About the time that infants switch to milk, most parents consider getting them to also give up their bottles. Making two big changes at the same time can be too stressful for some kids, so you might do one at a time. But which one? Should you switch to milk or to cups first?

It actually may not matter that much. Some parents think that it is harder to get off the bottle later if they first get their toddler used to drinking milk from a bottle. Others find it harder to get their toddler to take formula from a cup, because she has been used to drinking it from a bottle for so long.

Since there is no real “right” way to get your toddler used to milk and cups, you will have to think about what will work best for you. Is your toddler very easygoing and adaptable? Then you may be able to switch to both at once, using a cold-turkey approach and going straight to milk in a cup. If your toddler strongly resists any change, then consider going much more slowly. You might have to change just one bottle to milk every few days or weeks, to allow your toddler to ease into this transition.

If your baby is breastfeeding, you can avoid bottles completely by weaning straight to a cup. Especially if your infant is already a year old when she weans, there is no real reason to give her a bottle at all. If she was drinking water or juice from a bottle, then you can switch to a cup at around twelve to fifteen months, whether or not she continues to breastfeed.