Tips for Getting Ready for the Big Day

 

This post is sponsored by Cord Blood Registry®, CBR, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Tips for Getting Ready for the Big Day

There are so many thing we tend to worry about as expectant parents. So much information that we want to take in as fast as we can. I know when I was pregnant with John I read ALL the books! At one point my doctor recommended I stop reading every book for expectant parents and she recommended one specific one that she felt would give me the information I was seeking out. I read that book from cover to cover and made list after list of all the things we needed to buy, register for and look into further.  Things like learn to install the car seat, how to do I get the birth certificate, what will our childcare look like after maternity leave is up and so many other things.

One of the things to research further was cord blood banking. I thought the idea sounded interesting and I liked that the newborn stem cells might come in handy for our family in the future. But, like many good intentions I pushed it to the side and forgot about it till later. I wish we had spent more time reading about what cord blood and cord tissue are and why they might be beneficial, since the umbilical cord is made up of tissue and blood that is rich in stem cells. I’ve since learned that preserving your newborn’s cord blood stem cells may give your child or an immediate family member, depending on the condition and other factors, the opportunity to use this resource for current cord blood therapies. In the future, there may be other potential applications like regenerative medicine. While I was pregnant, my mom had just tested positive for the BRCA gene and I was waiting to do my testing after John was born. Thankfully my test came back negative and this mean my children also won’t have the BRCA mutation that runs in my family. Although newborn stem cells are not used for the treatment of breast cancer, I like the idea that it would still provide me peace of mind to know that we had it saved and could have more potential options in the future.

When you preserve your baby’s stem cells with Cord Blood Registry (CBR), it’s not just a storage facility. You also have access to their team of Certified Genetic Counselors who will discuss your family’s medical history with you and answer any of your questions about newborn stem cells. Some people chose not to bank their baby’s cord blood based on the cost. CBR has affordable payment plans and even assists families with qualifying medical conditions through the Newborn Possibilities Program® by covering all the costs to preserve and store their newborn’s stem cells for five years!

Another great thing about banking stem cells with CBR is that they offer a gift registry option. So, if you have friends and family that want to contribute to a non-traditional gift, this is a great way. Most birthing facilities, whether hospitals or birthing centers, can perform a cord blood and cord tissue collection, it is something you must arrange for before birth.

If you want to enroll with CBR, you can get a promo code for $200 off of the initial fees by filling out your information here! Then follow these steps BEFORE you deliver.

• Enroll with CBR online at cordblood.com/enroll or call 1-888-240-1996
• Receive a collection kit in the mail
• Bring your kit to the birthing facility on your big day
• Call the medical courier to arrange pick up after your baby is born and the cord blood has been collected by your healthcare professional  
• Enjoy your baby! CBR is going to do the rest and they will even let you know when your sample has been received

I wish that we had spent more time thinking this over and planning the second time around. Mary was born at 31 weeks and I thought I still had plenty of time for planning these things out. Is cord blood and cord tissue banking something you have considered or done before?