The nursery of the past was, as the name suggests, a place to nurse and care for the baby. It still is. But those functions, and the ease with which they're done, have expanded enormously over the past generation.

In The Nursery

Even such a simple thing as the need to store diapers has evolved to a high point of safety and convenience.

As every parent knows, the arrival of a baby brings with it a host of exciting changes. Many of those naturally evolve around caring for the baby's well-being. But even perfectly healthy babies create the need for an array of baby gear.

Baby Gear

After those first few days in the hospital, your baby comes home. The first requirement is someplace to sleep. He or she will spend a lot of time there. So, selecting just the right crib requires some searching.

Babies and pets can be a delightful combination. But sometimes they only mix well if a few precautions are observed. Tragically, in other cases, they don't go well together at all. A few simple guidelines can help bring harmony in any case.

Parents often arrive home from the hospital a day or two after a birth exhausted. But that quickly passes. The urge to take your newborn to visit grandparents and others will soon become very strong. Then there are the inevitable pediatrician visits for exams, vaccinations and other medical events. While minimizing travel during the first three months is desirable, whenever you choose to travel with your newborn there are a few things to keep in mind.

In generations past, nannies were extremely common. Then, for a while, they fell out of fashion. Though they never disappeared. Now, they're back in style - probably to stay. Not just for the rich, they provide expertise, an often badly needed extra pair of hands, and - not least - a sometimes more objective perspective on your baby.

Choosing a good pediatrician is understandably a source of concern for many parents. They know their newborn will need one from time to time. And, when the baby needs a doctor, rapid quality care becomes a high priority. Fortunately, there are simple guidelines that will help you find just the right one.

In the early decades of the 20th century in the U.S., smallpox was a common childhood illness. Now it is virtually unknown here, thanks to vaccines. The same could be said of rubella, polio and other once-common childhood illnesses. These and many other facts supported by reliable studies point to the conclusion that immunization through vaccination is important to newborn health.

The causes of colic remain an area of active research. But parents don't need to wait for a full answer from science to treat this common bowel pain that induces so much crying.

Tips to Ease Colic Discomfort

Some newborns' symptoms are eased by changing their positions. Rolling the infant on its side especially followed by pressing it up against the mother's abdomen has worked for many distressed children and parents.

Sounds in general may be one of the most popular methods for treating colic.

Before you begin to care for your newborn's umbilical cord, nature is already doing that for you. Through this attachment a mother is supplying her baby with all the nutrients it requires during the critical gestation period.

Some of the essential supplies your newborn will need are obvious, others take a bit of thought. But let's be thorough, anyway. Then there is the matter of that baby gear you cannot live without.

Nothing is more precious to parents than a newborn baby, and rightly so. But caring for them can seem quite daunting. Fortunately, there are a variety of helpful ideas to get parents over those first big humps.

Newborns don’t come with instruction manuals. Therefore new parents are often afraid they don’t know everything they need to know in regard to their bundle of joy. While you may not know everything about babies, you can learn. And one thing you’ll want to learn is cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Here’s why every parent should know how to do it.