Well, here we grow again. If you do not know our story, we are expecting our third child due January 17th and he or she is a little miracle growing inside of me. After being told I was likely infertile, I accepted the fact that we would be a family of 4. But a few months later, to our surprise, we found out that I was pregnant with another little one, making us a family of 5. We plan to keep the gender a surprise until delivery day and I cannot wait to meet him/her!
This pregnancy has been different. It started off the roughest pregnancy EVER and after 17 weeks, it has been the easiest out of the 3. I definitely went from 2 different extremes. The plan is that this will be our last little one, so I want to make the most of it. I had heard of Cord Blood Registry but never took the step forward to educate myself on what it actually is. I asked a few friends on social media if they ever tried it and I got back several responses from people who wish they had. I have really been feeling this tug in my heart to do it this time around — I cannot really describe it past a feeling or intuition that I think I should listen to. Shortly after this, I heard from a friend who had done it and sometimes it’s just these types of personal conversations that are exactly the push you need to move forward.
I began to educate myself on what newborn stem cells are and the benefits that come with preserving them. I specifically was drawn to Cord Blood Registry because they are leading the industry. I see signs everywhere at my OB office, and honestly, even at my previous OBGYN offices. To me, this is a sign that they are trusted by my provider and previous providers. They have stored the most newborn stem cells in the industry at over 985,000 newborn stem cell samples and counting.
Ultimately, I just want peace of mind knowing that I have done what I can to protect my child/children. With the devastation this pandemic has brought and just seeing my friends suffer with pediatric illnesses, it is heartbreaking, and the need to do more is weighing heavy on me. Once you are pregnant and hit 35 years of age, like myself, I am constantly reminded that I am of advanced maternal age and how it puts my child at greater risk for issues. While I feel that I am a ripe young chick (sometimes haha), I can’t help but have this tid-bit of information in the back of my mind. The collection is painless for baby, the newborn stem cells are obtained in an easy and non-invasive way, and the best part, they will be a perfect match for my child. They also have potential to protect my other 2 children and even my husband and myself. I was intrigued by the fact that these preserved stem cells from cord blood can potentially treat up to 80+ illnesses and there have been over 500 clinical trials initiated using newborn stem cells for regenerative medicine purposes, including for things like COVID-19, cerebral palsy, and autism. As technology advances and as these trials continue to progress, the list will continue to grow, and having this as an “insurance plan” gives me that peace of mind. I do hope and pray that we will never have to use them.
I was worried that the process for enrollment and collection would be too much of a burden, especially with the stress that comes with birthing a baby into the world. They actually make the process much easier than I expected. My biggest role was just connecting with a CBR specialist, completing consents, remembering to bring the kit to delivery, and calling a courier to pick up my kit (this task will be delegated to my husband). My kit is at the top of my list to include in my hospital bag. All of which are simple steps that can make a lifetime of a difference.
If the cost is an issue, I do want to encourage you to take a look at their flexible payment options, as well as sign up to their email list as they do send out special promotions. In fact, you can also my promo code TREK for some awesome savings today, just by visiting their enroll page! You can connect with an educator to learn more about why this is a great idea for your baby and your family. With this being my last baby, I feel now is the time for me to take the step forward and have no regrets in wondering “what if”. I hope this is something that you will educate yourself on more and consider with your upcoming child. The only time you can take advantage of this opportunity is during the delivery, so if you are fortunate to have this as an option still, consider it.
Thank you for stopping by! XoXo
Have you considered newborn stem cell preservation with CBR?