Babies love to be touched, and newborns in particular can benefit from the gentle touch of your fingertips. Massage is a great way to relax and bond with your baby. Try these tips to master proper baby massage techniques.

1. Be aware of a tender tummy. Wait about 45 minutes after feeding your baby before starting a baby massage. Stopping to wipe away her spit-up can interrupt the peaceful flow!

2. Set the mood. Pick a tranquil environment, such as a warm room with low lighting. Lay your baby in a safe, flat place -- a soft blanket on the floor is your best bet.

3. Keep cozy. Some newborns may get cold and fuss if left naked for too long, so cover the parts of your baby’s body that aren’t being massaged.

4. Use firm fingers. Use the tips of your fingers and apply firm but gentle pressure. Place your baby on her tummy and start with 5-second strokes, moving from her head and neck down to her bottom, repeating 12 times. Flip her to her back and stroke her face, cheeks, chest, tummy, and limbs. You can also rub the soles of her feet and palms of her hands. Finish your baby’s massage by gently flexing and extending her legs and arms.

5. Follow your baby’s lead. If she’s unhappy with the rubdown, don’t feel like you need to continue. But if she’s smiley, cooing, or starts to fall peacefully asleep, you can make this baby massage a daily habit.

It’s normal to worry about the sun’s harsh rays, but you could go stir-crazy if you don’t get outside every day. Fortunately, it’s not hard to protect your baby’s skin.

Dress for success. This means breathable, loose-fitting, long-sleeve cotton pants and shirts. Don’t forget to cover her head with a wide-brimmed hat, too. It's important to keep the sun's ultraviolet radiation from harming her delicate baby skin.

Load up on lotion. Sunscreen used to be reserved for babies over 6 months of age, but this thinking has changed. Apply baby sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 to 30 liberally over all exposed body parts; reapply after swimming, sweating, or every two hours. It's better to err on the side of caution and overdo it a bit when it comes to preventing sunburn.

Go off peak. The best tip for baby skin care is to stay in during peak hours, which are between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in most parts of the U.S. That might seem like forever, but in reality, most babies are up and ready to go early (Hello, 6 a.m.!). Take a walk first thing, then let her play at home, have lunch and take a nap during peak sun hours. When she wakes up, the sun will be less severe and you can take her out for some fun without worrying about burning her sweet baby skin.

Photo by Leo Rivas on Unsplash

Before you know it, you’ll be stumped by your child’s math homework. But for now, you’re his best teacher, and just by playing with him and interacting with him, you'll help make him smarter. Introducing new words, sounds, objects, and experiences encourages brain growth at an exponential pace.

If you feel like your cute little baby isn’t absorbing anything you say or do, just wait. In a few weeks, he’ll be wowing you with all his tricks -- things he learned from you!

How does your baby learn?

At birth, the brain is the only organ that is not fully developed; it is a work in progress. Everything that happens to your baby helps form the connections in his brain, so one-on-one interaction and the introduction of new, exciting things is very important to your baby’s brain development.

Introduce your baby to experiences that engage all five senses -- touch, sound, smell, sight, and taste. Simple things such as playing music, gently rubbing your baby’s palm over his dad’s scratchy beard, and even letting him smell your freshly brewed cup of coffee triggers the development of many complex pathways in his little brain.

One of the best parts of being a new mom or dad is watching your child discover the world. It’s a bit of a cliché, but the world is pretty awesome when you look at it through your child’s eyes!

Don’t obsess over reaching milestones

You’ve heard it once, you’ll hear it again, and it’s oh-so-true: All babies are different! Babies develop at different paces, and even if yours doesn’t appear to be gaining new skills, his little baby brain is working overtime!

Between birth and 3 months, your baby will work on motor skills such as better head control and the ability to open and shut his hands, social skills such as smiling, and sensory skills like the ability to track a moving object with his eyes.

Between 4 and 7 months, your baby will gain better control over his body, become more interested in social play, and explore the world with his hands and mouth.

As your baby approaches the 1-year mark, his brain will develop even further, allowing him to sit up and find hidden objects.

All of these milestones occur on a continuum of learning, and there’s a wide range of what’s considered normal. If you’re concerned about your baby’s progress, be sure to talk to your doctor. When there is a delay, early intervention can make a big difference.

Photo by mali desha on Unsplash

Although your baby won’t be able to start verbalizing her thoughts until she’s around 7 to 12 months, she may start to mumble that “oh” and “ah” you’ve been waiting to hear. The activities and choices you make from her birth can start her on the right baby development path, giving her the tools she needs to achieve her speech development.

Making just a few small adjustments to your daily routine can make a big difference. Keep these in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to helping your baby form her first words.

Make everything a story
Even before your baby can start speaking on her own, she will understand more language than you can imagine. Between the ages of 8 and 12 months, you might notice that she seems to comprehend what you say. For example, when you mention that “dada” is coming home, your baby may become noticeably more excited. Or if you tell your baby that you’re going outside together, she may squeal or laugh with delight.

That’s why it’s crucial to make everything a conversation with your baby: You’ll help increase her understanding of the world around her. When you’re making dinner, tell her what ingredients you’re using. When on a walk, explain all the animals and types of stores you’re passing. Be simple and specific in the words you use, and be consistent. If your family dog is a puppy today, don’t call him a pup tomorrow.

Pick the right books
You can’t go wrong with any type of book, really, but picture books are especially helpful when it comes to helping your baby with her speech development. Use picture books as a way to reinforce the fact that everything has a name. Don’t be afraid to repeat the same items, names, and photos over and over again.

Make it a two-way conversation
Even if your baby is only in the very beginning stages of her speech development and all she can manage is a few coos every now and then, always take the time to give her a chance to join in on your chat. Ask questions and wait for her to respond. Even a seemingly meaningless exchange between you and your baby is teaching her that it takes two people to communicate and that you’re happy to have her be part of the conversation.

Be careful with baby talk
You’ll probably start to notice quickly how your chatter with your baby takes on a form of its own. Infant-directed speech, as it’s sometimes called, is when a parent uses simple sentences, usually coupled with a higher pitch and exaggerated intonation, when speaking with babies.

While it has been shown that this type of speech can help infants learn to speak, try not to get carried away. Using simple, exaggerated sentences is fine but do your best not to repeat “incorrect” words that your baby might use while she’s in the middle of her speech development. Instead, repeat back the correct word to her, and eventually she’ll pick up on the difference.

As long as you’re keeping up the daily conversations with your baby, you just might be surprised by how quickly her speech develops.

Whether your baby is healthy or sick, the medicine cabinet has likely become one of your go-to parenting resources. A key baby safety practice is to always keep the cabinet locked so little ones don’t swallow anything they shouldn’t. Here’s what to have at home to keep your baby safe.

Must-have items

Most of the time, you’ll just be treating minor bumps and scrapes, so stock up on baby safety essentials, like antibiotic ointment, tweezers, and gauze. Calamine lotion is also a good idea for certain rashes and insect bites. And while you’re at it, store an ice pack and self-adhesive bandages in a variety of shapes and sizes (and princess or superhero designs!).

In case of fever, keep acetaminophen and ibuprofen on hand, though it’s best to contact your pediatrician before administering them to your sick baby. Also stock some electrolyte solution to combat dehydration caused by diarrhea or vomiting. Children’s cough syrup used to be a medicine cabinet staple, but lately experts have stopped recommending it for young kids. (Research shows that it doesn’t really help, and it poses a small risk of serious side effects.) Be sure to keep an eye on all expiration dates and restock as needed.

If your healthy baby or toddler takes vitamins, you may want to store them in your medicine cabinet as well, along with a rectal thermometer for taking his temperature.

Also post phone numbers for emergency help and poison control centers on the inside of the cabinet door, as well as near all phones. You might want to put your baby’s latest weight (update it regularly) with these numbers so you or a babysitter have it in case it’s requested during a call