Bottles, Cups, and Pacifiers: What Parents Need to Know!

One of the biggest questions parents face in the first years is: “What cup should my baby be drinking out of?” The journey from bottles and pacifiers to open cups isn’t always straightforward, but understanding how each option impacts your child’s development can make the process smoother!

Let’s explore the role of bottles, pacifiers, sippy cups, straw cups, and open cups and when it’s best to transition.

Babies and Their Natural Sucking Reflex

From birth, babies are designed to receive nourishment through sucking. Early on, infants use a “suckling” pattern, where the tongue thrusts forward as they swallow. As babies grow, their anatomy matures, and so should the way they drink.

The goal is to gradually move from this infant pattern to a more adult-like sucking pattern, which supports speech, feeding, and swallowing skills.

Bottles and Pacifiers: When to Start Weaning

Bottles and pacifiers are important early tools for comfort and nourishment, but they shouldn’t be used forever!

• Bottles: By around 12 months, it’s best to transition away from bottles and begin offering milk in alternative cups. If your child struggles with weight gain or doesn’t drink enough during this switch, consult your pediatrician to ensure they’re ready developmentally.

• Pacifiers: While pacifiers can be soothing, prolonged use supports an immature sucking pattern and forward resting tongue. It’s recommended to limit pacifiers to sleep after six months and to wean completely by 24 months at the latest. Extended pacifier use may affect speech development and dental health. (Check out our Instagram highlights for strategies for weaning!)

The Benefits of Straw Cups

At 6 months old a straw cup should be introduced! Drinking through a straw encourages:

• Strong lip closure

• Tongue retraction

• Development of oral strength needed for clear speech and efficient eating

  
  

Parents can introduce a straw cup around the time solids are introduced (around six months). If your baby has trouble learning how to suck from a straw, try using tools like The First Years cup (click here) to assist flow of water and encourage sucking through a straw.

Click here for our favorite straw cup!

Open Cups: The Ultimate Goal

The open cup is the gold standard for drinking. It supports the most natural and mature oral motor patterns and can be introduced as early as 6 months.

Here’s a practical approach:

• Use straw cups during the day for convenience.

• Introduce open cups at mealtimes when you can supervise.

• Try filling the cup to the top and while holding the cup, let your baby "slurp" from the rim to get used to the concept. As they improve and start so drink more quantity, you can allow them to hold the cup and start to tilt the cup to increase volume. (Click here for our favorite mini open cup).

Why Sippy Cups Aren’t the Best Choice

Traditional hard plastic sippy cups (including the Munchkin 360) are often seen as the natural next step, but they can actually cause problems. Because they mimic the sucking motion of bottles, they:

• Encourage the tongue to sit forward in the mouth.

• Affect speech and articulation.

• Impact dental alignment.

• Make swallowing and eating solid foods more difficult.

In short, sippy cups may hold children back from developing the mature oral motor skills they need.

Transitioning from bottles and pacifiers to straw and open cups is more than just about drinking, it’s about supporting your baby’s speech, feeding, and overall development.

• Start weaning from bottles around 12 months.

• Limit pacifiers after six months and eliminate by 24 months.

• Skip sippy cups when possible.

• Encourage straw use early.

• Work toward open cups as the end goal.

  
  

Every child develops at their own pace, but being intentional about cup choices can make a big difference in your child’s growth.

For more of our favorite cups, and mealtime items see our Amazon storefront and Instagram highlights!