In this step by step guide, we’ll tell you how often you should bath your baby, where you should do it, as well as adding some great tips on the best way to give your baby a bath.

First of all, you’ll need to choose a bath from the many models on sale. Small plastic baby baths for new born babies have the advantage of not requiring you to kneel or lean awkwardly beside your baby, with less control over its movements. Some baby baths come with stands to raise the height to a manageable level. You’ll also need some gentle soap and shampoo designed specially for babies, a soft cloth and a soft towel afterwards. Do not use strong cleansers, which can damage the skin of newborn babies. If your baby has nappy rash, have some cream on hand for afterwards.

A daily bath isn’t really necessary for a small baby – how often you do it is up to you.

When washing between baths, concentrate on the face first, then the genital area. When your baby is having a bath, its important to hold it with a good grip,

especially if it is soapy and slippery. Most babies find warm water very soothing. 

To make bath time one of the most enjoyable parts of a baby’s (and your) day, follow this step by step guide

Timing is one of the key elements in teaching your child to use the potty – start too soon and you may be disappointed. There is no correct age, and all children develop at different speeds. Before your toddler can be trained, they need to recognise the need to go, hang on for a short time until they get to the potty and pull their clothing up or down.

Few toddlers are properly potty trained by the age of 2, and most children are older than this. Many three to four year old will have accidents from time to time. If you leave the training a little later, the child is more mature, and the whole training process will only take a few days. Of course there are many different models on the market, and some children prefer using the child toilet seat instead. You will need to buy a small step to make it easier.

At about the 15-18 month stage, introduce your child to the potty. It should be left in the bathroom, so they can sit on it for fun. If a

child can see other children using the potty, all the better.

From the age of two, sit your child on the potty from time to time, and give them lots of praise if anything happens! If you know when your child regularly goes to the loo each day, chose this time to sit them on the potty. Allow some nappy free time at home, and if its warm enough let them run around, and remind them to tell you when they need the potty.   

Children are bound to have accidents, which should be cleaned up. Tell them where the poo or wee should go next time.  If your child sits on a toilet seat, they may want you to hold them as extra support.

They won’t be able to wipe their own bottom for some time, and will need help with this delicate skill. 

A few tips to help you succeed –

 Before long, nappies and accidents will be a thing of the past.

One of the ultimate joys of parenting is undoubtedly nappy changing. It’s a skill that can be quickly acquired, and there are a few basic rules to make this unavoidable yet essential daily task a straight forward and relaxed time for both child and parent.

There are basically two main types of nappies - reusable and disposable. The re-usable types can either be foldable, terry towelling squares of the traditional sort, which are pinned or clipped to hold them on, or pre-shaped nappies, which have Velcro fastenings. The preshaped ones can take longer to dry after washing, whereas the towelling squares unfold and dry quite quickly. Your baby can wear waterproof pants over the nappies to stop leakages.

Disposable nappies come in different sizes that reflect the baby’s weight. Always follow the manufacturers guidelines when using disposables.

This step by step guide to changing a nappy can help you master the skill. Before you do anything, wash and dry your hands.

Make sure you’ve got everything you will need close at hand – new nappy, a plastic bag if you’re using disposables, safety pins and plastic pants for terry nappies, a liner if you’re using the fitted cloth nappies, plus some cream or petroleum jelly.

There will be leaks, and the odd lop sided nappy, but soon it will all become second nature for both of you!

There’s more to teaching a child to ride a bicycle than running alongside them holding them upright and pushing them until they do it under their own power and coordination.

Start with a bike with removable training wheels. They should be set at a high angle so that the child doesn’t get into the habit of leaning to one side. Stabilising wheels will allow them to get used to the pedalling side of things, and how the steering works. When the time comes to removing the training wheels, go to a large, reasonably flat area, such as your local park or common. Ensure your child is kitted out with protective helmet, knee, elbow and wrist pads. Long trousers and gloves can

provide additional protection. The saddle should be low enough so they can be seated with both feet resting comfortably on the ground. Choose a grassy field with a gentle downhill slope of about 30 yards which flattens out.

Go a little way up the hill, and hold the bike while the child gets on. With both feet on the ground you should be able to let go of the bike with nothing happening. Tell your child to lift their feet about one inch off the ground and coast down the hill without pedalling. Try not to hold the bike. As the bike will coast slowly, the cyclist can put his or her feet down if they get scared.

Repeat this until your child feels comfortable coasting. They may want you to run alongside the bike the first few times.

Next let your child put their feet on the pedals and coast down. After a few tries, get them to pedal as they are rolling.

Repeat the coasting/pedalling sequence until they feel comfortable. When they have mastered this level, raise the saddle to try some more coast/pedal runs.

To learn to ride in a straight line, use a flat piece of ground, and start from standstill, with one pedal pointed at the handlebars. This gives them a solid pedal stroke for a smooth start. To help them ride straight, they should look straight ahead.

When it comes to stopping, the child should apply both brakes at once if the bike has front and rear brakes. Using just the front brake may launch the rider over the handlebars.

The key to learning to turn is to do it slowly. Slow down before entering a corner. Use very little steering, keep the inside pedal up and look into the turn. As confidence grows the speed will increase.

Don’t expect the leaning process to be crash free. Be ready to comfort and possibly administer the plasters along the way, but riding a bike will soon become second nature.

Although most mums start off breastfeeding their new babies, it’s not an option for everyone. A large number switch to bottle or formula feeding earlier than intended.

Formula milk is usually based on cows milk, but there are many different types on the market, catering for a variety of needs, such as those who are lactose intolerant, of for parents who prefer a dairy-free solution such as soya milk. When you buy formula milk from chemists or supermarkets you’ll see that the different types suited to the age of your baby. There are three main types of formula for babies under six months old :

Discuss your choice of formula with your midwife or health visitor if you have any concerns.

It’s vital to remember that ordinary cows milk. Goats milk, condensed milk, dried milk, evaporated milk or any other type of milk should never be given to a baby under 12 months old.  Formula milk comes in two main forms – dried powder type, to which you add water, and ready to feed type, usually available in cartons.

Always choose a recognised infant formula, fulfilling government regulations on its nutritional content.

To get started on bottle feeding you’ll need the following equipment :

It’s very important to keep all feeding equipment clean – you must sterilise between uses for the first six months, because formula fed babies do not get the same protection from infection that breast fed babies do.

Make up each bottle as you need it, following the manufacturers guidelines, so that you get the right proportion of water to formula. Throw away any leftover milk. It’s important to ensure you have the right size teat on the bottle for the age of your baby, to control the flow of milk and stop them getting too little or too much at once. When you bottlefeed hold the baby close and tip the bottle so that the teat fills with milk. Make sure there is no air left in the teat, as this may cause uncomfortable indigestion for the baby.

When the baby has had enough, he will let you know. Time to get rid of any wind, after which you should have a happy, perhaps even sleepy baby.

Finding a school for your children is a big decision and there are many different things to consider. It’s a good idea to start gathering information as soon as possible, this way you will have plenty of time to plan visits to schools and ensure all applications are turned in within deadlines. Your local authority is a good place to start gathering information and help you make an informed decision. Most schools will have a prospectus and you can also access Ofsted reports as well as achievement and attainment data which are all readily available. For more information please watch the above video and click through to Directgov’s website for further tips.