You and your baby enjoy being out and about. As much as you may like to, you can’t carry her everywhere you go, so you’ll have to rely on car seats, carriers and strollers to get around. Here are a few safety tips about the various methods we use for transporting our babies from place to place:

The car seat
From birth to age 1, your baby should be in a rear-facing car seat. Once your child has reached her first birthday AND 20 pounds, you can turn her around to face forward. Some experts recommend keeping a child in the rear-facing position for as long as she’ll tolerate it — it’s definitely safer and lessons the chance of whiplash.

The front carrier
Before using any baby carrier, check the manufacturer’s height and weight specifications. For the first three months or so, your baby should face you. Once she’s about 3 months old and able to hold her head steady, she can begin to face out and see the world.

The backpack
Since a baby needs good neck and head control, a backpack is not recommended before 4 to 6 months. Backpack style vary from one to another, but none are appropriate for a baby under 3 months.

The jogging stroller
So you envisioned taking your baby for a jog while you whipped your post-pregnancy body back into shape. Not so fast, Mom. Some manufacturers of jogging strollers say they can be used for babies as young as 6 months, most experts recommend that you wait longer. The bumpy ride is not good for your baby’s immature spine and neck muscles.

The bike seat
You wear a helmet when you ride a bicycle, and your baby should, too. Her little neck won’t be strong enough to support even a lightweight helmet until her first birthday, so ride solo until then.

If you still have questions after checking the manufacturer’s instructions, consult your pediatrician for help.

Read more:

• Top 10 car seat safety tips
• Baby joggers: All you need to know before you hit the road with your kid in tow
• 5 fitness tips for new moms

Many common birth defects are preventable.

Before you become pregnant, you can make lifestyle changes that promote a healthy pregnancy and increase the chances of having a healthy baby.

Inform your doctor that you are planning to have a child. Your doctor can offer advice on ways to improve your health, such as losing weight and staying active. Share your complete medical history, and keep all of your appointments.

Review your current medications with your doctor to determine whether or not it’s safe to continue taking them during pregnancy. Drugs — even common pain relievers — can pass through the uterus and affect child development.

When you become pregnant, if you have any concerns whatsoever, be sure to share them with your doctor.

Eat properly and take multivitamin supplements, especially folic acid, to reduce the risk of defects.

Do not drink alcohol when you’re pregnant. Alcohol can cause a birth defect called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).

Do not smoke. “When you smoke, your baby smokes, too.” Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke are dangerous and may contribute to learning disabilities, emotional problems, bleeding, miscarriage, birth defects, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and even death.

Do not abuse drugs before or during pregnancy. Drug abuse can lead to physical deformities, mental disabilities, and learning and behavioral problems. There is some evidence to suggest that a father’s drug abuse may be linked to birth defects as well.

Armed with the knowledge that you do have some control over whether or not your child will be born healthy, it’s time to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure it.

Read more:

• The preconception diet: Eating right before pregnancy
• Pregnant? Reasons to take your vitamins
• Before pregnancy: What you can do to prepare your body
• Paxil and the risk of birth defects

After two babies suffocated to death because of faulty cribs, Delta recalled nearly 1.6 million cribs.

In light of this recent problem, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reminds parents to check their baby’s crib regularly:

• Tighten the crib’s hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy.
• If you use a drop-side crib, make sure moving parts operate smoothly.
• Consistently check all sides and corners of the crib to disengagement that could entrap a child.
• Never attempt to repair any side of the crib with tape, wire or rope.
• Make sure the mattress is firm and tight-fitting, so baby can’t get trapped between the mattress and the crib.
• Follow assembly instructions carefully and ensure that there are no missing, loose, broken or improperly installed hardware.
• In cribs that are assembled wrong or have broken slats, infants can strangle when their head and neck become entrapped.
• Crib slats should be no more than 2-3/8 inches apart. Do not use a crib with cracked or missing slats.
• Crib corner posts should not exceed 1/16th inch. Baby’s clothing could get attached on a post.
• Headboards and footboards should be solid and free of cutouts, which could trap the baby’s head.

Parents have a responsibility to create a safe sleep environment for their baby. For more safety information, visit the CPSC website.

Read more: The safe nursery: Choosing a safe crib

Nearly every expectant mother has at least one ultrasound. An ultrasound can be helpful in determining how old the fetus is, how the baby is growing, and whether or not there are multiple babies in the uterus. The ultrasound also shows the condition of the placenta.

During the first trimester, a crown-rump length measurement can be made to determine gestational age, accurate to within one week. By about 7 weeks, ultrasound can usually show the baby’s heart beating, which is an amazing experience for parents.

Later in the pregnancy, ultrasound can help medical professionals assess the baby’s health. By 18 weeks, ultrasound may see the baby’s:

• head
• spine
• chest
• heart
• liver
• stomach
• kidneys
• arms and hands
• legs and feet
• bladder
• genitalia

Many parents use ultrasound to find out the sex of their baby. Sometimes, due to the baby’s positioning or other factors, the sex cannot be determined. Since ultrasounds are expensive, they’re not usually offered for just this purpose. Instead ultrasounds are used to gather information for appropriate medical care for both baby and mother.

Source: Dr. Spock.com

Visit Pregnancy & Baby’s Ultrasound Gallery for week-by-week ultrasound photos.

Newborn babies are tiny, but they sure do generate a lot of laundry! Using special baby detergent to launder baby’s clothes can become quite costly. Is it necessary?

Not always. In fact, sometimes baby detergent doesn’t eliminate the stains and odors on your baby’s clothing as well as you would like. Consider washing your baby’s things with the rest of the family’s. Opt for liquid detergents — they typically work for all types of clothing — and don’t be afraid to use stain-removing detergents for tough loads. Before making the switch to regular detergent, however, test just one article of clothing to make sure it doesn’t cause irritation to baby’s tender skin.

If your baby has allergies, eczema, or atopic dermatitis –  or if she just seems to have sensitive skin — continue to use baby detergent or switch to a less-expensive detergent that doesn’t contain colors or fragrances, such as Tide Free or All Free & Clear.

If you are using cloth diapers, it is recommended that you continue to launder them separately and refrain from using harsh detergents, which can cause diaper rash. To effectively and safely wash cloth diapers, use a mild, fragrance/color-free detergent. And even though you may like the smell of fabric softener, avoid using it — the fragrances may cause irritation. Instead, deodorize your laundry by adding a cup of baking soda to each load. Use hot water, and double rinse each load. Hang outside to dry (the sun is nature’s bleach), or put the diapers in the dryer to soften them (again, without softener sheets).

Keeping your baby clean and comfortable may take an extra step or two, but it’s worth it. Nothing smells better than a clean baby.

Which is better? The fresh, outdoor scent of line-dried clothes or the softness that comes only from the dryer? Share your thoughts.

Read The laundry room for more information about washing baby clothes.

Dr. Joseph Bocchini, pediatrics chairman at Louisiana State University and the head of the infectious diseases committee for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), recently treated an infant for salmonella. The baby — who had to be hospitalized for four weeks — contracted the disease from the family’s pet iguana, which roamed freely in their home.

The AAP recently reported that young children should not keep certain nontraditional animals as pets, including hamsters, iguanas, baby chicks, and turtles. These particular pets carry dangerous — even deadly — germs that can harm children. Additionally, some of these pets may be more prone to bite or scratch — a particular threat to children under age 5, who may handle animals roughly.

Lizards, turtles and other reptiles are responsible for nearly 11% of salmonella illnesses in children. Hamsters and baby chicks also carry this germ. If a young child kisses the animal — or pets it then puts his hands in his mouth — he can easily contract salmonella. The result? Severe diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps.

Families with children 5 and under should avoid these pets altogether. In fact, the AAP reported this month that young children should even avoid contact with these animals in petting zoos or other public places. If your child is around pets or animals of any kind, then supervision and hand-washing are imperative.

The report’s author, Dr. Larry Pickering, is an infectious disease specialist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Many parents clearly don’t understand the risks from various infections” carried by such animals.

Households which already have nontraditional pets should consider finding new homes for the animals. Young children — who often put their hands in their mouth — are especially at risk of contracting diseases because of their developing immune systems.

The report warns that children not be allowed to keep hedgehogs as pets. Hedgehogs have quills that can penetrate a child’s skin and spread bacteria that cause fever, rash, and stomach pain. A spokesperson for the International Hedgehog Association doesn’t believe that hedgehogs should be singled out, but recommends that “no animal should be a pet for kids 5 and under.”

The AAP’s report appears in the October edition of Pediatrics.

What’s the most unusual pet you’ve ever owned?

Read more:

• Animal diseases can affect people
• Illnesses from pets

Babies burp; however, burping is not something that comes naturally to them. You have to help.

Burping gets rid of some of the air babies swallow during feeding. Too much swallowed air can cause spitting up, gassiness or crankiness. There are silent burps, noisy burps, wet burps and vomit burps. You may find some of them more unsettling than others, but your baby will appreciate anything that gets that bubble of air out of his tummy.

Burping a baby can be perplexing.  Here are some tips that may help:

• stop feeding every now and then to try burping your baby, especially if he seems fussy
• always attempt to burp your baby when feeding time is over
• keep your baby in a upright position for 10 minutes or so after feeding to help his milk stay down
• gently pat your baby’s back repeatedly (please don’t pound hard)

There are a few different burping positions to try — one may work better than another for you:

• Sitting upright, hold your baby against your chest with his chin on your shoulder. Support his head and neck with one hand, and gently pat his back with the other.
• Place your baby in a sitting position on your lap. Cradle his chin — not his throat! — in the palm of your hand and rest the heel of your hand on his chest. Pat his back with your other hand.
• Lay your baby belly-down on your lap. Keeping his head higher than his chest, support it with one hand while patting his back with the other.

As your baby gets older, he’ll learn to eat without swallowing too much air.

Visit the She Knows Message Boards for more burping advice.

It’s truly amazing to think about just how much babies learn between birth and their first birthday. You watch with pride as your baby surpasses one milestone after another.

While every child is unique in his or her development, there are some guidelines to help parents and doctors know whether or not a baby is progressing normally.

The following are potential warning signs of a physical delay:

By the 4th month

• cannot support her head well
• doesn’t reach for or grasp toys
• isn’t bringing objects to her mouth
• doesn’t push down with her legs when her feet are placed on a firm surface

By the 6th month

• can’t sit with help
• reaches out with only one hand; keeps the other hand fisted

By the 7th month

• has poor head control when pulled to a sitting position
• is not reaching for objects
• doesn’t bear some weight on his legs

By the 12th month

• can’t sit independently
• crawls lopsided, using one hand and leg while dragging the opposite hand and leg
• can’t stand with support

Trust your instincts, too. If you’re worried, talk to your baby’s doctor. You know your baby better than anyone, so you can spot potential problems early.
Jot down your concerns before you meet with the doctor. Your pediatrician should be checking for developmental delays at each wellness checkup, with structured development screening at 9 months, 18 months and either 24 or 30 months.

If you’re worried about your baby’s development between regular appointments, don’t wait until the next one. Call the doctor and explain your concern.

Read Babies, toddlers and exercise for more information on developmental milestones.

As you eagerly await the arrival of your new baby, use this checklist to make sure you have everything your newborn will need:

Diapers
Newborns can dirty up to 10 diapers every day, so you’ll want to have two packs of disposable diapers or enough cloth diapers for at least two days.

Wipes
You’ll need at least one pack of disposable wipes (start with unscented/sensitive skin wipes) or 10 cloth wipes. You’ll find that you use them for more than just diaper changes.

Changing pad
Whether changing your baby on a changing table or your bed, be sure to protect the surface with a waterproof changing pad.

Baby washcloths
Buy about five of these and launder them in gentle detergent. Until your baby’s umbilical cord falls off, you’ll be washing her with washcloths.

Bath supplies
Once your baby is ready for the baby tub, you’ll want to have a couple of hooded towels, some gentle baby wash (for skin and hair), baby oil or lotion, and a pair of baby nail clippers.

Clothes
This will depend on the weather — and how often you want to do laundry — but do stock up on onesies (a half-dozen or more), sleepers or nightgowns (again, about six), a cold weather sack, a pair of socks for every day of the week, and a newborn hat or two.

Bedding
Have at least four laundered fitted sheets on hand for baby’s bassinet, cradle or crib. You’ll want about 10 lightweight receiving blankets, and — depending on climate — a couple of heavier blankets, too.

Feeding
Whether feeding by breast or bottle, it’s a good idea to have a nursing pillow for comfort. Keep some burp cloths handy to protect your clothes from spit-up. If you’re bottle feeding, you’ll need about 8 washed bottles and formula, of course.

There are other things you may want — such as a digital thermometer, a baby monitor and fun clothes — but, for the most part, you’ll find that your new baby doesn’t need all that much.

What is your nursery “must-have”?

Visit Pregnancy & Baby to read Secondhand layette: Preparing for baby affordably.

Experts tell us that babies are born with feelings. As babies grow, the experiences around them combine with the feelings to form their complex emotional life.

Each feeling — there are nine in all — is expressed by a specific facial expression your baby makes. Identifying these facial expressions help parents understand what baby is feeling.

Interest and enjoyment: Curious children will seek out things they enjoy. These positive feelings help them learn — about the world and about themselves. Interest and enjoyment also help parents get to know their children.

Surprise: This feeling resets the nervous system and prepares the baby for other stimuli. The sudden bark of a dog, for example, will ignite the feeling of surprise.

Distress, anger, fear and shame: We want babies to express these negative feelings. Doing so will help them communicate that something is amiss. If we don’t permit or enable our children to express these feelings, they will get bottled up inside and lead to possible emotional and behavioral problems down the road.

Disgust and dissmell: Babies react negatively to bad tastes (disgust) and bad smells (dissmell). Parents should be on alert for these reactions in order to make adjustments.

Understanding and acknowledging a baby’s feelings and how those feelings work helps children to grow up with good emotional health.

Source: About.com