Strollerderby : Fit Pregnancy

Best and Worst Cities for Having a Baby

Madeline Holler — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:31:00 GMT

Fit Pregnancy has come out with it's list of the 10 best cities to be pregnant and have a baby. The results are both good news and bad news for writers here at Strollerderby.

For our man Cole and his family, it's good news. He lives in Portland, Ore., which was ranked No. 1. (Was it difficult to consider soooooo many birthing options, Cole? Does clean air sting when you inhale?).

For Amy Kuras though, the list is some bad -- perhaps not too surprising -- news. Her hometown Detroit was ranked dead last at No. 50. Amy's just back from having her second baby. Hey, Amy, is it true what they say about birthing babies in Motown? (I'm living in No. 47, Long Beach, let's talk.)

Rankings are the result of a survey that took into consideration all sorts of factors -- affordable cost of living (Portland? Really?), birthing options, air quality, crime, breastfeeding success rates, stroller-friendly trails and parks and more.

After Portland, the magazine named Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle, and Denver (shout-out to Babble's "Knocked Up" mama blogger Oz Spies!). Just ahead of Detroit at No. 49 is Las Vegas.

Look here for the rest of the cities. How'd your hometown do? Do you agree with Fit Pregnancy's take?

Valentine's Day Tips: Keeping Passion Alive During Pregnancy

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 14:03:00 GMT

Women in your first and late third trimester may not want to read this, but second trimester laydeez, this is for you (know what I mean, nudge-wink?). Just in time for Valentine's Day, Sara Holliday's Pregnancy Talk with Sara show will kick off with "Be My Baby, Valentine," scheduled for Saturday, February 10th, at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. The program will highlight tried-and-true ways to keep passion alive during pregnancy, no matter what the mood.

For many moms-to-be, pregnancy often coincides with feeling unattractive, uncomfortable and decidedly unsexy. This may create a conflict with the desire to be loved and comforted, leading to depression. Sara will discuss tips and techniques to help women overcome these feelings.

The Pregnancy Talk with Sara program is an opportunity for women to learn about and discuss pregnancy-related concerns and ask questions they may be afraid or reluctant to ask—all in an intimate and supportive environment. Check out her site for more info.

5 Best Cities to Have a Baby

Karen Murphy — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 20:09:00 GMT

Say you're pregnant (or want to become pregnant), have unlimited funds and flexibility, and want to move to the U.S. city best suited for your and your baby's new lifestyle. What city would you pick? Fit Pregnancy spoke to The Today Show about their findings of a review of the 50 most populous cities in the country, and how they stacked up in terms of health care, safety, child care, affordability, birthing options, and fertility laws. Who made the list?

1. Boston. Awesome healthcare, and definitely the place to be if you need specialized prenatal care (and I hope you don't). Plus Boston has the best chowdah anywheah.

2. San Francisco. Well, duh. A healthy lifestyle makes for a healthy baby, plus it has high breastfeeding rates and is chock-full of fertility specialists. And the fried calamari? Yum.

3. Minneapolis. Three times the national average for the number of child-care providers? Wow! Plus it has lot of fertility clinics, specialty birthing options, and midwives and doulas. Something for everyone! And don't mind the cold in winter: there's a cool network of above-street Habitrail-style walkways that can get you all over downtown without setting foot in icy slush.

4. Portland. It's all about the nunnies, as we say in my house. Yeah, that. Breastfeeding. Portland's got the highest rate in the nation. Woot! And is jam-packed with midwives and doulas-a-plenty. If you have alternative leanings? Sounds like this is the place to be.

5. Omaha. Er, Omaha? That's in Nebraska, right? Well, I hear they have great steaks. Also? Affordable housing, access to daycare, and a Baby Friendly Hospital. Who knew? Hey, Omaha! You've been outed! (Get ready for the influx)

Although my personal favorite city, Boulder, wasn't mentioned (it's not one of the 50 largest cities), nearby Denver made #6. So there. Family-friendly bike trails, a wide variety of fresh and organic produce, lots of alternative birthing options, over 200 days of sunshine per year, and a gorgeous daily eye-feed known as the Rocky Mountains make this MY place to be. (Philadelphia, the city near where I'm presently ~~interred stuck~~ uh, living, is at almost the bottom of the list. Yeah, I knew that.)

[photo credit: UrbanInfant.com]