by Amy Spangler
January 26, 2007

The editors of Fit Pregnancy considered a variety of factors in selecting the best cities in America to have a baby. Chances are what they found won’t surprise breastfeeding advocates. It seems that among different cities, breastfeeding rates varied by a factor of nearly three to one.

Traditionally, breastfeeding rates have been the highest in the Northwestern portion of the U.S., so it’s no surprise that Portland, Oregon was recognized as the city with the highest breastfeeding rates and was among the five cities that topped the list of honorees.

According to the results, 89 percent of Portland, Oregon mothers initiate breastfeeding and 57 percent breastfeed six months or more. Portland also ranked among the highest in popularity of midwives and doulas.

Other top cities: Boston, Massachusetts; San Francisco, California; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Omaha, Nebraska; Denver, Colorado; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Seattle, Washington; Oakland, California; and San Diego, California. Plus, Jacksonville, Florida received honorable mention as the best city for child care.

If your city isn’t among the top ten, ask yourself if there is anything you can do to improve breastfeeding rates in your state.