Most women with real postpartum depression are never diagnosed. Even though postpartum depression is very common, and even though identifying it can help both the baby and the mother, most cases slip through the cracks. A simple new 3-question test has proven very reliable at detecting postpartum depression. Read the rest »

Each day I see parents trying their best to do what’s right for their families, but no one has the perfect guidebook that tells parents what to do. Here are the top eight solvable problems that I advise parents to remedy today.

1. Do… Have confidence in your parenting style.
Don’t … Worry about what your parents or the neighbors or your child’s teacher thinks about your parenting style.
Create a parenting style that makes you comfortable and relax.

2. Do… Create an exercise program for yourself.
Don’t … Skip it because you don’t have the time.
Kids follow our example. If we’re not exercising, they won’t learn to either. So take care of yourself and teach your kids to do the same.

3. Do… Take the time to create healthy love foods for your family.
Don’t … settle routinely for food that isn’t helping them build a strong body and mind.
What children eat is vitally important and the foods they learn to love when young will often be their favorites as adults. You can create healthy love foods for them by what you feed them now and give them a life-long gift.

4. Do… Give your kids a good multi-vitamin each day.
Don’t … Trust our food sources to provide all the nutrients kids need.
Most kids don’t eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day. Even if they did (and I do encourage at least that many) our food’s nutrient density has gone down. Kids need a good multi-vitamin each day to round out their nutritional needs.

5. Do… Stay consistent with your rules.
Don’t … Let whining wear you down.
If you want a child to sleep in her own bed, then letting her sleep in your bed “just this once” is going to make it much harder later.

6. Do… Think about the things that matter.
Don’t … Pick the wrong things to worry about.
You need to pay close attention to some things, like your kids’ safety. But don’t sweat the small stuff even if it means your kids sleep in their street clothes instead of pajamas.

7. Do… Take advantage of today.
Don’t … Wait until tomorrow to build life-long memories.
Time flies. Plan something every season that your kids will look forward to year after year.

8. Do… Pay attention to both your perspective and your child’s.
Don’t … Lose sight of your needs or theirs.
If we focus too much on whatever children want, or too much on what we want, they miss out on learning both to give and receive.

For such a little person, a baby sure goes through a lot of laundry: diapers, bibs, sleepers, undershirts, blankets, sheets, socks, pants . . . and of course all the items the baby spits up on that also need to be cleaned—often.

That’s why having a baby in the house turns the mundane washer and dryer into wonder machines of incredible convenience. This increase in laundry loads is also a good reason for you to focus your green efforts on the laundry room. Read the rest »

More than four million acres of American farmland have already been dedicated to organic farming, helping our health and our future. That’s four million acres farmed without the use of toxic pesticides or other toxic chemicals; four million acres nurtured with both ancient and modern techniques that are in balance with nature, helping to reduce the production of greenhouse gasses and reduce the threat of global warming. Read the rest »

When decorating or remodeling any room of your home, “green” means using products and materials that include the following characteristics:

1. Are locally manufactured. Buying products manufactured nearby cuts down on the waste of fuel and the emissions that result from transporting goods long distances, and also supports your local economy.

2. Conserve natural resources. These include products that are made from rapidly renewable materials generally produced from agricultural crops, such as organic cotton, wool, sisal, cork, and bamboo, and products made from wood derived from certified well-managed forests. Examples include cork and bamboo flooring. Read the rest »

There are certain microscopic bacteria that can pose special health risks to pregnant women and to their babies. Although most people can safely eat food containing a type of bacteria called Listeria, pregnant women are ten times more likely to get sick if they eat those same foods. And if they do get sick, the infection can be devastating for the baby. The tricky thing about Listeria is that, unlike many bacteria, they can thrive at refrigerator temperatures. To be sure, ensure your partner avoids the following: Read the rest »

You know that it is wise to back up your computer’s hard drive; I recommend backing up your child’s food drive with a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement. This simple habit could improve your child’s health and even intelligence. I’ll explain briefly why I feel strongly about this:

For young babies, breast milk provides an ideal food.
The match between their complex nutritional needs and the milk that moms make is spectacular. In their dance of supply and demand, babies are designed with a drive to enjoy just the right amount and moms are designed to make just the right amount. Even so, I do suggest that many breastfed babies take 200 IU of vitamin D daily, as the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends – but not because of any lack in breast milk. We are built to get vitamin D from sun exposure. Because of the amount of time babies spend indoors, and the depleted-ozone-caused need for sunscreen when babies spend much time outdoors, many babies need an extra boost of this important vitamin, linked not just to building strong bones, but also to preventing breast cancer, colon cancer and Parkinson’s disease. Read the rest »