You're an intelligent, capable, caring parent. Since the birth of your baby, you've survived six months on 3 hours of sleep a night. You've changed who knows how many diapers. Yet, the thought of helping your baby transition from the breast or bottle to the sippy cup nearly brings on an anxiety attack! Don't worry. By following these suggestions, introducing the sippy can be simple and even fun.

The sippy cup is a clever invention that can actually make life easier for both you and your baby. A sippy is simply a cup with a tight fitting lid with a spout. It allows your baby to drink independently with no leaking or spillage.

Between the ages of 4 and 6 months, your baby will be able to sit with support and hold her head steady. This is the time to begin to introduce solid food in the form of rice cereal, and later, fruit juices with vitamin C. Enter the sippy cup.

Of course, you can offer juice from a small cup. However, without a lid with a spout, the use of a small cup can lead to gagging; and even the most dexterous 6 month old won't be able to manage the cup alone. The sippy cup is designed to allow the baby to drink juice and water without choking and with increasing independence.

After accepting cereal as part of his diet, your baby will move on to finger foods. These may be teething biscuits, small bits of banana, or cooked ca
rrots. Although each baby develops on its own time schedule, at this point yours may also be ready to use a sippy cup.

Sippy cups come in a wide variety of styles, materials, and prices. It may take a few tries before you find the one that is just right for your baby, so if cost is a consideration, start with a less expensive model. If you're considering a sippy cup made of plastic, make sure it doesn't contain BPA, a potentially harmful chemical. To solve the toxin problem, many manufacturers have turned to stainless steel. These models tend to be more expensive so you might want to put off that choice until you know what your baby likes.

Next, consider the sippy's spout. Usually, a soft, nipple-like spout is more appealing to babies than a hard one. You might also want to choose a sippy with handles, which make gripping the cup easier for small hands. The first time you offer the cup, help your baby grasp it and move it to her mouth.

Don't be surprised if your baby doesn't take to the sippy cup immediately. Be patient. You might want to start by offering the contents of the cup without the lid. This way the baby knows what's inside. If your baby rejects the sippy the first time around, wait a few days, and then offer it again.

Once your baby does take to the sippy, it may become one of his favorite companions. For busy moms and dads, the sippy can be a lifesaver. Keep several on hand, and enjoy watching your baby become increasingly independent.