Feeding Your Baby - DHS 4369J

State of Illinois
Department of Human Services

Feeding your Baby (pdf)

Drinking from a Cup

Starting the Cup

  • Your baby is likely to be ready to start using a cup around the same time he is able to eat soft pieces of food-usually about 6 months of age.
  • Using a cup will take lots of practice and patience.
  • Your baby will want to drink from your cup so put water in it. It's a good habit for both of you!
  • At meals and snacks try to use an open cup so he can learn to use it well. Put newspapers or plastic tablecloths on the floor to make clean-up easy.

Adding Juice

  • Offer infant juice or regular 100% fruit or vegetable juice mixed with some water at a meal or a snack. (Use only pasteurized juices.)
  • When you offer juice, put it in a cup and sit at the table to drink it.
  • 2-4 ounces of juice a day is plenty. Juice is an "extra" food-it should not replace breastmilk or formula in your baby's diet.
  • Giving your baby juice in a cup will make giving up the bottle easier.

Ready to Wean

  • Think of weaning as "adding on" a skill-not taking something away.
  • Weaning from the bottle will help keep your baby's teeth healthy. ?Your baby may have fewer ear infections too.
  • If your baby is still taking a bottle after his 1st birthday, give only water in the bottle. Other drinks should be from a cup and only while sitting down at a meal and snack times.

Programs, activities and employment opportunities in the Illinois Department of Human Services are open and accessible to any individual or group without regard to age, sex, race, sexual orientation, disability, ethnic origin or religion. The department is an equal opportunity employer and practices affirmative action and reasonable accommodation programs.

DHS 4369J (R-06-09) CH&P' Feeding Your Baby ­- Drinking from a Cup

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