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We didn't transition to an open cup until almost 3. He drank mostly out of straw cups or water bottles before that.

We transitioned completely away from bottles at 16 months (pediatrician said as long as it was before 18 months we were fine). We used a soft spout sippy cup that was similar to a bottle for a month or two before moving to the Munchkin sippy and straw cups.

Once we transitioned from formula after 12 months he only got milk or water. Milk kind of sucked in any straw cup because it leaks if it gets warm.

To be honest, we would only buy one cup at a time to see what he liked. We did go through a few different ones until we settled on Munchkin. But I don't think we ever paid that much for one cup.

To keep from wasting breastmilk, we only used water in a sippy cup. I just offered it when he was getting solids, and he never drank very much of it. Once he got the hang of it, then he always had a sippy of water availble to him. Straw cups were never a big thing for us. All the ones that didn't leak were so hard to suck from and all the others leaked. We've actually never used a sippy cup for milk, I always thought it would be too hard to clean. After 1, he only got milk at meal times and we used an open cup. He needed help with it obviously, but was drinking from an open cup on his own well before he was two.

I skipped the sippy cup and started DD on a straw cup at 6 months. She took to it the first day. She gets water at every meal and breastmilk in the cup when she's away from me. I also give her water in an open mouth cup while I'm holding it.

No reason to do a sippy cup. I'd go right to a straw cup. And why would you limit water until 9 months? If he is eating solids, he needs water so he won't get constipated.

We didn't start using an open cup until closer to 18 months/2 years. Didn't hamper his development at all I wouldn't worry about that so much. I also wouldn't worry about cutting all bottles out at 12 months exactly--see how he does and then re-evaluate. It's mostly an issue if the baby sleeps with a bottle, because then it can affect the palette. If he's just eating from one a few times a day and using a straw cup or open cup the rest of the time I don't think it will affect oral development much (but not an expert of course).

@DesertDreams88: also that kelly mom website is mostly about exclusively breastfed babies--meaning babies who are only on breastmilk. Once they start solids, they do need additional water, IME. I would really not worry about overhydration unless you find that your son LOVES water and is downing like 8oz at a time.

My LO had a ton of trouble with straw cups so I did end up buying every soppy cup under the sun. Most were too hard to suck on for him. The best were the Take and Toss sippys. Now our fave straw cups are the thermos metal ones. (And I have literally bought almost every cup invented...)

@DesertDreams88: I always stayed away from giving water because of water intoxication in babies and also, I already had an issue with a family member giving my son vitamin C mixed in water when he was 4 months old... where I had to call poison control. They weren't very worried about the vitamin C but were worried about the water.

Because of that I always thought the formula that we give them is enough hydration. But at their 9 month appt, the pediatrician asked if we gave the babies a sippy cup yet. Since I missed the memo on when to start sippy cups, she said 9 months is a good time to start giving them water in a sippy cup.

The babies are 10 months and we gave them sippy cups and they seem to understand how they work. A month ago, they weren't quite understanding it, but now they do.

We skipped sippy and straight to straw cup at 6 mo. For water only, just a couple oz limit per day until older. When LO started daycare at 11 mo she wouldn't take her EBM from a bottle so straw cup for everything it was! We introduced the 360 miracle cup at some point, maybe 14 mo? Now she's almost 22 mo and does open cups or the 360 or straws.

We tried all sorts of sippy cups and landed on Contigo/camelback straw water bottles. She loves them and I will start our next baby out on them as soon as they are really cruising on solid foods.

We have kept it very simple. Take N Toss sippy cups with water starting at 6 months. Started putting milk in them at 12 months. Stopped bottles right at 12 months. She is now 16 months and drinks out of the same sippies. She is learning to drink water out of open cup. She can use a straw but I hate the extra cleaning that straw cups require. I don't have to feel annoyed if I lose a Take N Toss cup. Plus it's what her daycare uses.

We skipped sippy cup and introduced straw cup with a little water at some point (totally don't remember when). After she turned 1 we started giving cow's milk in a straw cup too and stopped bottles. Now at 19 months she's mostly using open cups and straw cups.

I forgot to mention that was use a shot glass for DD to drink out of and it works great! We hold it to her lips of course but the little size is great for her mouth. I'd say she maybe drinks 1/2 ounce from it at a time 1-3 times a day? I don't think you have to worry about yours getting too much. We just do it at mealtimes when I think she'd like some water. And half of it drips down her front anyways