• If you have time/are able to, keep a look out for parents with strollers when elevators are unavailable. Far too many times I've seen someone weighing relative safety options when trying to get a baby around the city and it is SO EASY to offer to help carry the stroller down some stairs.

• If you wear a backpack during rush hour, holding it down by your side instead of on your back (or wearing on your front, though I find that awkward) avoids bumping!

• Metro elevators will always smell bad. Be aware.

• The circulator is a set of useful bus lines but technically NOT part of the WMATA network. Tracking arrivals won't show up in Next us but the Smart trip does work for payment

DC Parks and Rec has swim lessons for babies-- $40 for 6 or 8 weeks at pools throughout the city. That's as close to free as I've seen.