If your family's spending time by the sea this summer, remember to bear in mind this beach mantra: "Take only photos; leave only footprints." While problems like global warming, oil spills, and toxic waste all contaminate the ocean, your everyday actions—both by the shore and at home—could help clean up the sea. Read on to find out how you can tread more lightly on the sand this season and, in turn, protect the entire planet from pollution. Choose a Safe Sunscreen In a 2008 study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives , scientists discovered that chemicals found in certain sunscreens are destroying coral reefs across the globe. Their research revealed that—even at extremely low concentrations—four commonly used sunscreen ingredients can cause reef-dwelling viruses to replicate and infect nearby algae that are responsible for feeding coral. Without nourishment from these algae, coral turns white (or "bleaches") and dies...

On Sunday, March 14, clocks will be set forward one hour. With the time change quickly approaching, you may be wondering how to transition baby or toddler without upsetting their sleep routine. Help your child spring forward beginning Tuesday, March 9, by putting them to sleep 10 minutes earlier each night. Make it easier by comforting, singing or reading, and/or starting your bedtime routine sooner. By Sunday, your child will have slowly adjusted to the new time. If your baby or toddler ’ s bedtime is 7 p.m., it will look like this: Tuesday: 6:50 p.m. bedtime Wednesday: 6:40 p.m. bedtime...

Over the past century, childbirth has become safer for mothers and babies in the United States. From 1900 to 1999, the risk of a baby dying during birth or in the first year of life plummeted from 1 in 10 to less than 1 in 100. The risk of a mother dying from pregnancy-related complications or childbirth decreased even more dramatically, from 850 deaths to less than 8 in every 100,000 births. In addition, changes in the later 20th century, such as childbirth education and encouraging women's partners or other close friends and family members to be present during labor and birth, have helped...

My birth plan when I was pregnant with my son, Truman, was this: I had no plan. I knew I wanted a hospital delivery, so I selected one that had a birth center known for family friendliness and an OB-GYN with a reputation for erring on the side of safety. Beyond that, I just packed my iPod in my hospital bag, let my doctor know that I'd rather skip the C-section, thank you, and trusted that somehow the process of giving birth would take care of itself. My friend Lynn was shocked by my nonchalance. "Oh, my God!" she said. "You have to have a birth plan!" Lynn had wanted—and...

Spring hasn’t sprung — quite yet — but there’s no time like the present to prepare! Warmer weather means backyard activities are no longer red-nosed, fingers-frozen occasions. Mindful Mama has selected our favorite outdoor play necessities for the spring and summer days that are right around the corner (we can see them from here)! Italtrike’s ABC Wooden Tricycle gives tots a vintage-cool vibe as they cruise the playground. Learning to ride is easy, and the paint job (chocolate and cherry red) and durable wood body make it easy (and cool) to pass down from sibling to...