Reviewed by The Mom Store editorial team, October 2026. See our editorial policy.
A breastfeeding cup is a small, open cup used to give a baby expressed breast milk, or formula, when they cannot feed at the breast for a while. Your baby laps or sips the milk from the rim at their own pace. Hospitals often call this cup feeding, and it is usually a short term way to feed while breastfeeding is getting established, rather than a replacement for it.
The cup itself is nothing special. The CDC guide to cup feeding infants says a small disposable plastic or paper cup, such as a medicine cup, works. What matters is the technique.
When cup feeding is used
An NHS leaflet from the Royal Berkshire hospital on cup or finger feeding describes cup feeding as a short term method while breastfeeding is being established, suited to small amounts of milk, up to about 20 ml. Situations where your midwife or lactation consultant might suggest it include:
- your baby needs a top up of expressed milk in the first days, while you are both still learning to latch
- you are separated from your baby for a feed, for example while you recover after a caesarean
- bottles cannot be cleaned properly, which the CDC notes is one reason cup feeding is used when safe water is not available
The CDC says cup feeding is considered safe for premature and many ill babies too, but in those cases the hospital team will guide every feed. The Royal Berkshire leaflet adds that it is not suitable if your baby is very sleepy.
How to cup feed
Ask your midwife or a nurse to show you once before you try alone. The steps below follow the CDC and NHS guidance:
- Wash and dry your hands. Use a clean cup; in hospital it will usually be sterile.
- Wrap your baby in a muslin cloth and hold them upright on your lap, supporting their head, neck and shoulders.
- Rest the rim of the cup on your baby's lower lip and tip it just enough that the milk touches their lip.
- Let your baby lap or sip the milk with their tongue. Do not pour milk into their mouth. The NHS leaflet warns that milk given too fast can cause spluttering, choking, or milk going into the lungs.
- Keep the cup at their lip during pauses so they can set the pace, and tilt it a little more as the level drops so milk stays at the rim.
- Burp your baby as needed.
Your baby has had enough when they close their mouth, turn their head away or their hands relax. The CDC also advises checking with a healthcare provider about how much your baby needs at each age, because amounts vary.
Cleaning
Throw away disposable cups and any milk your baby did not drink after each feed. A reusable cup needs washing thoroughly in hot soapy water and storing somewhere clean and dry. If you are in hospital, the staff will show you how they want the cup washed and sterilised.
Cup, bottle or sippy cup?
A cup for a newborn is not the same as a sippy or training cup for an older baby. Sippy cups have a spout and are for babies learning to drink by themselves, much later. A bottle is another option for expressed milk, and many families go on to use one. If your aim is to breastfeed directly, talk to your midwife or lactation consultant about which method suits your situation and for how long.
If you are expressing for cup feeds, a breast pump can make it easier to collect enough milk, especially if you are separated from your baby or your baby is not yet feeding well at the breast. Hand expressing is another option your midwife can teach you.
When to get help
Cup feeding is meant to be a bridge. Speak to your midwife, lactation consultant or paediatrician if your baby often splutters or coughs during cup feeds, seems too sleepy to feed, or if you are unsure whether your baby is getting enough milk or how long to keep cup feeding.
This article is general information and does not replace advice from your doctor.
