Some would argue that it is not just the design of the bottle or cup but the contents that matter. This may be true, and offering only milk or water (Emmett et al 2000) at mealtimes in lidded cups will certainly help to reduce any potential risks associated with them. Nonetheless, common sense tells us that the sooner open cups are introduced, the sooner the infant will develop the skill to drink and not just suck. This will benefit the development of speech, reduce the risk of IDA and potentially instil good eating habits for the future.

Cup feeding can be extremely useful at certain times in an infant’s life. In the early days, it can bridge the gap between supplementation (for whatever reason) and the establishment of breastfeeding. Once weaning has commenced it will help the child to progress from sucking to drinking.

The establishment of good eating habits is a key to good nutrition and modern day lidded cups have the potential to negatively affect this transition.

Sharon Trotter, RN RM BSc in Advanced Studies in Midwifery, is a midwife, breastfeeding consultant, neonatal skincare advisor and a mother of four. Her first book, Breastfeeding: the essential guide (ISBN 0954838106), was published in 2004 and has remained in the top 10 best-selling breastfeeding books on Amazon.co.uk ever since. Email: Sharon@tipslimited.com