As a new mom, you may be wondering when you should start transitioning your baby from breast milk or formula to solid foods.

Most babies are ready somewhere between 4 to 6 months. Watch your baby for signs that she is ready to try her first solid food. Is she paying close attention to you when you are eating? Is she making chewing motions when she sees you eat? Then She may be ready for her first taste of solid food.

You want to introduce her to rice cereal first. Prepare a thin cereal with breast milk or formula. Mix it in a small bowl and feed it to baby with a small baby spoon. Be prepared for a mess as baby tries to figure out if she likes the cereal and gets used to the texture.

If your baby refuses to eat, just give her a few days and try again. Eventually she will get the hang of it and enjoy her cereal. Start increasing the thickness of the cereal with each meal.

Many new moms wonder how often they should change their baby’s diaper. Young babies seem to pee almost constantly and of course you don’t want to change a diaper every 5 minutes.

A good rule of thumb is to change your babies diaper after each feeding and of course each time you smell number 2. For the first few weeks you will change diapers quite frequently since your baby needs to eat every 2 to 3 hours. As the baby grows, so does her stomach and bladder, and feedings and diaper changes will become less frequent.

Most baby books, nurses and physicians suggest you change your baby after each feeding. This worked out well for me during the day, but at night, when I wanted my baby to go right back to sleep, changing her diaper would get her wound up. If that happens to you, try changing the diaper before you feed her. Mine would fall back asleep during the feeding, giving me a chance to catch up on some much needed sleep as well.

Your newborn will need a safe place to sleep. Even if you are planning on having her in your bed at night (also known as co-sleeping), you should get a bed just for her to nap in during the day.

For the first few weeks a bassinette will work well. It is much smaller than a regular crib, making your baby feel more comfortable and secure. Remember: she just spent the last 9 months in your womb, a very small, tight space.

Once your baby starts to roll on her own, pulls herself up or sits up, the bassinette is no longer safe for her. It’s time to move on to a regular crib.

Keep the mattress on the highest setting that’s safe for your baby (i.e. that she can’t get out of, on her own). You will be putting her down and picking her up many times a day. Having the mattress high, and thus closer to you, will make this easier on your back and shoulders and more comfortable.

You can also look for a crib with adjustable sides:
you can then lower the sides when you need to pick your little one up, and raise it when you want them safely tucked in.

What type of stroller will work best for you and your baby? It really depends on where you plan on taking her in the stroller and what you plan on doing. Let’s take a quick look at the three major models

Traditional Stroller

It works well in the city, and walking around on pavement or concrete paths. Most models have a basket below for storage. Some of them come with cup holders, side pockets for extra storage etc. Models that combine a car seat with stroller are also available.
Umbrella Stroller

These are the small, simple strollers that fold down so they don’t take up much more space than an umbrella. Consider getting one of these in addition to your main stroller and keep it in the car. They are easy to load and unload, easy to open and put back together.

Baby Jogger

If you will be walking on rougher terrain or are planning on doing a lot of walking or running for exercise, choose a baby jogger. The larger wheels give you and baby a smoother ride.

Have you ever thought about making your own baby wipes?
It’s actually much easier than you may think. I have always liked the idea of homemade baby wipes, because they are more economical and you know exactly what’s going on your baby’s delicate skin.

All you need is a roll of paper towels, a sharp knife, some warm water, baby soap, and baby oil. An old wipes container will come in handy as well.

Use the knife to cut the roll of paper towels into two smaller rolls. Remove the cardboard center from one of the rolls. Combine 2 cups of warm water with ¼ cup of baby oil and ¼ cup of baby soap in a large bowl. Put the paper towels in the solution and let them soak completely. Pour off any excess liquid and transfer the paper towels turned baby wipes into the old wipes container. Use as you would any commercial baby wipes.