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The cup aisle has open cups, free-flow beakers, non-spill sippy cups and straw cups, all aimed at the same age. NHS guidance gives a clear steer on which to start with, and why.
This page summarises published NHS advice. We are not health professionals: for questions about your own child’s feeding, your health visitor or GP is the right person to ask.
What the NHS says
From the NHS page on drinks and cups for babies and young children:
- Introduce a cup or beaker from around 6 months, and offer sips of water with meals.
- Using an open cup or a free-flow cup without a valve will help your baby learn to sip, and is better for their teeth.
- Once your baby is 1 year old, feeding from a bottle should be discouraged.
- In a bottle or trainer cup, give only breast milk, formula milk or water, and do not add anything else such as sugar or cereal.
It will be messy at first, the NHS notes, but babies gradually learn to drink from an open cup.
The types, explained
| Type | How it works | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Open cup | A small ordinary cup, often weighted or with handles | The NHS’s first suggestion. Tiny amounts at a time limit the mess |
| Free-flow cup | A spouted lid with no valve: liquid flows when tipped | Recommended alongside open cups. Leaks if dropped |
| Non-spill (valved) sippy cup | A valve stops leaks; the child has to suck | Convenient for bags, but it is not the valve-free type the NHS recommends for learning to sip |
| Straw cup | Drinks through a straw; many are weighted | Popular with children; choose one where the straw comes apart for cleaning |
Practical tips for the messy stage
- Pour a couple of centimetres at a time. There is less to spill, and it is easier to control.
- Offer it with meals, when they are sitting down and a bib is already on.
- Choose a cup with two handles for small hands.
- Wash cups and lids after every use, and take valves and straws apart to dry.
