When your child reaches five months, or when you decide to start weaning, you can introduce them to a feeder cup filled with cool boiled water or milk.
Young babies (before weaning) do not need extra fluids, but after weaning has started other fluids should be introduced.
(Your baby’s main drink should still be milk, whether this be formula or breast.)
Encouraging your baby to drink from a cup as soon as they can is better for their teeth than feeding from a bottle and by one year your baby shouldn’t need to feed from a bottle at all.
It’s really important to encourage water (cool boiled for first 12 months) only and to avoid sugary drinks such as juice that damage young teeth and gums.
Choosing a feeder cup is tricky, so we’ve chosen what we think are the top five on the market with help from our childcare expert Fi Star-Stone and leading expert in drinking milk & water, Betsy Stone aged 9 months.
Able to feed herself from a cup since five months old, Betsy knows the ins-and outs of baby cups. With her help, we show you the cups that rock!
Our Number 1 
Born Free Feeder cups (suitable from 6 months)
What they say:
‘BornFree® specializes in developing and manufacturing innovative baby feeding products that are 100% free of BPA, Phthalates and PVC.
The BornFree® trainer and drinking cup range for toddlers features the BornFree® venting system, allowing for a free flow of liquid and reducing the hard sucking that often leads to middle-ear infections in small children.
The soft and hard teething-friendly chewy spouts are a big favourite with toddlers and can be bought separately.’
What we think
The Good:
* 100% free of BPA, Phthalates and PVC.
*lovely soft spout that is interchangeable as baby grows
*The cup is very easy to wash and is dishwasher friendly
*Available in lots of colours (great for nursery or in large groups to identify your own cup!)
*Easy removable screw-top and teat change (for adults)
*Great design- fits more than the average feeder cup
*Easy grip handles- perfect too for chubbier hands
The not so good:
*Priced a little higher than it’s competitors but worth the money.
Our Number 2
Tommy Tippie Explora Easy Drink cup (suitable from 6 months)
What they say:
*Easy to hold handles
*Non spill & leak proof
*BPA Free
What we thought:
The Good:
*The cup is very easy to wash and is dishwasher friendly (great for busy parents!)
*Available in lots of colours (great for nursery or in large groups to identify your own cup!)
*Easy removable screw-top (for adults)
*Fair price for a cup that is long lasting (£3.99)
The not so good:
*The ‘Easy grip handle’ is slightly tricky for chubbier hands (sorry Miss Betsy but your hands are a little bit chubby)
*The spout isn’t spill proof, and when turned upside down goes everywhere, (much to the delight of our tester!)
Our Number 3
Tommy tippie Explora First sips cup (suitable from 6 months)
What they say:
*Advance-flo technology for easy drinking
*Unique soft-flex spout protects gums
*Easy to hold handles
*Non spill & leak proof
*BPA Free
What we think:
The Good:
*The ‘Easy grip handle’ is soft for little hands
*The cup is very easy to wash and is dishwasher friendly
*Available in lots of colours (great for nursery or in large groups to identify your own cup!)
*Easy removable screw-top (for adults)
*Fair price for a cup that is long lasting (£3.99)
The not so good:
*The spout is spill proof, and when turned upside down is leak proof, however, its very hard to get any water out unless sucked hard ( Miss Betsy tried, and so did we!)
*The spout joint gets dirty easily
*The spout is hard to match up with the handles!
*The lid is hard to match into place.
Our Number 4
Annabel Karmel Feeder cup (suitable from 6 months)
What they say:
‘This unique baby feedingcup offers both a ‘non spill’ and ‘free flow’ option thanks to a special valve.
The non spill option is ideal for younger children.
As they become more co-ordinated and less prone to spillages the valve can be removed allowing drinks to flow freely.’
Features:
*Spill proof or free flow option with removable valve
*Soft touch spout with hygienic cover
*Soft easy grip handles ideal for little hands
Replacement lids available
What we think:
The Good:
*Love the option to remove the valve as many cups don’t have this option.
*Spout is lovely and soft for little gums
*Handles are easy grip
*nice bright colour
The not so good:
*Handles are easy grip, but again, a little small for chubbier hands!
Our Number 5
Brother Max 4 in 1 trainer cup (suitable from 6 months)
What they say:
‘This cup can be used in 4 ways to ease the transition between bottle and cup.’
Features:
*It covers all the needs from weaning to training in 4 stages.
*Easy step by step transition from bottle to cup, encouraging learning.
*Lean-forward profile to make it easier for your child to use.
*Easy to assemble and easy to clean for great hygiene.
*Spout and handles are removable as confidence grows
What we think:
The Good:
*A funky looking cup -you’ll never get it mixed up with others!
*Spout is soft for little gums
*Spout and handles are removable
*Easily washed & dishwasher friendly
The not so good:
*Priced higher than its competitors
* Rather difficult for little hands to control
*The spout tips out too much too quickly
All of the featured cups are available from Born free, Annabel Karmel and Tommy Tippie.
*Learning to drink from a feeder cup takes time and patience and can create a whole lot of mess.
*Don’t worry if your baby rejects the cup first time, just patient, and above al else, enjoy the new experience together!
*Keep trying and soon your baby will get the hang of it!
