credit: Anissa Thompson

Preschool is the first experience many parents have with sending their precious child out into the world. It can be nerve-wracking, especially if you know your child is a handful. Some parents are pleasantly surprised when the preschool teacher reports that their problem child is the model student. How can this be when the child you know is demanding and prone to tantrums at home? Experts say that the group dynamic at school causes some children to follow the behavior of their peers and do their best to please the teacher. Unfortunately, the good behavior often disappears as soon as school’s out. Be patient – as your child matures the odds are that she’ll realize that good behavior at home will be rewarded by your approval.

Chances are that when you first saw your baby in the hospital, he was wrapped up tight in a blanket. The technique of tightly wrapping an infant is known as swaddling, and most nurses recognize it as a guaranteed way to calm a baby. Besides keeping your baby warm, swaddling keeps a baby’s limbs close to the body. Until a baby gets used to being out of the womb, the movement of her arm and legs may be upsetting.

If you took your baby home before getting some swaddling tips from the nurses, it’s never too late to learn. This YouTube video shows some expert swaddling, and it also shows how swaddling can calm a baby:

Everyone loves a baby shower! What better way to share in the happiness of a mother-to-be and to show her how much you care than with a thoughtful gift for baby. The hostess of a baby shower is usually a close friend or relative who sends out the invitations and plans the party menu. Most good baby shower hostesses will also plan a couple of fun baby-themed games. Since the guests at a baby shower may not know each other, baby shower games are a great icebreaker. This website has ideas for 14 different games for a fun baby shower.

A newborn baby shouldn’t be put into a tub until the umbilical cord area heals. Until then, the baby can be cleaned with a warm, wet washcloth. When the umbilical area is healed, you can start giving your baby baths in a small sink or basin. Here are some safety tips for baby’s first baths:

• Don’t ever leave your baby in the bath unsupervised. Make sure you have everything you need close at hand before you start the bath so you won’t be tempted turn away. Ignore the telephone and doorbell during the bath.

• Fill the tub, turn off the faucet and test the water temperature before putting your baby in the bath. Only a few inches of water are needed to bathe a baby.

• Support your baby’s neck and head with one hand during the bath. Keep your baby warm by pouring cupfuls of water on him throughout the bath.

• Take your baby out of the tub carefully. Use one hand to support her head and the other to support her bottom.

When you’re baby starts to sit up, it will be time to think about taking baths in the big bathtup.