When Do Babies Hold Their Own Bottle?
Holding a bottle or sippy cup requires fine motor skills, strength, coordination, and cognitive development. Learn when most babies are up to the task.
Medically reviewed by Natalie D. Muth, M.D.
While feeding your baby promotes bonding, it also takes a lot of time. Some parents long for the day when their little one can hold their own bottles, effectively feeding themselves without assistance. But when does that typically happen?
To reach the milestone of being able to hold their own bottle, a baby needs to develop the necessary fine motor skills, coordination, and strength. Keep reading to learn more about when babies can hold their own bottles and sippy cups.
When Babies Start Holding Their Own Bottle
On average, babies can hold their own bottles between 6 and 10 months, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). However, all babies are different and some may take a little longer, while others may be capable even sooner.
Holding a bottle requires a wide range of skills, including cognitive development, fine motor control, coordination, and strength in the core and upper body, so it may take time to develop those abilities.
How can you tell if your baby is ready to hold their own bottle? Look for these two key signs:
If your baby can sit up by themselves (usually sometime between months 4 and 7) and grasp objects, they may be ready to hold a bottle unassisted.
Another sign? Your child may show you a desire for their bottle by reaching for it during feedings.
Related: When to Stop Giving Your Baby a Bottle Before Bed
If your baby grabs their own bottle, you may be tempted to let them take over feeding time, but keep in mind that developing the skill of being able to control the flow of the formula or breast milk may take longer than just holding the bottle.
Additionally, if your baby isn't able to sit up correctly, they may not be in an ideal position for drinking and swallowing, so help them and give them time to adjust to holding the bottle.
Tips for Handing Over the Bottle
When your baby is ready to hold their own bottle, it may be helpful to take the transition slow. Give your baby time to adjust to holding the bottle and controlling the pace of their own feeding.
Never leave the bottle propped in your little one’s mouth as they may overeat or choke on the steady liquid stream. According to the AAP, this practice can lead to ear infections and may also cause dental caries/cavities. That said, here are some ways you can help your child hold a bottle on their own when they're ready:
Place your baby’s hands on the bottle during feeding time. Let your baby pull away if they want, but try again after a few minutes. This will teach your child how to hold the bottle.
Don’t fill the bottle too much; your little one may not have the strength to hold it up. You can also practice with an empty bottle.
Encourage your baby to play with toys while sitting down. They’ll probably bring the toys to their mouth, which develops the coordination and strength necessary for bottle feeding.
Give your baby regular tummy time to build core strength.
Once your baby starts holding their bottle, continue to take the necessary safety precautions. Never leave your baby alone while feeding—especially in the crib. A bottle in the bed could lead to choking and liquid pooling in your little one's mouth once they're asleep also increases the likelihood of tooth decay.
As a general rule, always monitor your child closely while they're eating, and listen to their feeding sounds like sucking and swallowing.
Related: The 10 Biggest Feeding Mistakes Parents Make
When Do Babies Hold Sippy Cups?
By the time your baby gets into a groove of holding their own bottle, you can start thinking about introducing a sippy cup. According to the AAP, most babies are ready to start drinking from a sippy cup between 6 and 9 months. And by 12 months, the CDC recommends weaning off a bottle altogether.
One major reason: Once a baby starts walking, they're likely to carry their bottle around, whereas a baby fed by their parent will generally have the bottle removed right after feeding. If the bottle contains anything other than water, frequent sipping can lead to tooth decay.
Experts recommend introducing sippy cups with a small amount of water to help build fine motor skills and an early preference for water.
Quick Tip
Baby bottle tooth decay commonly occurs from prolonged exposure to the sugars found in juice, milk, and starchy snacks. Acid-producing bacteria feed on those sugars creating conditions for cavities to form. Start dental hygiene early and limit sugary drinks and foods to help protect their teeth.
Whether breastfed or bottle-fed, a baby who can sit up by themselves and open their mouth for a spoon is ready to add a cup to the mealtime mix. (Experts usually recommend using sippy cups during snacktime and mealtime only, and not throughout the day).
Try these steps to encourage your child to hold a sippy cup.
First, do a quick show-and-tell by holding the cup to their mouth and dribbling some liquid onto their lips; take the valve out of a non-spill cup to do this.
If you're using a cup with handles, hold them, so your baby sees how to maneuver the sippy cup themselves.
If they don't get the hang of it, try introducing them to a straw.
Related: How To Introduce Your Baby's First Food
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