This cute sippy cup from TumTum has a clever weighted straw that follows the liquid around, so your child won’t need to keep it upright when they've finished drinking.

It’s a great place to start for your baby to develop more strength and coordination before moving onto an open cup or similar.Free-flow cups are a recommended option and this is a great one thanks to easy-to-grab handles and its good size for babies to wield themselves. Its Intellivalve technology makes it 100% leak-proof and shake-proof according to the promises on the packet, and parents agree that it lives up to the hype. I have tried a few types (a Mam one similar to her bottles, munchkin 360 and a straw cup that came with a bamboo weaning set) but not had much luck getting DD to drink water from any of them. Unlike other cups this weighted straw follows the liquid as he tips it up or whichever way - so it freely flows out easily. Here at Mumsnet we're obsessed with making parent's lives easier, and we know much of a difference the right product can make when it comes to feeding and changing during the baby and toddler years.

It’s a really easy ‘valve’ just touch it to the mouth and it flows (so no leaks but you don’t have to suck hard either)’ - recommended by Mumsnet user, TepidCat.

And because it’s made using Bacshield antibacterial silver ion technology, the spout won’t become a home for germs to hide in, even if it does get the odd bite mark. Insulated cups can help and we like the look of this one, as Munchkin is generally a loved brand by parents - including Mumsnetters. Like other Munchkin cups, it has a spoutless, 360-degree edge so your child can take a sip from any angle, helping their muscles develop to ready them for open cups. Straw type cups are, it must be said, slightly frowned upon by the professionals as they’re still sucking rather than learning to drink from an open cup - but at least they’re learning to control the flow themselves. This smart cup by baby feeding gurus Tommee Tippee is a great design if you have a ‘biter’ on your hands.

Once they’re used to handling the cup themselves - encouraged by the easy-grip handles that aid development - swap the teat for the soft silicone spout (which is non-spill and free-flow). It comes with a cup lid which will keep the rim clean when you’re out and about with your little one. This boldly-designed sippy cup is totally spill-proof so your baby can shake it around as much as they like without spilling a drop. We have a tommee tippee one with a spout and one with a weighted straw and we use the ezpz cup at home. If you’re after a budget option, the long-respected Tommee Tippee Essential Free-Flow First Cup is a good choice.The Tum Tum Tippy Up Sippy Cup is designed for drinking at home or on the go thanks to it’s flip top lid and weighted straw, which allows for any way up drinking. They’re made for flip, bite and sip use with a straw, a button-press lid and a valve that delivers a steady flow. g. if used for milk or juice) detach the straw from the lid and give the cup a more thorough clean, leaving the straw to soak if necessary (e. You might want to consider leak-proof for travel; spill-proof for, well, always; cups with handles for tiny hands to easily hold; eco-options; even glow-in-the-dark numbers for nighttimes.

The straw is made from food grade silicone (also BPA free) with a stainless steel weight, encased in polypropylene. Suitable for cold or room temperature drinks only - if milk comes up the straw, this will be due to a build up of vapour pressure, either from warm drinks or from changing temperature, e. Free-flow or open cups are what’s most recommended by dentists so go for one of those in the first instance - this is because sipping is better for babies' teeth than sucking. If it seems this might be too tricky for your little one (as some parents reviewed), they could grow into this after something with more of a sucking style (see below). The cap and bottle are odour and stain resistant, safe to pop in the dishwasher and free of BPA, BPS and BPF.

Kids aged 3+ won’t argue over the Camelbak Eddy (we can hope…) thanks to the fun, adventurous designs. It’s recommended from six months old, though we think a six-month-old might struggle to hang onto it reliably (no handles) but it’s a good and long-lasting starting point. This spoutless cup from Munchkin is a big hit with parents who deem it pretty much spill-proof - worth an award, in our book.