ask. Learning to drink from a cup is a normal part of your child's development.

The process of introducing new foods is called weaning. Weaning is a gradual process of replacing breast and bottle feeding of milk with other modes of eating and other sources of nutrition. It does not have to become a process of withholding something near and dear to your child.

The best time to teach your baby to drink from a cup is between eight and 12 months of age. Your baby is ready to use a cup if he is: Starting to feed himself and eating a variety of foods; Able to hold a cup and drink from it, without spilling too much; Learning to crawl and walk and is fascinated with the world around him; Wanting to be more like other family members.

Weaning at the right time is good for your baby because it will prevent too much dependence on milk as a major source of food. It is easy for your baby to fill up on milk and other liquids taken from the bottle, rather than eat food.

When weaned, your baby should eat solid foods that are richer in iron than milk. This will help to prevent iron deficiency anaemia that sometimes occurs in infants and young children.

If your baby continues to get excessive amounts of milk and/or juice each day one of two things could happen: If he is also eating a wide variety of solid foods, your baby may get more calories than he needs and become overweight.

The liquids may fill his stomach and ruin his appetite for the more nourishing foods, which may prevent baby from gaining weight and growing, as he should.

Teaching your baby to use a cup is an important step in his development. It teaches control over certain muscles and movements.

Drinking from a cup also helps to develop baby's growing sense of independence.

Extended use of the bottle may delay or alter the development of speech production.

The bottle was designed as a way to feed milk to a baby, until he was old enough to eat food and drink from a cup. This usually occurs between eight months and a year. If a parent misses the natural opportunity to wean a baby from the bottle, it is more likely that the parent and child will later get into a struggle over the bottle. In some cases, the bottle becomes a comfort and pacifier to a child, and he continues to drink from a bottle well after his first birthday. Drinking too much fluid can interfere with your child being able to consume a balanced diet and developing healthy eating habits.

Weaning at the right time prevents tooth decay called nursing bottle syndrome.

The continuous flow of formula, milk, juice or other flavoured drink, from the bottle, over the teeth may cause decay. The top front teeth are usually affected. The bedtime or naptime bottle is more likely to cause the damage.

It is best to introduce the cup gradually over a period of weeks or months.

Begin at five to six months of age when your baby is able to sit up by himself. Offer small amounts of water from an open cup. No special cup is needed, but a plastic cup with two handles does give your baby better control of the cup and may prevent spills.

Some mothers teach cup drinking during the baby's bath when spilling doesn't matter. You may drink from a cup along with him to show him how. Once water is accepted well from a cup, offer juice from the cup (juice should not be offered before a baby is six months old).

At eight to nine months when your baby is taking solids well, help your baby give up one bottle at a time. Begin with one that interests your baby the least. Offer a little formula from the cup first before you offer the bottle.

Gradually put less formula in the bottle and more in the cup. Your child probably won't miss it, because he will be filling up on solid foods and drinking from a cup; however, give a little extra love, attention and praise at this time.

It is best to keep baby on an infant formula until your baby is 12 months old, even if it is taken from a cup.

If breast feeding, it is ideal for you to continue as long as possible; however, it is just as important for the breasted baby to develop healthy eating habits. This means learning to eat a variety of foods to fulfil his nutrient needs, and drinking from a cup.

If your baby is less than six to nine months old when you are ready to stop breast feeding, you may need to use a bottle first. Later, wean your baby to a cup. If your baby is older, you may be able to wean directly to a cup.

Plan ahead. Nursing has been important to him, so it is important not to wean too quickly. Weaning gradually will allow your milk supply to slowly decrease.

Start with a feeding your baby is least interested in, usually a mid-afternoon or mid-morning feeding. For four or five days, offer formula milk, from the cup, in the place of that feeding. Do not express your milk at this time as that will only encourage a continued supply of milk. Gradually add the cup at other feedings until your baby is completely weaned. This usually takes two to three weeks. There are no hard and fast rules to weaning a baby; however, it is important not to turn it into a battle between parent and child.

Weaning should be a natural part of the feeding process.

All babies spill liquids when learning to use a cup. Try to have extra patience during this time.

Be sure to offer plenty of liquids such as water, fruit juice, and formula from a cup.

Never put your baby to bed with a bottle and never prop a bottle. This makes weaning more difficult.

The longer you delay weaning, the more attached to the bottle your baby will become and the harder it will be to break the habit.

Start weaning when your baby is well. If your baby becomes ill during this time, stop additional attempts to wean. Wait until your baby is well to continue weaning.

It a toddler knows that a bottle or breast will be waiting after mealtime, he will hold out for the bottle or breast and may not eat the meal. So keep liquid feeds away from mealtime.

If your baby strongly resists parting with a bottle, offer one with water in it.

If your baby is very unhappy with weaning talk it over with your nutritionist, nurse or doctor.

BETSY BAILLIE, RD Nutrition Services Department of Health