The Itsabelly Blog

Our Special Announcement to Honor Earth Day!

             

Itsabelly's Guide to Going Green with Baby is the first book to provide a simple resource for evaluating eco-friendly baby gear and to learn more about organic and natural family living. We offer mom-tested product reviews and tips to raising a healthy baby and creating a happy planet. The founders of Under the Nile, gDiapers, TheSoftLanding.com and Earth Mama Angel Baby provide insight on why choosing organic and natural baby products is important to creating a healthier lifestyle. Going Green with Baby features personal product recommendations from eco-minded moms Jennifer Lo Prete and Melissa Moog. Jennifer is a writer and mother of two that has long practiced green living. Melissa is mom to a toddler, writer and the founder of Itsabelly Baby Concierge, a premier baby planning agency that specializes in going green with baby.

Going Green with Baby will be released in the Summer of 2008. To pre-order your copy, please send us an email to info@itsa-belly.com or call us at (503)799-5719 with your name and contact information. We will contact you when the book is available for purchase. Wholesale inquiries are also welcome.

A Peek Inside...

• Plan your baby registry with the best mom-tested reviews of over 300 eco-friendly baby products. We cover all your baby’s needs from slings to strollers, non-toxic bottles to safe skin care products, organic baby clothes to eco-friendly diapers and sustainable nursery furniture.
           
• Learn why going green with baby is important for a healthy baby and happy planet. Our panel of eco experts weighs in on the importance of organic apparel, sustainable wood, non-toxic feeding products and natural skin care products.
           
• Discover our simple eco-mom tips to raising a healthy baby and protecting our planet.
           
• Decipher the meaning and standards behind eco-labels. What does organic mean anyway? We make your trip to the store easier with a useful guide to common eco-labels and organic certification standards.
           
• Gain valuable tips on going green on a budget. From our own experience, it may not be financially feasible to turn your household completely organic. We give you tips on how you can make green choices that are right for your family.

      

Do You Want to Glow?

I really enjoy finding other mom entrepreneurs who have used their skills and talents to create a business that they are truly passionate about.  Glow Mama is a perfect example of this!  I was introduced to Glow and discovered a refreshing way to hydrate rather than drinking my boring old water. 

Lucy Leahy has created a beverage made with natural ingredients that is flush with the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients for moms.  In addition, she has a company brand that I thought was hip, sophisticated and fun.  What I thought was especially important was that Lucy's company has chosen an eco-friendly path by using plastic bottles made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate) which are easy to recycle.  Glow Mama’s labels are printed with soy based inks and all of their marketing materials are printed on 100% post consumer waste materials with soy inks.  Go "green" Glow!!!!
 
What I loved most about Glow Mama was that it's main ingredient is Kiwi which was given the grand title of “the most nutrient dense fruit in the world” in a recent study by Dr Lachance of Rutgers University. One tiny kiwi packs twice the vitamin C of an orange, twice the vitamin E of an avocado and 20% more potassium than a banana.  It has more fiber than a serving of bran flakes and is a good source of calcium, iron and folic acid.
 
So, if you're eating and drinking for two these days (or running after your toddler like me) give Glow Mama a try because it will only do your body (& baby's) good!  Oh, and it's only 70 calories per bottle, yeah!

Ingredients:

Filtered water,kiwi juice concentrate, white grape juice concentrate, cane juice concentrate, dietary fiber, calcium lactate, natural flavor, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), niacinamide (Vitamin B3), ferrous fumarate (iron), pyridoxine hydrochoride (Vitamin B6), cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12), folic acid

Happy Mama and a Great Green Company!

In honor of celebrating Mother's Day Itsabelly is giving away Earth Mama Angel Baby's "I Love My Mama" gift set (to enter contest see below).  Earth Mama Angel Baby is a genuine "green" company which produces the only line of 100% natural skin and body care products to support the ENTIRE birth process: pregnancy, labor, postpartum and c-section recovery, breastfeeding, baby care and even the loss of a baby.

It's no secret that I love Earth Mama Angel Baby's products since I use them on my baby and myself!  So, I decided to get the inside scoop directly from the woman and pioneer who started it all.  I was able to visit with Melinda Olson (founder) and she gave me a tour of her wonderful company.  I was impressed by Melinda's deep passion to protect our babies and mamas with her creation of pure and safe products.  Melinda has been creating Earth Mama Angel Baby's products since 2002 where she started out of her home.  She is one of the FIRST companies to exclude the use of phthalates and parabens for several years now (way before the recent media hype on toxins).  Her company continues to create positive waves across the country as families come to Earth Mama Angel Baby for phthalate and paraben free products.  Not to mention all the employees I've met and talked on the phone with are every bit as warm and kind as Melinda herself!

Earth Mama Angel Baby uses the highest quality oils and QAI certified organic herbs. Their products are cruelty-free, certified vegan, kosher, and 100% toxin-free - that means NO phthalates, parabens, SLS, artificial preservatives, fragrances or dyes.  In fact, Melinda has created an invaluable resource with her "reading room" materials on various toxins like phthalates to help educate parents, see information here.  The company also honors the earth by using only eco-friendly recyclable or reused/resuseable packaging and packing materials.  Earth Mama Angel Baby is even the proud recipient of the BRAG (Business Recycling Award Group) for their green practices.

The "I Love My Mama" gift set was specially designed to pamper mamas, so it's perfect for that special person on your Mother's Day list, birthday or just because you love them.  The gift includes Happy Feet soothing organic foot soak, Mint Herbal Lip Balm, Happy Mama Spray to ease both morning yuckies when pregnant and the downs after baby is here, Earth Mama Body Butter for healthier happier skin and Natural Nipple Butter, all packaged in a reusable pink organza bag.  The set is an almost $50 value.

To win all you have to do is sign up for our blog through Feedblitz located in the top right-hand corner of our blog, sign up for our newsletter as seen on the bottom of our home page here or leave a comment on this entry.  So, you can enter your name up to 3 times maximum if you'd like to!  The contest starts today April 19th and ends May 7th just in time for Mother's Day. 

What are you waiting for?  Treat yourself or a mama you know.  Sign up to WIN!

Bringing Baby Home - How to Help Your Child Adjust to Life with a Newborn

I appear as a guest on our local AM Northwest TV program on channel 2 once a month and this morning I shared the information below.  You can also click on the link highlighted above to watch the video.

If you have a toddler at home and you are expecting your second child you're probably wondering how to help ease the transition into life with a newborn. Your toddler is used to having your undivided attention and now she has to share it with someone new.  This transition phase can be challenging for both parents if they are not prepared.  It's even harder on your toddler if you haven't spent quality time helping her understand how life will change.  I will note that you can never completely take away the change and stress your first child will feel with a new baby but you can definitely help ease her transition by making her feel more secure and loved.

Here are some tips to help your child and you adjust:

Before Baby is Born

• If your child is old enough take her to a sibling preparation class. This class is usually held at your local hospital or healthcare facility designed for children two years of age and older.  It helps siblings prepare for the emotional and physical realities of the arrival of a newborn. Activities can include arts and crafts, role-playing, and a mini-tour of the nursery and maternity unit to see where mom will be spending the night.
• Give her a baby doll to play with
• Expose her to other babies and let her see you interact with a baby
• Children's picture books can help your toddler visualize how life will change with a new baby
  
• Have your child help you pick out gifts for the baby
• Make sure to spend quality one on one time with your toddler helping her understand how things will change once baby is born
• You can tell your preschool age child that you are going to have a baby by sharing the preparation activities and also showing her your growing belly
• If your toddler will be transitioning out of her crib and giving it to the new baby make sure to do this a few months before the birth so the adjustment of losing her crib is not such a huge deal   
  

After Baby is Born

• When baby is born have your toddler come in to spend time with you first before she's introduced to the new baby
• Use the baby's name so that the toddler knows the baby is a person rather than "the baby"
• Encourage your toddler to touch the baby and show her how to do so in a gentle manner
• Make sure to continue your toddler's regular schedule once you come home with baby (ask for help from family members to assist you)
• It is important to maintain the same rules and discipline even after the new baby arrives so your toddler has consistency 
• Include your toddler in usual routines for the baby such as diaper changing, feeding time or bathing   
  
• Each parent should make quality one on one time with the toddler so she still feels that she has your love and attention
  
• Have your toddler become your little helper by asking her to get a diaper for the baby or find the baby's toy
• If your child is older it will be easier for her to adjust to a newborn sibling because they can understand what is happening and be actively involved. 
• You should encourage involvement in helping with the new baby but not force it.  Offer to your older child that she can attend an infant CPR or child safety course designed for children who will become a new big brother or sister.  If your child feels like she has the skills and confidence to help care for her newborn sibling it will make it an easier transition on all of you.

Resources:

Keys to Preparing and Caring for Your Second Child by Meg Zweiback

Siblings Without Rivalry by Faber & Mazlich

Feedback from a parent on reading both books - "The latter has tips which will be more useful long past the day that baby #2 arrives, whereas the first book deals more with psychological and practical preparations for the family's newcomer, with an emphasis on the early days. Both are gems."

 

So, What the Heck Does an Itsabelly Baby Concierge Do Anyway?

I hope this blog entry will give you a good idea of what a day in the life of a Baby Planner is like while providing consultation to an expectant couple.

I recently traveled to Arizona for business and pleasure.  While I was there I met with The Bump's Managing Editor, Kira and her husband Jeff Krieger.  We planned a few hours to head over to the baby store and check out products they were considering for their registry.  

Many people wonder what a "Baby Concierge or Baby Planner" does exactly because it is a new and growing field.  When I first launched Itsabelly 1 year ago I would explain that I was like a wedding planner but instead of planning for the big wedding day I'm helping parents plan for baby's arrival and the first year after.  This could mean doing research to figure out the best baby products to place on a couple's registry or designing the baby's nursery with a personal touch by assisting parents in picking out furniture and decor.  There are many concierge and consulting services a baby planner can offer and it's just a matter of what an expectant or new parent needs help with.  Itsabelly takes care of pre-natal needs before baby is born and services new parents 12 months after baby is born (e.g. helping parents choose the best car seat as the infant grows out of the infant seat or learning how to make organic baby food). 

For Kira and Jeff, it was a breeze because they already had a clear idea of what their budget, space and lifestyle needs entailed.  I also provided a simple set of questions for Kira and Jeff to review prior to meeting with them so that we could spend our time efficiently at the baby store.

Kira and Jeff had a middle of the road budget and didn't want to clutter their home with too many baby gadgets and gizmos.  They wanted to go the simple but sophisticated route when choosing their baby gear.  They also wanted to go organic in certain areas so I advised them to consider going green on items that would touch baby's skin or placed in baby's mouth.  Products such as baby clothing, swaddle blankets, crib sheets, baby bottles and pacifiers were items I recommended they go green in.

Jeff was a great expectant dad to work with because he asked some very good questions and really wanted to be involved in deciding on big ticket baby items (like the crib, stroller and infant seat as most new dads do).  Kira beamed as she watched Jeff get into the baby registry experience.  Kira was able to push, pull and touch baby gear in the store while listening to my consultation on what to look for in items like a stroller or crib.  It alleviated many of her questions and allowed the baby registry experience to be much less overwhelming.  We already know being pregnant and going through labor is stressful and challenging enough! 

I'm grateful to be part of Kira and Jeff's very special time by helping them ease into parenthood.  I know that they will absolutely be wonderful parents!  Thank you to Kira and Jeff for making my job as a baby planner a real treat!

How to Go Green in Your Baby's Nursery

I liked the article below because of its valuable information about greening up baby's room that I had to reprint it for my readers.  It was written by Alicia Silva who is a green architect that has taught a class on eco-friendly nursery design.  I thought it gave easy tips for parents to consider when you're going green in baby's nursery.  Remember it doesn't have to be all about buying an expensive "green" crib made out of sustainable material.  There are many things you can do to decrease the toxins your newborn will be exposed to as Alicia mentions below.

Author Alicia Silva, Founder of Synergy Design Studio

Green Baby Nursery
(Reprinted from Seattlepi.com)

Welcoming a baby implies a great deal of change in our lifestyles.
This is a great time to understand and go green.
When we have kids it makes a lot more sense.
I will be teaching a Green baby Nursery class at the Environmental home center, now Ecohause.

The following tips will help you to start with your baby project with well being in mind.
After all green is the standard of giving the best to your loved ones.

Reasons why it's important:

1. They are a lot more sensitive to the toxins
2. Green is all about better living
3. Babies produce three times more garbage than most grown ups
4. Helps to protect the world they will be living in
5. No, it is not more expensive
6. You will be walking your talk

I just read an article where a person was creating the baby room and she did not know if the old carpet was better than the new one. Well, those are the things that you really want to know about when preparing the baby's room.

Tip 1 - Floor Options

Consider carpetless if possible, cork or marmoleum are great options for nurseries, and it is always better to be able to grab the rug and clean it outside the children's room. Did you know that wall to wall carpet doubles its weight after a year of being installed. Your baby is still going to be developing his immune system but please do not stress over it unnecessarily. It is a big effort to change the floor but if you can, I strongly recommend this. Tile carpet is a good alternative just make sure does not contain PVC, I recommend tile carpet FLOR Or wool carpet how ever try throw rugs instead of wall to wall carpeting.

Tip 2 - Paint

The strange smell from non environmentally friendly paint is AMMONIA, I do not even want to tell you about the side effects and bioacumulative effects in our body, the gallon of low VOC paint might cost $5-8 more but believe me it's cheaper than a kid with asthma.

Tip 3 - Furniture

If buying new furniture try to ask for finishes that do not give off gas, if nobody can tell you about this, or they think you're strange to ask, at least order the furniture and leave it outside the baby's room for a month. Please buy quality and hand down what you do not use, better furniture can be used for more people, my children's cradle is still around and they are 12 now. Used furniture is the best, especially for sofas in case you cannot find a sofa manufacturer that can produce a sofa with out polyester and those ugly carcinogens and fire retardants.

Tip 4 - Linens and Mattress

There are so many places that offer organic products now that it should be easier to find safer products.  The popular conventional mattresses are made out of latex and they have to have fire retardants by law which are toxic. 

theCradle.com Tip - Pick a natural mattress made without petrochemicals, such as those made of wool, organic cotton or 100% natural latex. If you decide to go with a conventional mattress (the natural ones can be a bit more expensive), try to use an organic mattress pad protector as a barrier between baby and the bed.  Also, air it out a couple of months before placing it in the crib (for off-gassing). 

Please choose organic sheets and covers. Cotton sheets and duvet covers that are grown with pesticides are toxic to the skin and even if you wash them several times they've already polluted the land.

Tip 5 - Toys

Please avoid plastic toys they do leach and they will be in your kid's mouth in no time.
Natural materials create negative ions that help babies relax.
Toys should also be selected that way. Wooden blocks are far better to develop creativity than things that are made of plastic and make loud sounds.

Tip 6 - A secret to create a relaxed room

No TV screens on kids rooms, mp3 or audio ok.
Have a black out curtain to create complete darkness
Plastic items create so much stress avoid them if you can.

Well the intention is to help, not to overwhelm you with lots of info but I really think our kids deserve environments that support their health and well being and green alternatives already have that.

NOTE:  Check out another great article from The Cradle on creating an Eco-Friendly Nursery.

Alicia Silva is the principal of Synergy Design Studio, a design firm dedicated to help people enhance their lives by designing beautiful, healthier and high performance environments that not only increase well being but also quality of life.

Alicia is an interior architect and a Sustainable Building Advisor, she is member of the USGBC, IIDA, ASID and also and active member of the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild.

Another Toxic Ingredient in Skin Care Products - 1,4-Dioxane

By Jennifer LoPrete, Itsabelly Marketing & PR Manager

The recent report from the Organic Consumer Association (OCA) gives consumers yet another reason to worry. The OCA report released on March 14, 2008 found a chemical linked to cancer in over 40% of the products they tested that were labeled as “natural.” Once again proving that we cannot trust labels and the need for stricter regulation of skin care product ingredients. The ingredient is 1,4-Dioxane, which is petroleum-derived by-product.

1,4-Dioxane is on the list of chemicals "known to the State of California to cause cancer." The EPA considers 1,4-Dioxane a probable human carcinogen. The National Toxicology Program considers it a known animal carcinogen. So, what is it doing in our products, especially those sold at the health food store as “natural” or “organic?”

Last year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) did an ingredient evaluation of 15,000 products in their database and found that 22% of those products may contain 1,4-Dioxane. The group found 1,4-Dioxane present in 55% of baby bubble baths, 57% of baby shampoos and 55% of baby soaps in products tested.

The EWG offers these tips to avoiding 1,4-Dioxane:

- Read ingredient labels and avoid any of the 56 cosmetic ingredients that can contain 1,4-Dioxane, including "sodium laureth sulfate" and ingredients that include the clauses "PEG," "xynol," "ceteareth," and "oleth."
- Check the EWG Skin Deep website for a comprehensive product database that offers ingredient analysis and a safe product guide.

The OCA offers the following tip to avoiding 1,4-Dioxane:
- Read ingredient lists for indications of ethoxylation including: "myreth," "oleth," "laureth," "ceteareth," any other "eth," "PEG," "polyethylene," "polyethylene glycol," "polyoxyethylene," or "oxynol," in ingredient names.

1,4-Dioxane is derived when companies use a process called Ethoxylation to make harsh ingredients milder. This process requires the use of a petrochemical Ethylene Oxide that generates the by-product of 1,4-Dioxane. Apparently, it is a cheap short-cut process and 1,4-Dioxane is easy for company’s to remove… but some of them are not removing it.

Since 1,4-Dioxane is a manufacturing by-product, the FDA does not require it to be listed on ingredient labels. Surprising to many consumers, the FDA does not require safety testing of cosmetics/skin care products or ingredients before sale to consumers. Rather the FDA allows the cosmetics/skin care industry to police itself through the industry trade association. The FDA has been measuring 1,4-Dioxane levels since 1979, but the agency has little authority over the industry. In 2000, the FDA did recommend that cosmetics products do not contain 1,4-Dioxane over 10 parts per million. However, the Safe Cosmetics Campaign found 15% of products they tested contained 1,4-Dioxane at exceeding limits. Plus, the FDA recommendation does not consider that your baby may be exposed to 1,4-Dioxane through a combination of products therefore increasing baby’s exposure to this carcinogen.

Organic Consumer Association Report Press Release

OCA Study Full Product List

OCA Coming Clean Website

Environmental Working Group Study Press Release

EWG Skin Deep Product Database and Guide

Campaign For Safe Cosmetics 1,4-Dioxane Fact Sheet

Campaign For Safe Cosmetics 1,4-Dioxane Press Release and Product List

Momnesia - Tips on How to Cope with The Dreaded Mommy Brain

Have you ever forgotten where you put your keys last?  Or went to the grocery store and left that list on the kitchen counter?  How about not packing extra baby clothes in your diaper bag incase your newborn soaked through his diaper?

I'm sure all of us have experienced some form of the dreaded mommy brain or what researchers now call "Momnesia".  I chuckled at the segment this morning on the Today Show because more often than not I have experienced a total brain lapse.  I remember being pregnant and my mommy brain already kicking itself into gear then.  My husband would say "I want my wife back" because sometimes I would start a sentence and mid-way not even remember why I was bringing the subject up in the first place (sigh).

On msnnbc.com the article "Post-partum Changes May Bring on Momnesia", Brizendene, the author of the book, “The Female Brain" states that the condition is brought on by the wildly fluctuating flood of hormones that accompany pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. It alters brain chemistry.  All these hormones are in a stew in the brain that are changing the way a mother focuses.”

Ah, finally a somewhat scientific way to explain our brain lapses, "momnesia".  I wanted to share some of the tips Hannah Keely, totalmom.com's founder and author of The Total Mom Makeover says will help combat your momnesia:

1. Bring a Pen & Small Notebook w/ You - have these handy so you can always write things down
2. Scale Back - do less
3. Exercise -cardiovascular exercise actually improves attention to things

So, what are the things you do to avoid your momnesia?  Share them with us by commenting on this post. 

BTW, if you comment you'll be automatically entered into Itsabelly's iPod Shuffle Giveaway.  Winner will be announced in April!

How Not to Break the Bank When Budgeting for a New Baby

As seen on AM Northwest's Television Program

See Video Link: AM Northwest TV (Budgeting for Baby, 1/31/08)

You're excited about the bundle of joy that's going to join you in nine months.  Now, you want to make sure you don't break the bank by doing all of the right things to budget for baby's arrival.  Based on an exclusive survey of 1,000 new moms from Babycenter.com in 2007 they estimated it would cost $7,542 on average for baby's first year.  This amount does not include medical costs which is another $7,600 on average according to the Federal Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality.  No doubt that you want to spend your dollars wisely once baby's here!

TIPS ON HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR FINANCES:

• Build your budget, track expenses & revise as needed - make sure you know what funds are coming in and what is being spent so you can budget for baby accordingly
• Find out what your health insurance covers - review your health coverage including deductible and determine what your hospital bills will be when baby is born
• Get out of debt (credit cards first) - credit cards with a high interest rate are worst at draining your funds so pay them off!
• Determine if a stay at home parent vs. daycare is feasible - sometimes staying at home with baby verses paying for daycare is less expensive
• Check to see if your employer offers a healthcare or dependent care flexible spending account - you can save money on a pre-tax basis and reduce your taxable income
  
• Start a college savings plan - 529 plans allow you to save money now toward college costs and the earnings will not be taxed as long as it's spent on college related expenses.  Check out College Savings Plans  for more information.
  
• Meet with your accountant to see if you qualify for child & dependent-care tax credits.  Adjust your tax withholding to show a dependent child which will give you a larger paycheck
• Draw up a will (name your baby as the beneficiary and also name a guardian) and make sure your life insurance coverage is adequate (two-three times your family's annual gross income)
• Make sure you have an emergency fund set aside - financial experts say you should have at least three to six months in cash incase you lose your job or the unexpected happens
• Don't overspend your budget on "nice-to-have" baby gear - be wise and don't waste money on the extras but focus on the necessities like diapers and a car seat
• Buy consignment or recycled baby items & use coupons - save money & recycle by purchasing second hand baby items like a stroller or baby clothing. Use coupons to save money on diapers or baby's toiletries.  

Great Budgeting Website Resources:

Baby Center
Practical Money Skills
College Savings Plan

Health Insurance Consumer Assistance:

• National Insurance Consumer Helpline (800) 942-4242
• National Insurance Consumer Organization (703) 549-8050

Itsabelly Baby Concierge Headquarters is in THE Best US City to Have a Baby, Portland!

Itsabelly is so excited to hear that the Pacific Northwest ranks in the top 5 best cities to have a baby in the country as seen in Fit Pregnancy magazine!  We're especially excited that Itsabelly Baby Concierge company headquarters are based in Portland because it was THE #1 best city to have a baby.  Seattle took the #4 spot!  How cool is that?

We have to mention that Portland along with tons of pregnancy and baby related resources has its own premier baby concierge/baby planning agency, Itsabelly Baby Concierge with a focus on green family living to add to the list of why having your bundle of joy in this city is so great!  Itsabelly is one of the first baby consulting agencies pioneering the new niche of baby planning.

Here are the reasons Portland ranks top on the list as seen in Fit Pregnancy:

•According to data from the CDC, maternal mortality in Oregon is especially low. 

•The CDC also reports very low infant mortality rates for Oregon.

•Portland babies are 24 percent less likely than average to be born with low birth weight.

•Babies here are 21 percent less likely than average to be born prematurely.

•Relative to population, Portland has more specialty retailers of healthy/organic foods and vitamins than most places in our survey.

•88 percent of Portland mothers attempt breastfeeding. That's the 3rd highest percentage of any city in our report. The average for cities in our survey is 75 percent.

•By six months of age, 56 percent of Portland babies are still being breastfed. That's the 6th highest percentage of any city in our report. The average for cities in our survey is 43 percent.

•19.9 percent of Portland mothers breastfeed their babies exclusively (meaning no solids, formula or other liquids) for 6 months or longer as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, making it the 2nd highest scoring city in this category. The average for cities in our survey is 12 percent.

•Once Portland mothers begin breastfeeding, they are 14 percent more likely than average to continue through 6 months. That's the 8th highest level of follow-through of any city in our report.

•Oregon has particularly progressive laws guaranteeing a nursing mother the right to breastfeed in public. 

•14.3 percent of births statewide are attended by midwives, compared to a national average of 7.3 percent.

•Portland has one doula for every 146 live births, the 4th highest ratio in our survey. The national average is one doula per 649 live births.

•Portland has 116 midwives for every 1,000 births, the highest in our survey. The national average is 37 midwives for every 1,000 births.

•According to our survey of park departments, for every 10,000 residents, Portland has 150 miles of public trails and pathways for hiking and stroller use, the 4th highest in our survey. The average city in our survey has 79 trail miles for every 10,000 residents.

•Portland has 61 lactation consultants for every 10,000 live births, the 2nd highest ratio in our survey. The average city in our survey has 23 lactation consultants per 10,000 live births.

•Expecting and new moms have plenty of parks: Portland's ratio of parks to residents is 1 : 1,827. The average in our survey is 1 : 3,790.

•Portland has plenty of high-risk pediatricians, 69 percent more than average per capita and the 9th highest in our survey.

•Portland has more OB-GYNs than average, the 5th highest in our survey.

•State laws require stringent background checks for day-care workers.

•Portland has 21 licensed home day cares for every 1,000 children under 4 years, the 6th highest in our survey. The average city in our survey has 13.

•In a comparison of inspection schedules for day-care centers, Oregon requires more frequent visits than average. 

•Pedestrians have a 63 percent lower than average risk of being killed by a motor vehicle here-among the safest in our survey.