We’ve all seen the infamous pictures of Britney Spears driving with her son on her lap … and the ones with his car seat facing the wrong way. But for all of Britney’s missteps, the celebrity mom has attracted more than just outrage. She’s getting a little sympathy too. In Parenting magazine’s upcoming issue, the publication takes a look at 15 of the most common mistakes all parents make and offers simple solutions. Lisa Bain, executive editor of the magazine, was invited on “Today” to discuss misconceptions parents have and mistakes they make caring for their babies. Read the article, “Health and Safety Mistakes Even Smart Moms Make,” from the magazine:  

Mistake #1: Wearing shoes inside the house
Babies live on the floors and rugs — and right now you’re tracking dirt, chemicals, and street germs on the bottom of your shoes. Babies also put every little thing they find in their mouths.

Smart solution: Invite guests to relax and remove their shoes before entering your home. For those who won’t, keep a high-quality mat outside to wipe off shoes and boots, and a softer mat inside the door to catch extra dirt particles.

Mistake #2: Thinking you have to bathe your baby every day
It’s fine for most babies, but it isn’t necessary. And if your child has sensitive skin, it might be best to give him a bath every other day. For some babies, daily baths can disrupt the skin’s protective flora and cause pH imbalances, leading to an over-growth of bacteria or yeast or making the skin red, irritated, and dry, says dermatologist Sarah Boyce, M.D., assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. If your baby has eczema, bathing can cause flare-ups.

Smart solution: Many infants are fine with a nightly bath, but don’t feel bad if you miss it. If your baby has sensitive skin, dry patches, or eczema, experiment with less tubtime. Trisha Creekmore of Washington, DC, bathes her daughter, Lily, now 3, just twice weekly: “I felt guilty at first, but then I noticed that bathing her too much caused dry skin, so my neglect — or non-obsessive parenting, as I like to call it — turned out to be right for her.”

Mistake #3: Assuming that caregivers understand the health instructions you give them
Be explicit. One mom I know learned this the hard way. Her daughter, age 6 months, needed Zantac, the reflux medication, during the day, so she gave it to the director of the daycare center to administer. But a few months later when she asked the providers if they needed a refill, she got blank stares. They had just stopped giving it long before, without telling her.

Smart solution: Whether it’s the daycare staff, a babysitter, or your own mother, take a moment to write down the instructions in simple, direct language, and be precise. “Don’t say ‘one or two pills’ or ‘only if he looks ill,’ because a caregiver shouldn’t be asked to make these decisions,” says registered nurse Gloria Mayer, president of the Institute for Healthcare Advancement, in La Habra, Calif., which studies medical communication. Ask her to read your directions back to you to make sure you’ve been clear. My friend now puts in writing any health care instructions for her daughter and then gives a copy to everyone on the daycare staff. Plus one for the director.

Mistake #4: Treating your baby’s cold symptoms with over-the-counter medications without calling the doctor
Especially dangerous: preparations that contain pseudoephedrine. “It might make babies feel a little better, but not dramatically better, and the risk of side effects is very real,” says Steven Kairys, M.D., chairman of the department of pediatrics at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, in Neptune, New Jersey. Complications range from simple hyperactivity to high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat. Whatever the medication, read the fine print. Elizabeth Smith of Alpharetta, Ga., swore off Benadryl after it kept her son Ryan awake for 36 hours: “The label isn’t kidding when it says, ‘Excitability may occur, especially in children’!”

Smart solution: Some over-the-counter medications may be fine for babies, but get the green light from the doc first. Always do so before giving infant acetaminophen to a baby 3 months or younger (it can mask a fever, which requires immediate medical attention). For babies older than 3 months, it’s fine to give infant acetaminophen without calling first to relieve teething discomfort, the pain of shots, and cold miseries. And you can make a sick baby more comfortable by giving her fluids, using saltwater drops to aspirate her nose, using a cold-water humidifier, and keeping her head slightly elevated when she’s sleeping.

Mistake #5: Sharing spoons and toothbrushes, or popping her pacifier in your mouth to “clean it off”
One bite for me, one for you … and you get my mouth germs, too! Moms are a prime source of the germs that give babies tooth decay. But if you can keep those germs from establishing themselves in your baby’s mouth (even before she has any teeth) you may protect her from the most common dental problems. “Anything with saliva on it has the potential to transmit bacteria,” says Washington, DC, periodontist Sally Cram, a spokesperson for the American Dental Association.

Smart solution: Have your teeth cleaned by your dentist regularly, brush twice a day, floss once a day, and consider a fluoride mouthwash. If you chew gum, make it xylitol-sweetened. All reduce cavity-causing germs. And instead of sharing spoons with your child, just pretend to taste the food. When her daughter Laura was starting solids, Judith Basya of Santa Monica, Calif., put the spoon almost up to her mouth and said “Yummy!” Laura’s now 1, and her mom’s still pretending: “At first I did it for sanitary reasons, but now I just don’t want to eat her overcooked carrots!”

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