One of the most fundamental baby care basics to master has to be the art -- yes, art -- of diaper changing. Your young baby has surely produced a fair amount of dirty diapers already, and you may be looking for ways to streamline or improve the diapering process. Give these mom-tested tricks a try and before you know it you’ll be a champion of changing.

Prep makes perfect.

Set the stage -- or shall we say changing surface -- before you involve your baby.  Gather everything you'll need: a fresh, wipes, and something to hold the dirty diaper. Minimize the time your baby will have to be uncomfortable by keeping all the necessary changing goods close at hand.

Go double duty.

A great trick some moms use to catch any unexpected spillage is to place a clean underneath their baby before removing the dirty one. Any ways to eliminate extra messes are always good to consider. 

Chat him up.

Tell your baby what you’re doing – hearing your voice will keep him calm and help distract him from what’s happening. Changing time can actually be great bonding time too. Instead of thinking of diaper changes as something to plow through, slow down just a touch. You’ll be surprised how much simpler the whole task becomes.

Make it fun.

Entertain your baby while putting on a fresh diaper by placing something eye catching near his changing spot. A colorful toy, or one that sparkles or sings, makes for a good option.

Now you’ll be more than ready to take on the next diaper change. With these smart strategies in place, you'll be able to make diaper duty enjoyable for both you and your baby.

Teething can be a different experience for every baby. Some babies fill out their smiles without shedding a tear, and others feel a great deal of discomfort along the way. Here is how to spot a teething baby and three baby care basics that can definitely help ease your child’s teething pain.

Tips to determine if your baby is teething:

When babies are teething they tend to become fussier. Some babies bite their fingers and toys to try to self-soothe and relieve the pain the emerging teeth cause. By 10 to 12 months, your baby should have quite a few teeth that you can actually see. If teething is the cause of your baby’s discomfort, you may want to give of these tried and true teething remedies a go

1. Teething Rings

Teething rings are very helpful for easing your baby’s pain. They should, however, be made from a strong rubber. The ones that you freeze end up being a little bit more harmful than helpful in making your baby’s pain more manageable. 

2. Chilled Foods

Since your baby has already begun eating solid foods, that opens up a lot of options for helping to treat her teething pain. Offering her chilled snacks, like applesauce or yogurt, for instance, can do wonders for a baby suffering from teething pains by soothing and comforting her gums. 

3. Pain reliever

There are various opinions on whether teething itself brings on fever. Many say it doesn’t, though some babies get low-grade fevers just before the first tooth erupts. You love your baby and don’t want to see her suffer, so it’s always good to have an infant pain reliever on hand for times like these to help provide a little relief and cool your baby down.

Once you establish your baby is teething you’ll want to do all you can to help her through this stage of development.  Continue to comfort her as you always do and hopefully you’ll find a remedy that’s the perfect fix for her.

There is probably nothing harder for a mother than to hear her baby crying, especially if she’s not yet used to the sound. While it's true that even a happy, healthy baby cries often, your instinct is probably to soothe your baby and take away whatever may be ailing her.

You may have heard advice from friends and family on how to calm your crying baby, but sometimes it is best to come up with your own comforting techniques. With this in mind, here are some tricks to consider.

Make sure your baby is fed and clean.

First thing to do: Check if your baby is hungry or wet. These are probably the most obvious reasons you'll hear your baby crying and among the simplest to soothe.

Hold your baby.

Sometimes your crying baby just wants to be held. Just as you love your baby immensely, your baby also loves you and wants to feel your touch.

Rock your baby.

Whether you’re in a rocking chair or just rocking your baby in your arms, the back-and-forth motion is comforting for your baby. It may just be the calming action she’s looking for.

Walk your baby around the house.

A nice little walk around your house might do the trick and soothe your crying baby. A change in scenery is sometimes all it takes to help her stop crying. 

Play music for your baby.

Some gentle music may help ease her tears. The soft noise often helps distract your baby and calm her cries.

Sing to your baby.

Your own voice may be just what your crying baby needs to hear. Singing when your baby is crying often helps calm her down.

Rub or pat your baby's back.

As you hold your baby, try rubbing her back up and down, in a circular motion. You can also lightly pat her back. The rhythmic patting can mimic your heartbeat, which is a sound that your baby is used to from her time in the womb.

These soothing strategies can do wonders for stopping tears. Learning some good ways to comfort your baby will make both of you feel better.

Photo by ???????? Janko Ferlič on Unsplash

Taking pictures of babies and toddlers is a bit like being a wildlife photographer: Your subjects are unpredictable, you can’t make them sit still, and it’s better for everybody if you can keep them happy. But the payoff -- a wonderful picture of your little angel -- is well worth the effort. Here are some baby photography tips for getting that terrific, holiday-card-worthy shot.

Capture your child in his element.

Don’t be overly concerned about posing your child. He may not sit still long enough for you to get the shot -- and the longer you try, the less likely you’ll be to get a smile. Why not snap away while your child is on his tummy-time mat or take photographs of your baby playing. It’s also helpful to kneel, sit, or lie on the ground so you can take the photo at your little one’s eye level.

Don’t force a smile.
You’ve probably already figured this out as a new mom, but remember that the more natural the smile, the better the photo will be. That’s when you see your child’s natural personality and light shine through. Try making a funny face to get your baby to grin. For older tots, do something silly or remind your toddler of something that made him laugh.

Keep snapping.
A baby photography must-do: Take as many photos as possible. Instead of trying to get one perfect picture, take a lot from all different angles. Since kids often wiggle, squirm, or sneeze right as the picture’s being taken, the more shots you take, the greater your chances will be of getting a keeper.

Set your shutter speed.
Find out if there is a way to adjust your camera’s shutter speed. A faster shutter speed helps capture a crisp image of your baby playing, even when your child is running, jumping, spinning, or playing. The higher the shutter speed, the less blurry your image will be.

If nothing else, remember this baby photography tip: Print out your photos! Flipping through images in an album is more rewarding than viewing them on your camera’s screen. It's easy to set a reminder in your calendar once a month to have your digital shots printed. You won’t regret it!

As a parent, watching your baby start to crawl is an incredibly exciting experience -- but also a nerve-racking one. Along with your little one’s mobility comes a flood of baby safety concerns you may not have even thought of before.

While nothing takes the place of a parent’s watchful eye, following these seven basic tips will help ensure that when your baby starts crawling, you and your home will be ready.

1. Go down to your baby’s level -- literally
   Once your baby’s crawling, get down on your hands and knees and crawl around your house, taking note of exactly which items are within your baby’s reach. This will allow you to better understand any dangers posed to your baby. For example, crawling under your desk may remind you of the rarely used outlet that’s beneath it that needs to be covered.
   
   
2. Block off the stairs
   If you have stairs in the house, you'll need to place baby safety gates both at the top of the stairs and at the bottom. Keep in mind that if you’re using pressure gates, a baby who weighs enough could potentially dislodge them. Wall-mounted gates are a safer choice.
   
   
3. Cut the cords
   Make sure that anything with a cord is out of reach, including baby monitors and phones. It’s also a smart idea to invest in cordless blinds and window treatments.
   
   
4. Secure all large and heavy items
   Once your baby’s crawling, she’s going to try to pull herself up on objects. Make sure that TVs, microwaves, fish tanks, bookcases, furniture, and appliances -- basically anything that could potentially tip forward or fall onto your baby if pulled hard enough -- are mounted to the wall or floor.
   
   
5. Lock up any potential hazards
   The garage, basement, bathroom, exercise room, and home office are all rooms whose contents can pose a danger to your baby. Any cabinet containing cleaning supplies, paints, heavy tools, weights, small pieces, or chemicals of any kind should have a padlock on them if they are within your baby’s reach.
   
   
6. Baby-proof all edges and outlets in your common areas
   All sharp edges on furniture should be cushioned, and all electrical sockets need to be protected with outlet covers.
   
   
7. Teach safe walking
   When your baby is ready to start walking, practice going up and down the stairs, showing her that she should always hold the railing. Also, remove any small rugs that could potentially cause your baby to slip and fall.

As your baby starts crawling, following these basic baby safety tips can give you peace of mind. Now your biggest challenge will be to keep up with her!