At seven months of age the sucking action at the breast or bottle is not as necessary to your baby as it was when she was younger, and a feeder cup, or beaker, is perfectly adequate for her to have most of her milk drinks from. If you wean your baby from the breast when she is six months or more, you can probably bypass bottles completely. She may, however, still prefer to have a bottle- or breastfeed last thing at night for comfort.
It's best to start with a spill-proof beaker with a soft spout, changing over time to a hard spout and then an open lidded cup with handles. You could use expressed milk at first to familiarise her with the beaker before the taste changes to formula flavour! Most babies make the transition easily, but, if you are planning to introduce beaker feeds prior to returning to work, allow her at least a couple of weeks to get used to the idea.
Bear in mind that cups, not bottles, must always be used for juice because babies tend to use bottles as comforters and so keep them in their mouths for longer than they would a beaker. This mean the juice stays in contact with their teeth for long periods and they are more likely to develop tooth decay.
Until they are one, formula-fed babies still need at least 500ml (about 1 pint) of milk per day as a main drink. Fresh cow's milk, goat or sheep's milk are not suitable because they do not provide enough iron for your baby's needs.
Reviewed March 2006
The information above is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your child's condition.
