Cord Blood

[JoshuasMommy]

I was wondering if any mamas here have registered to have their babies cord blood frozen? We just finished the paper work today. It is really expensive the first year but then after that it's very cheap to store. I truly hope that it is an investment my family never gets a return on. But then don't we all want to be healthy? I feel really good about our decision to do this. Just wondering if anyone else has done it too or know of ayone who has used theirs to treat a disease? Tina~

[pageta]

I think its more important for the baby to have that blood - prevents jaundice, all sorts of other problems - than to save it. If you wait until the cord stops pulsing, you can't collect the blood, and it's best to wait until it stops pusling to cut the cord.

I'm sure others will have more in depth explanations.

[kerikadi]

I think its more important for the baby to have that blood - prevents jaundice, all sorts of other problems - than to save it. If you wait until the cord stops pulsing, you can't collect the blood, and it's best to wait until it stops pusling to cut the cord.

:truedat:

Keri

[circlek]

We didn't save it with our son, who then ended up diagnosed with a disease that can be cured by either a stem cell or a bone marrow transplant. Needless to say we saved our daughters cord blood, since if he ever relapses he may need a transplant and siblings are the best bet for a match.

Kristen mom to
Aiden 4yo and Regan 21 mo

[thirdchild]

It's just to expensive here (I'm in Canada). Well, too expensive for us anyway.

I'll have to look into the don't cut until done pulsating thing...hmm...

[alegna]

I would not consider for reasons mentioned by pp. Baby is designed to get that blood at BIRTH.

-Angela

[Brisen]

We looked into it with Cat King... almost filled out the paperwork, but once we realized they had to harvest it before the cord stopped pulsing, which meant they had to cut the cord, we decided against it. I did have a doubt in the back of my mind -- if he needs that blood later, I will be so angry with myself -- but I figured the need for it now outweighed a remote possibility in the future.

[Christine&men]

No, since DH is French and I am German so who knows where (countrywise) we will be next. And the cost...

[2+twins]

It's not true that you can't get the blood if you wait for the cord to stop pulsing - I've checked on that with the company we banked with (CBR). The amount of blood needed to get the amount of stem cells they're looking for is really very very little. You can draw from the placenta too (which we've done). The collection kit makes it look like you need a ton of blood, but they just give you plenty 'o room. Doesn't hurt to have more than enough, kwim? We've banked twice, btw. We aren't banking this time since it's expensive and we already have 2 sibling sets of stem cells on ice (figure our odds are relatively good).

[CountryMom2e]

I thought about it but two things bugged me. The cost (and ongoing cost), and the fact that I couldn't just donate the cord blood. Plus the pulsating cord issue.

As it turns out, I had an emergency c-section, so they cut the cord right away. What I'd like to see is making it easier to donate cord blood, rather than have to pay for restricted private storage.

[grace's voice]

I wouldn't do it, myself. 1/3 to 1/2 of the baby's blood is in the placenta at the time of birth, the baby needs that! I've seen an adult who'd lost as much of his blood and it wasn't pretty, took several weeks to recouperate. I would never do that to my baby. I think the blood benefits the baby more concerning disease prevention when he/she gets it at birth than it does later. I belive that if the child gets the blood at birth he/she will be less prone to illness later on, and I'd rather use the blood now to prevent illness rather than to treat it once illness settles in. If that makes sense!

[boscopup]

I thought about it but two things bugged me. The cost (and ongoing cost), and the fact that I couldn't just donate the cord blood. Plus the pulsating cord issue.

You can donate the cord blood. Do a google search on "donate cord blood" and you'll find lots of info. Last pregnancy, someone posted info about donating cord blood to my due month list, and donating was completely free. That was 2 years ago, but I doubt it's changed.

[liseux]

"It's not true that you can't get the blood if you wait for the cord to stop pulsing" love homebirthing

I want to reiterate this, I asked about this too, and the cord CAN stop pulsating. I banked, and will probably do it again, although I`m torn b/c I have the same kid every time, an O + male, so it would match any of them. The main reason I did it is b/c Alzheimers runs in my family and there have been some extremely good studies done with cord blood & brain cells specifically in Alzheimers. I hope one day it could help my parents if needed. Also, any brain injury scares me, and stem cells have just recently been shown to grow new brain cells, its very new though.

As for cost, I just took the lowest payment plan, its worth it to me.

[Cullens_Girl]

I read in Parenting Magazine (no flames please!) that of those who did save the blood only a minute percentage of those who actually needed to use it were able to use it.

[nighten]

We're saving ours and I'm RELIEVED that we are able to.

I don't care if there's only a one in ten trillion chance our child may need it to save her life later on -- it's worth it.

As for her needing it right away I"ll third (or fourth) that you can still collect enough typically after the cord's stopped pulsing (the pulsing is caused by her heartbeat, not the placenta nor cord), so that argument doesn't fly. Sorry. But they don't require much at all for storage.

[JoshuasMommy]

It's not true that you can't get the blood if you wait for the cord to stop pulsing - I've checked on that with the company we banked with (CBR). The amount of blood needed to get the amount of stem cells they're looking for is really very very little. You can draw from the placenta too (which we've done). The collection kit makes it look like you need a ton of blood, but they just give you plenty 'o room. Doesn't hurt to have more than enough, kwim? We've banked twice, btw. We aren't banking this time since it's expensive and we already have 2 sibling sets of stem cells on ice (figure our odds are relatively good).


We are banking with CBR also. We looked into it when I was pg with ds but in 2001 there were only about 35 diseases they were treating and it was so new then and not enough info for us. But now they are treating 75 dieases and using cord blood for spinal cord injuries as well as Alzheimers and other brain illness. The possibilities and advancements they are making are incredible. I was happy when I saw Dr Sears wrote a whole letter describing the benefits etc.

We decided to do this because this will be our last pregnancy and we wanted to leave our children with this gift. I hope and pray they never need it but if they or someone does and this gift is ever able to save a life then it will be worth it all in the end. It cost only $125 a year to store the cord and that is cheaper than some doctor visits. Tina~

[Brinda]

No, but I would like to donate it, only nobody in my area takes donations. I'd rather it go to a public bank for public use.

[RosesToys]

We donated my dd's cord blood. That is what I would do with future baby's cord blood. It makes more sense to me to donate it and then someone who needs it will be sure to get it. If we need cord blood in the future, the company we donated it with will either give us our dd's cord blood if it is still available, or they will give us another matching sample.

Why should we pay a fortune for something we may not need, but might also help someone else? I just can't see throwing it away. That's wasteful since we know that it can save lives now, in the future the benefits will probably be even more.

[kerikadi]

We donated my dd's cord blood. That is what I would do with future baby's cord blood. It makes more sense to me to donate it and then someone who needs it will be sure to get it. If we need cord blood in the future, the company we donated it with will either give us our dd's cord blood if it is still available, or they will give us another matching sample.

Why should we pay a fortune for something we may not need, but might also help someone else? I just can't see throwing it away. That's wasteful since we know that it can save lives now, in the future the benefits will probably be even more.

I think donation is great :thumb
I'd just like to point out that those of us who wait until the cord is done pulsing before clamping & cutting are not "throwing it away" but allowing it to stay with it's rightful owner.:)
Also, if you homebirth you cannot donate - at least not in my area - if it came from outside the hospital it is considered contaminated :(

Keri

[mommyjamieof2]

We donated my dd's cord blood. That is what I would do with future baby's cord blood. It makes more sense to me to donate it and then someone who needs it will be sure to get it. If we need cord blood in the future, the company we donated it with will either give us our dd's cord blood if it is still available, or they will give us another matching sample.

Why should we pay a fortune for something we may not need, but might also help someone else? I just can't see throwing it away. That's wasteful since we know that it can save lives now, in the future the benefits will probably be even more.


What company was this?

[CountryMom2e]

Just wanted to say that donating cord blood is not available in a lot of areas, unfortunately. It depends on where you deliver, and what region of the country you are in. None of the hospitals near us (and we are in a major metropolitan center) support cord blood donation. Banking is a different manner.