At what age should cups be introduced according to dietary recommendations for 0-12 month children?

At what age should cups be introduced according to dietary recommendations for 0-12 month children?

• A. 3 months
• B. 6 months
• C. 9 months
• D. 12 months

Answer: (B)

Introducing a cup around six months aligns with when babies begin complementary feeding and have the head, neck, and mouth coordination to sip from a cup. At this age, they’re developmentally ready to move away from exclusive bottle feeding and start practicing drinking from a cup with supervision. Starting too early isn’t appropriate because infants at three months aren’t ready for cup drinking and solid-food introduction, and leaving it too late delays weaning and keeps them dependent on a bottle longer. Therefore, six months is the appropriate time within the 0–12 month window to begin cup use, with liquids typically limited to water or milk as advised.

Introducing a cup around six months aligns with when babies begin complementary feeding and have the head, neck, and mouth coordination to sip from a cup. At this age, they’re developmentally ready to move away from exclusive bottle feeding and start practicing drinking from a cup with supervision. Starting too early isn’t appropriate because infants at three months aren’t ready for cup drinking and solid-food introduction, and leaving it too late delays weaning and keeps them dependent on a bottle longer. Therefore, six months is the appropriate time within the 0–12 month window to begin cup use, with liquids typically limited to water or milk as advised.