0-1 yearsBabies, frankly, don't care too much about anything beyond their bed, food, a clean nappy and you (not necessarily in that order). This is not the time to change her cot, run out of cuddly muslins or wash the familiar smells off of Teddy

and fireworks; a toddler’s brand new ears are far better at picking up higher frequencies than the average adult.Despite being fussy eaters, most toddlers will try to take a chunk out of your finger at some point: The biting stage peaks at around three years old

out-of-season and party clothes out of sight will help prevent too many unsuitable choices - but remember that wearing a tutu and a pair of Wellington boots on a rainy day is part of a toddler's prerogative!You can buy `learn to dress' dolls

. As every parenting manual you could care to name points out, babies don’t really need to bathe at all – not until they’ve started crawling around and getting mucky, anyway. For small babies, topping and tailing has always been just as efficient as bathing

1. Use a baby swing, either indoors or out in the playground, but never leave a baby unattended.2. Babies love bouncy seats that reward their own movement with extra motion feedback.3. Baby bouncers that hang in the doorway are great for older

on all that’s going on. Talk to your baby constantly – when you go for a walk point out the trees, when you’re at home fill them in with all the minor details of who’s coming, what day it is and what’s happening. Imitate the noises your baby makes

it is lovely to have a tangible book full of memories to keep forever (and whip out for an embarrassing display when they reach their teenage years)So much can change from day to day in these crucial years you may feel like you want to record every little

In the first year, babies are big on silent comedy. Gentle actions such as blowing on a her face or tickling seem to do the trick in the early days. After about six months they become more robust and enjoy a bit of rough and tumble. Although we

FELIX WAS JUST three days old when he started cross-dressing. “I carried him out of the hospital in a candy-coloured coat handed down from his sister Ella,” says his mother Louisa. “The nurses thought it was hilarious, but my husband was mortified

.Parentese, the high-pitched slow musical style most parents use when talking with children, and which is found in all cultures, exaggerates the differences between individual phonemes in a language, making it easier for babies to hear the distinctions between say a “b