Wash Hands after Hanging Christmas Lights
    Wash Hands after Hanging Christmas Lights

    With all of the news about finding lead in toys, one possible lead source that hasn't gotten much attention is the lead found in strands of holiday lights. Throughout the year, many of us keep our fes…

    Epsom Salts and Cerebral Palsy
    Epsom Salts and Cerebral Palsy

    Dr. Greene's thoughts on cerebral palsy... Before we talk about Epsom salt baths, here's the news: giving pregnant women an IV infusion of magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) cut the risk of their preterm…

    Exercising for Two
    Exercising for Two

    Exercise is a green approach to health care. Yes, a green pregnancy means making the most of what you take into your body, through what you eat, drink, and breathe, and also absorb through your skin, …

    As Powerful as Insulin
    As Powerful as Insulin

    Dr. Greene on something that's as powerful as insulin during pregnancy... The hormonal shifts of pregnancy are a challenge for maintaining healthy blood glucose levels. Up to 1 in 8 women will develop…

    Mirror World
    Mirror World

    Regular physical activity can have profound benefits for parents and babies. I'm also convinced that developing a habit of activity during pregnancy (even before pregnancy is better) is another way to…

    May is Pregnancy Awareness Month
    May is Pregnancy Awareness Month

    I am thrilled that we have a month of empowerment and education about the positive potential of pregnancy. Often special health months focus on important diseases; this month focuses on flourishing li…

    Choosing a Green Pediatrician
    Choosing a Green Pediatrician

    As you did when choosing an ob/gyn, you want to find a pediatrician who is top-notch medically. How much better if he or she is also on the journey to an environmentally sustainable perspective on ped…

    What about Seafood?
    What about Seafood?

    For an expectant mom, trying to eat seafood as safely as possible is difficult because the USDA has no classification yet for organic seafood. Therefore, seafood is a double-edged sword. (more……

    What Research Says About Caffeine During Pregnancy
    What Research Says About Caffeine During Pregnancy

    Two teams of researchers recently weighed in on the safety of ingesting caffeine during pregnancy, and they came to two very different conclusions. The first study, which appeared in the January 2008 …

    Mom’s Diet; Kid’s Asthma
    Mom’s Diet; Kid’s Asthma

    What Mom eats during pregnancy can help protect her children from asthma and allergies, according to a study released by Thorax in January 2008. In particular, elementary school kids whose mothers had…

    Part Three - Can You Be Vegetarian or Vegan while Pregnant?
    Part Three – Can You Be Vegetarian or Vegan while Pregnant?

    3. Variety in your diet is especially important. I suggest that you eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to take advantage of all the unique phytonutrients in different foods. (m…

    Part Two – Can You Be Vegetarian or Vegan while Pregnant?
    Part Two – Can You Be Vegetarian or Vegan while Pregnant?

    2. Calcium is also very important during pregnancy and nursing (and for moms, in the months just after nursing, to replenish the calcium in their own bones). If you're a vegetarian or vegan, add rich …

    Can You Be Vegetarian or Vegan while Pregnant?
    Can You Be Vegetarian or Vegan while Pregnant?

    Being a vegetarian or a vegan can be an option for a pregnant woman, if you make informed choices. Here are four things to keep in mind: (more…)…

    A Garden for Baby
    A Garden for Baby

    Whether we live in a house with a garden or in an apartment with windowsills of potted plants, we all have the choice to have healthy green plants, flowers, and homegrown edibles in our lives. What co…

    Why Green During Pregnancy
    Why Green During Pregnancy

    Dr. Greene on the importance of being green during pregnancy... As a pediatrician, I knew that the link between environmental dangers and the many cases of chronic illness in my patients was important…

    The Greenest Room on the Planet
    The Greenest Room on the Planet

    While growing and developing in this protected biosphere, your baby is intimately connected to the outside environment, including all the nutrients entering the womb, and the smells and sounds of the …

    Living Green?
    Living Green?

    2006 is now behind us and, like my family, you may be celebrating successes of the past year and setting goals for the new one. Hopefully among your successes are new levels of "greenness" - living in…

    Breastfeeding and Epidurals
    Breastfeeding and Epidurals

    I think that all women who have had epidurals deserve breastfeeding support during their babies' first week of life. Of course, a lactation consultant can be a great idea for any new mother, but recen…

    Eating for Two: A Guide to Mother’s Nutrition during Pregnancy

    During pregnancy, every ounce of baby?s growing body after that very first single cell has come from her mother?s own body. The brain, the heart, the muscles are all built from nutrients that were onc…

    ADHD and the Environment
    ADHD and the Environment

    Can exposing the developing brain to environmental toxins lead to ADHD? An upcoming study in the NIH journal Environmental Health Perspectives examined the effects of two substances known to affect th…