15 Totally Outdated Pieces of Baby Advice

Babies don't get stinky from sweat the way adults do, so they only need a bath every two or three days (except following a major diaper explosion!). If it's part of your wind-down routine, a daily bath is perfectly OK, too—just moisturize afterwards.

• RELATED: This Is How Often You Should Bathe Your Baby

While some children really are light sleepers, most do fine with background noise and a little light. Plus, if your little one gets used to activity while they're sleeping, they might be more willing to snooze in a variety of situations.

Your child won't become bowlegged standing or bouncing on you; that's just an old wives' tale. Moreover, young babies are learning how to bear weight on their legs and find their center of gravity, so letting your child stand or bounce is both fun and developmentally stimulating for them.

While music can enrich a little one's life, no conclusive research has found that having a baby listen to classical music in particular can result in significant brain-boosting benefits.

Babies under 4 months of age have few self-soothing strategies; they know how to suck to soothe and like being swaddled, but that's about it. Picking infants up when they cry helps them learn that parents will always be there to take care of them.

Urine is sterile, and today's diapers are so highly absorbent that it's fine to leave a baby in a wet diaper overnight. However, staying in poopy diaper for too long can cause a UTI or a bladder infection, especially for baby girls—so if you smell one, change it out.

While it is best to keep your little one away from dangerous UV rays, you can and should put sunscreen on your child if they'll be in the sun. Their risk of skin cancer is greater than their risk of having a reaction.

But how should you apply said sunscreen? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a minimalistic approach is best. "Use sunscreen on small areas of the body, such as the face [and hands], if protective clothing and shade are not available," the AAP writes. Choose coverage, however, whenever possible. "Find shade under a tree, an umbrella, or the stroller canopy."

• RELATED: The Best Baby Sunscreens

Yes, you need to sterilize bottles and nipples when you first take them out of the package, but after that, washing with soap and water is fine. (You can also run them through the dishwasher on a sanitize setting if you'd like!) Babies are exposed to many more germs than those that remain on a well-scrubbed bottle or nipple.

The safest sleep position for a baby is on its back. In the past, doctors worried that babies might choke on any spit-up if they weren't lying on their tummy or side, but studies ultimately linked these positions to higher rates of SIDS.

• RELATED: New Ways to Reduce the Risk of SIDS

Hold off on introducing solids until 4 to 6 months. Research suggests that babies who are given solids before 4 months are actually worse sleepers than their formula-fed counterparts—and studies have revealed a link between the early introduction of solids and obesity later in life.

While having a schedule may make sense, it's better to feed on demand, as infants' internal hunger cues will tell them when they're hungry and when they're full. What's more, by putting your child on a feeding schedule, you may negatively affect your little one's inborn healthy-eating habits.

Babies use their toes to grip the surfaces that they're walking on, so they should actually go shoeless indoors. To keep tiny tootsies safe outside, get a shoe with a good grip on the sole—hard-soled shoes can be too slippery.

Parents often think a baby is constipated when they're not, says Andrew Adesman, M.D., chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Schneider Children's Hospital in New York. Newborns often have several bowel movements a day, but they may poop as little as every three to four days at about 2 months to 3 months of age, he says. If bowel movements are very hard and infrequent, or you see blood in the diaper, however, call your pediatrician.

The fontanel, or soft spot, at the front of your baby's head is a skin-covered opening in the skull that pulsates, frightening some parents. "There's a presumption of vulnerability, but the brain is actually quite well protected," says Dr. Adesman. The front fontanel typically closes at about 1 year of age, while the smaller soft spot in the back of the head usually closes at 2 months to 3 months.

While your wee one may need some help regulating their internal temperature, cold weather will not make your child sick. Viruses and bacteria do that.