Can a 9-Month-Old Use an Open Cup or Straw Cup?

Can a nine-month-old learn to drink from a cup?

Does your baby reach for your cup, only to spill most of the water onto their bib when it reaches their lips? This may be part of discovering a new skill. Cup drinking involves bringing the rim to the lips, managing a small sip, swallowing, and knowing when to pause.

NHS advice is that you can introduce a cup from around six months. By nine months your baby may be practising with your help; this is not a requirement to drink independently. Stay with them and offer small sips while they sit upright.

Open cup or straw cup?

With an open cup, your baby can see the liquid move. At first, you can hold the cup and tip it slightly, offering only a little so water does not rush into the mouth. Choose a lightweight, shatter-resistant cup with smooth edges.

A straw cup uses a different drinking movement. Not using a straw straight away is not a developmental failure; you can offer it as an option and follow your baby's interest.

The NHS suggests an open cup or a free-flow cup without a valve to help babies learn to sip. Either can be offered with support at mealtimes.

What might happen on the first attempts?

In the early days your baby might grab the cup with both hands, lift its bottom, or dip a finger into the water. They may lose interest after a sip or two. Exploring the cup and movement matters more now than finishing a drink independently.

For example, at lunch you could put a little water in a cup and bring its rim to your baby's lips. If they turn away or close their mouth, end the attempt. Spilled water is an ordinary part of learning; calm repetition is enough.

How should your baby sit when drinking?

Offer the cup while your baby can hold their head steady and sit upright with good support. Use the high-chair harness and stay nearby. Choose a calm mealtime rather than pouring water into the mouth while the baby is lying down or moving.

If water flows too quickly, tilt the cup back and let your baby set the pace. Stop and speak to your GP or health visitor about repeated coughing or difficulty swallowing. If your baby cannot breathe or turns blue, call 999.

What can go into the cup?

Offer plain water with meals as your baby learns to use a cup. NHS guidance does not set a fixed daily water target for a nine-month-old. Breast milk or first infant formula remains the main drink in the first year; water should not replace milk feeds.

Juice and sweetened drinks are unnecessary for learning to use a cup. Offer a few sips, and allow your baby to decide whether to drink.

What if your baby is not interested in a cup?

If your baby chews the straw, pushes away the open cup, or treats it as a toy, simply try again later. A calm mealtime when they are not exhausted may work better. Watching you take a sip can help them understand the movement.

Cup skills develop gradually. At nine months, it is normal for you to hold or support the cup. Follow your baby's comfort and coordination rather than treating cup use as an age-based test.

Choosing and cleaning a cup

You do not need a special brand or complicated mechanism. Choose something easy to hold, shatter-resistant, smooth-edged, and easy to clean. If you choose a straw cup, removable straw and lid parts help thorough cleaning.

There is no need to make cup practice into constant sipping in the pushchair or in bed. Make it a short part of mealtimes instead, so you can watch your baby's response and follow their pace.

What can you try today?

At one meal today, add a little water to the bottom of a small unbreakable open cup. With your baby upright, support the cup with both hands, bring its rim to the lips, and pause after a few sips. If interest continues, try once more. Introduce a straw cup calmly another time if you wish.

If your baby pushes the cup away, there is no need to insist. Water on the bib, little hands trying to hold on, and brief attempts are normal parts of learning. The aim is a safe, pleasant drinking experience.