking, frequently coughs or chokes during feeds, or you have concerns about their growth or milk intake, speak to your doctor.

At Samā, our Starting Solids and 1:1 Parenting sessions help parents understand their baby's feeding needs and navigate everyday parenting transitions with confidence.

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Save this guide for your baby's feeding journey and share it with a parent who needs it.

[BottleToCupTransition, BabyFeeding, InfantNutrition, BabyLedWeaning, ParentingTips, NewbornCare, SamaBirthingAndBeyond]

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