As the holidays approach there are opportunities for green purchases beyond the usual toys and special gifts. The world surrounding a new baby, in particular, the laundry room, is full of choices for green purchases. 

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.

These days, families are always on the go, whether it’s off to daycare everyday or to visit friends and family once in a while. Here are some strategies to help you prepare for your baby’s meals on the go. Start with six golden rules for serving Fresh Baby food away from home:

1. Frozen food cubes take 3-4 hours to thaw in the refrigerator and 1-2 hours to thaw at room temperature.

2. Frozen food cubes stay cold in an insulated bag with a freezer pack for about 8-12 hours.

3. To thaw frozen food cubes, microwave for 30-40 seconds.

Conventional mattresses are what bad dreams are made of. You take great care to choose healthy foods and drinks for your baby, but have you considered how their sleep setup might be harmful to their health?

If you’ve already built your baby’s bed foundation with a non-toxic crib mattress, you’ll want to dress it up with organic baby bedding that’s not only healthier for their tiny bodies, it’s healthier for the earth, too.

Choosing a non-toxic baby mattress that’s made without all of the chemicals associated with conventionally-constructed mattresses is an important step if you want your child to sleep in a healthy environment. But it’s even more difficult if you also want to choose one that’s good for the environment.

You’re getting ready to bring baby home and want to make sure you’re choosing just the right furniture, food, and clothing so the baby can be as safe as possible in their new home. We all want our children to be safe, but there are many hazards you’ll need to think about as you sort through the options.

“If my dog ever bites my child, he’s out of here!” I hear that all the time. It just makes me want to scream, “But that will be too late!”

Each year nearly 2.8 million children are bitten by a dog. Most of these bites are not coming from some scary dog that got loose. Sensational stories make headlines, but most dog bites are more commonplace. Half come from the family’s own dog, and another 40 percent come from a friend or neighbor’s dog.

Post-natal exercise offers a whole range of benefits for new moms. However, it’s important to remember that you should always consult with your doctor before starting up an exercise program. What kind of delivery you had will determine how quick you can resume back to your exercise plan. It’s generally advised that you wait until your 6 week post-natal check up.

As a father and pediatrician, I’ve changed many diapers—enough to teach me that diapers are a daily reminder that as humans we deplete resources as we consume, and we make messes with our waste.

Those landfill diapers that are so easily tossed into the trash are clearly a major ecological issue. But what about the energy, water, and often chlorine involved in laundering cloth diapers? Comparing the environmental impact of different types of diapers has been the subject of a number of studies—with differing results often linked to the vested interests of those behind the study.