Tips and Tricks

Childproofing

On average, babies begin to crawl at 8 months. It’s important to prepare the house with some of these tips to keep baby safe!
Don’t hold your baby while cooking at the stove. Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. Secure the oven door with an appliance latch.
Put safety plugs or outlet covers over unused outlets or block with furniture.
Hide electrical cords behind furniture or use hide-a-cord device.
Keep blow dryers, toasters, and other appliances unplugged and out of reach.
Keep knives, breakables, heavy pots, and other dangerous items locked up or out of reach.
Control access to unsafe areas with safety gates, door locks, and knob covers.
Put locks or latches on accessible cabinets and drawers that contain unsafe items.
Keep trash cans in inaccessible cupboards or use cans with child-resistant covers.
Attach corner and edge guards to tables.
Secure furniture that can topple (bookcases, chests of drawers) to the walls.
Anchor flat-screen TVs with safety straps so they can’t fall on your baby.

Babies tend to swallow air during feeding, causing them to spit up or become fussy if they’re not burped frequently. Try these three common burping methods.
Using one arm, hold your baby upright against your shoulder. Gently pat his back with your other hand.
Sit the baby upright on your lap, support his chest and head and pat his back.

Pay attention to how your potential nanny, sitter or childcare provider interacts with other children
Check their policies for misbehavior, television, sleeping, feeding, etc. to see how well they match your own personal preferences
Make sure you feel comfortable with the childcare provider – they will be telling you a lot of information about your child so you need to be able to communicate well with them
Trust your gut! If a potential provider doesn’t “feel” right, keep looking!

Use your fingers or a brush with very soft bristles to gently rub your child’s scalp each day. This will boost circulation and help scaly patches of skin fall off easily.
Wash your baby's head each day with a gentle soap until cradle cap subsides. Then shampoo about twice weekly.
Be sure to rinse away all traces of soap.
Before shampooing, rub a bit of mineral oil into baby's scalp and cover it with a moist, warm washcloth to encourage scaly patches to fall off. Leave it on for up to an hour, making sure the cloth stays warm.
If cradle cap doesn't improve or baby continues to react to scalp itchiness, see your pediatrician about a topical lotion or cream.

The best time to do this is while she's sleeping. Another good time is right after a bath, when your baby's nails are softest.
Make sure you have enough light to see what you're doing. Use a pair of baby scissors or clippers made especially to use on tiny fingers. Press the finger pad away from the nail to avoid nicking the skin, and keep a firm hold on your baby's hand as you clip.
Cut fingernails along the curve of the finger. Cut toenails straight across. Then use an emery board to smooth out rough edges.
Doctors recommend using only an emery board in the first few weeks of a new baby's life because nails are very soft.

Change diaper more frequently
Let your child go diaper free
Try switching your baby lotion or baby powder
Liberally apply ointments that contain either zinc oxide or petroleum that will create a barrier against moisture
Be prepared. Start a diaper change with everything you need. Otherwise, you may spread germs or just plain create a tough situation for yourself.

Wipe carefully. With a girl, always wipe from front to back to prevent infections. Although that’s not an issue with a boy, you should always put a cloth over his pee-pee to prevent a spray of urine during the diaper change.
Roll up the diaper carefully - you’ll have a ball that’s relative germ-free, at least on the outside
Get a diaper pail. These can really aid in helping the house smell less!
Use distractions. Changing a squirming baby can be a real struggle, but a distraction with toys can lessen the squirming and help you get the job done in a shorter amount of time! Once the diaper change is over, make sure to wash off or disinfect the toys afterward.
Wash your own hands right away. If you’re not near a sink, you can use alcohol-based gel instead -- just make sure to keep the bottle out of your baby’s reach.

What to do when your baby is crying and you don’t know what’s wrong? Try these tips and tricks to calm a fretful child!
Burp your baby frequently, even if she shows no discomfort. If you nurse, burp her each time after you switch breasts. If you bottle-feed, burp her after she consumes two or three ounces of formula. Stop feeding if she’s fussy or turns her head away from the nipple or bottle.
Rock or sway your baby in your arms from side to side. Singing, talking or playing soft music can also help to stop crying.
Take your baby for a ride in the car or stroller. Motion often has a calming effect on newborns.
Give your baby a warm, short bath. Beware, too many baths, especially during the winter months, can dry out a baby’s sensitive skin and lead to chapping and diaper rash.

Sourced from Baby Safety Zone