So, your estimated due date is closing in, and despite having all this time to prepare you still have multiple questions about the impending birth – and what happens afterwards.

You’re not alone! The process of having a baby can be overwhelming, and we’re often faced with many decisions we weren’t prepared for. Some questions are simple – like what to pack in your hospital bag – while others can affect the rest of you and your baby’s life.

Here are a few of the bigger questions to consider and prepare for in advance, to help make your birthing experience the joy it should be.  

1. Should I have an epidural?

An epidural – or to be accurate, epidural analgesia (EA) – is an effective and widely used form of pain relief during labour, where a local anaesthetic is injected into the spinal canal. Using an epidural during labour is the choice of the mother – but how do you know if it’s the right choice for you?

Firstly, the benefits of getting the epidural typically outweigh the possible risks and side effects. There are often many misconceptions about the epidural, but it is a perfectly safe way to offset the pain of childbirth, whether it’s administered early (less than 5cm dilated) or later (5cm or more dilated) into labour. One study from KKH Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Singapore found that those who had early epidurals were no more or less likely to need a Caesarean section than those who had a late one. There was also no evidence that an epidural increased the likelihood of needing an assisted birth using forceps or suction, or the amount of time spent ‘pushing’. There is also no evidence of other common misconceptions, such as having epidural harm the baby or causing backache in the mother.

However, there are some minor and short-lived potential side effects to be aware of, including some loss of feeling or weakness in the lower extremities (a catheter is also generally administered to help you urinate), some cases of mild nausea, shivering and a mild itch, which will pass once the epidural wears off.

At the end of the day, an epidural is a personal choice, and with or without one, you are capable of having a wonderful and safe birthing experience.

2. What should I pack into my hospital bag?

While the answer to this question depends on which hospital you are delivering at and what they provide you with, there are always a handful of key items and documents you should have on hand!

The last thing you want to be worrying about while in labour is the admin of giving birth. Prepare all potentially necessary documents in advance – everything from your doctor’s admission letter and Letter of Guarantee from your insurance provider, to your IDs and marriage certificates for registering your child’s birth.

With those essentials out of the way, the rest of what goes into your bag is mostly aligned to your comfort levels and a few items for your new baby. For mum, take some essential toiletries with you – especially some maternity pads (although the hospital is likely to provide these). It can be easy to forget things like contact lenses and toothbrushes in a rush, so buy secondary items in advance and pack them nice and early! Clothing wise, you’re going to need nursing bras, comfortable clothes, multiple pairs of underwear, and something to keep you warm – hospitals can be chilly! Don’t forget essential tech items like phones, iPad, headphones and chargers!

For baby, a couple of rompers and swaddles should be enough to see you through, as well as some tiny mittens and socks to keep them warm. If you plan on pumping or bottle feeding, you will need to have the necessary pumps and bottles with you, as well as some nipple pads and creams for those who breastfeed. Don’t forget an appropriate car seat to take the baby home in!

And finally, if you plan on storing your baby’s Cord Blood & Cord Tissue, bring your cord blood collection box, which you will have received after your enrolment with Stemcord.

3. Should I store my baby’s cord blood and cord tissue?

There are many medical benefits to banking cord blood and cord tissue – but only one opportunity for you to collect them immediately after birth. Once a baby has been delivered, and the placenta is still in-utero, the cord will be clamped and cut and the blood will be drawn from the cord before it is discarded.

Cord blood contains a rich source of Haemopoietic Stem Cells(HSCs). These stem cells make up the building blocks in our blood and immune system throughout our life. Cord blood stem cells have a unique ability to differentiate into specialised blood cells – and are clinically proven to be used in the treatment of more than 80 diseases*. Your child’s own cord blood guarantees a perfect match for him/her should the need for treatment arises. On top of this, your child’s cord blood stem cells may also potentially be used to treat immediate family members – as cord blood from a related donor will result in fewer complications and improved medical outcomes.

Families often have many questions about the efficacy, cost, storage and what cord stem cells can do. Click here to learn more about unlocking the potential of stem cells for your family.

4. Should I do anything with the placenta?

The placenta is an incredible organ that only develops in your uterus during pregnancy to provide oxygen and nutrients to your growing baby, and remove waste. It attaches and grows on the wall of your uterus, with the umbilical cord connecting mother and baby. If you deliver vaginally, you will also deliver the placenta vaginally after giving birth to your child. If you have a Caesarean section, it will be removed by your doctor. Most mothers do not feel much when the placenta is delivered, aside from some mild contractions.

Medically speaking, once the baby is safely birthed and the placenta is out, there is no more use for this organ and it can be disposed of. However, some cultures have specific rituals for the placenta (such as burying it) or beliefs that ingesting it will provide some medical benefits to the mother. However there is no evidence that eating the placenta (called placentophagy) provides any health benefits, and in fact, can be harmful to ingest if various bacteria or viruses present are not properly destroyed before consumption.

One thing you can request (if you feel so inclined) is to see your placenta after it comes out – after all, it’s an incredible organ that kept your baby alive and healthy all these months!

Find out more about preparing for birth and how your baby’s umbilical cord blood has the potential to save lives. 

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As you prepare for the impending birth of your newborn baby, you must be faced with many different decisions. One question that may have popped up is should you be storing your baby’s umbilical cord blood.

For most, the choice is dependent on the overall cost of Cord Blood Banking. Cord Blood Banking is the process of collecting, processing, and storing potentially life-saving stem cells for future use, this leaves a lot of soon-to-be parents wondering if it is worth the money.

In this article, we share the average cost of banking your baby’s cord blood and other factors to keep in mind when making this once-in-a-lifetime decision.

What exactly is Cord Blood?

Cord blood is the blood found in your baby’s umbilical cord; it is a rich source of Haemopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs). These stem cells make up the building blocks of our blood and immune system throughout our life.

HSCs can develop into all types of blood cells. These stem cells are clinically proven to be used in the treatment of over 80 diseases¹, such as blood disorders, certain childhood and blood cancers, metabolic disorders, and immunodeficiency syndrome.

Doctors believe that there is more potential, and research is ongoing to use Cord Blood to treat other diseases including Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Diabetes, Heart Diseases, Strokes and more.

What are the benefits of storing Cord Blood for your baby?

Your baby’s Cord Blood will always be a 100% match for your baby. An autologous transplant, or a transplant where the patient is the donor, will have a lower risk of life-threatening complications. There is no risk of graft-versus-host-diseases (GVHD) and there will be no need for the patient to undergo immunosuppressive therapy.

On top of this, your baby’s cord blood can also potentially be used to treat immediate family members – as cord blood from a related donor will result in fewer complications and improved medical outcomes. The cord blood sample will always be readily available, this means no treatment delays while eliminating the difficulties of finding a compatible donor for treatment, and any potential disease progression can be avoided.

So, how much does Cord Blood Banking cost?

When you sign up with a private cord blood bank in StemCord SG Phils.Corporation, it means that your cord blood is stored exclusively for you and your family. The fees for cord blood banking include enrollment, collection, processing, and storage fees.

Storing these precious stem cells is a long-term commitment of up to 21 years and StemCord offers affordable payment plans. At StemCord, to store both cord blood and cord stem cells starts from as little as ₱39 to ₱59 a day*.

*Terms & Conditions Apply.

When and how to get started in the cord blood process with StemCord?

It is often recommended for you to book an appointment with a StemCord consultant before the third trimester, around 28 – 32 weeks. This gives you a month before your due date to research and prepares yourself in case you deliver early.

Waiting until you are in the delivery room to make the decision is not recommended because the necessary materials may not be available. As long as you educate yourself with the relevant information in advance, you can be assured of the decision that is best for you and your family.

Deciding to bank your child’s cord blood is a gift which you can give your child from birth. With all the benefits that it offers, it is a worthwhile investment which can help protect your child’s future, especially when it counts the most. Weighing up the pros and cons, you will find that it is worth it.

Want to find out more?

Call us at 8723-2333 or click here to arrange a meeting or chat.

Our consultant can arrange for a non-obligatory meeting to provide you with more information and answer any questions you may have.

Source: ¹ https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/diseases

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As parents, we will do anything in our power to protect the health of our children – banking Cord Blood and Cord Tissue does not only protect your child but also other immediate family members. By better understanding, the benefits, process and potential of stem cell research, parents can make an informed decision to protect the future of their loved ones.

In this blog, we cover some key questions for parents about Cord Blood and Cord Tissue banking, and why storing both gives you the best chance to make a real difference.

Cord Blood and Cord Tissue – what’s the difference?

Cord blood is the blood found in the baby’s umbilical cord, it is a rich source of Haemopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs) these stem cells can differentiate into other blood cells in the body and are clinically proven to be used in the treatment of more than 80 diseases³, such as some blood cancers and immune disorders.

Cord tissue refers to the actual umbilical cord and contains a rich source of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs). These stem cells have the potential to develop into a wide range of cells and tissues, such as bone, heart, nerve, muscle cornea, fat and cartilage tissues. MSCs are currently used in clinical research to treat a variety of diseases and medical conditions⁴, including liver cirrhosis, strokes, heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis. StemCord cultures these MSCs from the umbilical cord tissue and stores them as Cord Stem Cells.

Do I really need to store both Cord Blood and Cord Tissue? 

Today’s research has indicated that banking both Cord Blood and Cord Tissue (Cord Stem Cells) works differently to heal the body, by having both types of stem cells stored ultimately increases the types of cells that you have available, which can be used for different purposes⁵.

Both Cord Blood and Cord Stem Cells work differently to heal the body, storing both provides your baby and your loved ones with biological insurance to protect your family’s health in the future, should you need it. Scientific research into both medical applications is ongoing, and new breakthroughs are being found regularly to improve and potentially save lives.

Who can use the Cord Blood and Cord Tissue that is stored? What can they use it for?

While non-related donor Stem Cells can be utilised, it is generally accepted that related donors – especially siblings – have better long-term outcomes. This means that Cord Blood from a related donor will result in fewer complications and thus improved medical outcomes⁶. If your child needs their own Stem Cells in the future, they will be a 100% match as there is no risk of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and no need for the patient to undergo immunosuppressive therapy.

Your child’s Cord blood stem cells have the potential to treat a wide range of blood-related cancers and blood disorders. Some of the approved treatments include Sickle Cell Diseases, Leukemia, a host of Lymphomas, and more. Researchers also believe that cord blood stem cells may be used to treat conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Strokes, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Crohn’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and more.

There are new uses being discovered regularly for Cord stem cells, but each instance is potentially treated on a case by case basis, and your treating physician will ultimately determine the ideal treatment plan for the patient’s needs. See the full list of treatments here

Does it really matter how it is stored? 

In short, yes. While many cord blood banks choose to store the umbilical cord as a whole or in segments, StemCord takes the extra step by culturing the Cord tissue stem cells before storage, which has been shown to increase cell yield eight times more⁷ than cells yielded from segmented frozen tissues. Culturing stem cells from cord tissue before cryopreservation gives the highest possible yield should you need to use your banked stem cells in the future.

Beyond this, StemCord also provides two bag storage by keeping your child’s Cord Blood in two separate locations. This provides families with an option to use just one bag if needed while keeping the remainder safe and ready for additional future use. By keeping the Cord Blood in two locations, StemCord ensures added security and peace of mind for you.

Storing your child’s cord blood stem cells is a once-in-a-life opportunity, which many can consider as a form of biological insurance – you may never use it, but in case of a disease that can be treated with the stored stem cells, your child’s range of treatment options are broader.

Find out more about how your baby’s umbilical cord blood has the potential to save lives. Download our FREE Cord Blood Banking E-book HERE.

References:

1 https://stemcellsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/sctm.19-0288
2 https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/faqs
3 https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/diseases
4 https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/10.2217/rme-2018-0171
5 https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/faqs/what-are-benefits-cord-tissue-banking
6 https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/faqs#q-18089
7  Briddell R, Litkenhaus F, Foertsch G, Fuhrmann A, Foster K, Falcon Girard K, Fiscus B, Boehm A, Brown M, Pettit M, Rigas Bridges A, Nichols K, Fodor W and Kraus M. Recovery of viable MSCs isolated from fresh umbilical cord tissue, measured after cryopreservation, is on average 8-fold higher when compared to recovery of viable MSCs isolated from previously cryopreserved umbilical cord tissue. Study sponsored by ViaCord. ASH Abstract submitted 2011 Aug. 11.

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Cord blood banking is one of the most exciting medical developments in the last decade. However, as it can be relatively new to most parents, there are a lot of misconceptions about this state-of-the-art technology. If you’ve heard about the benefits of banking your baby’s umbilical cord but aren’t quite sure if you want to do it, the following myth busters could help you make an informed decision!

MYTH: Collecting cord blood can affect delivery and takes blood away from the baby!
FACT: Cord blood collection is painless, easy and safe for both the mother and the baby.

The collection of cord blood is a safe and painless procedure. Since cord blood is only collected after your baby has been safely delivered, and the procedure carried out by your attending physician, it does not pose a significant risk to you or your baby. It also does not affect the care of both mother and child during the delivery itself.

MYTH: Mothers with Hepatitis B cannot store cord blood.

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Cord Blood Banking sounds like a daunting process, but it’s also one that could potentially save the lives of your children and loved ones in the future, so making sure the right choice of cord blood stem cells, here are the 8 frequently asked questions – and answers.

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