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From Bottle to Sippy Cup by Month 12

By Katie QuirkPut your baby to bed with a can of Coke? You would never. But if you're tucking your little one in with a bottle of milk or juice, you’re engaging in what pediatric dentists such as Dr. Martha Ann Keels say is one of the top “risky behaviors” leading to baby tooth decay, a.k.a. early childhood caries. Those cute little chompers don’t stand a chance when a child is sucking on a bottle all night, says Keels, the Division Chief of Pediatric Dentistry at Duke Children’s Hospital, because milk contains sugars - juice even more so.

This is one reason why pediatricians and pediatric dentists recommend that you get your baby off the bottle by 12 months and on to a sippy cup, since cups are nowhere near as inviting for nightlong sucking as bottles are, says pediatrician Dr. Jennifer Shu. If you've never heard this advice, you're not alone: In a recent study published in the journal Pediatrics, 40% of two-year-olds were still using a bottle, and an entire medical reference book is devoted to early childhood caries.

To reduce the risk of baby tooth decay, begin the transition from bottle to cup as early as 6 months, and no later than 9, say the experts. The longer you wait, the harder it will be for both you and your baby, because she'll become increasingly attached to her bottle. Here’s how to make the move successfully:

6 to 9 months: Baby, meet sippy cup


•    Give your child a sippy cup and let her become familiar with it. Shu recommends starting out with one that has a soft spout similar to a bottle nipple. A design that the baby can hold herself might be helpful too.
•    Make it fun, says Keels. Pick a cup with a cool design, or let your baby help select the one she wants.
•    Put a familiar beverage that your child likes, such as formula or water, in the cup; this isn’t the time to introduce a new flavor, says Shu. And don’t bring out the cup when your child is either ravenous or tired.
•    If your baby rejects the cup at first, don’t force it. Put it away and try again in a week. If he still pushes it away, try a different style of cup. Some babies like straws, or just regular cups; it’s simply trial and error to find one that works, says Shu.


Next: 9 to 12 months