Are you an expecting mom? First off, Congratulations! This is such an exciting time and can also be a little scary – especially for first-time expecting moms. I remember how scared I was throughout my pregnancy with my first son. All of the “what-if” questions. Not having a clue when it comes to having your own baby, being responsible for another person, not to mention all of the health concerns and issues that arise in some pregnancies and newborns. One little thing can turn an exciting time into a very scary moment. I have been so blessed to have three healthy babies, however, my third pregnancy was not easy. I had a “full placenta previa” throughout most of my pregnancy and was even on bedrest for 5 weeks. I also experienced a lot of pain that I did not experience in my first two pregnancies. It was very difficult and there were a lot of concerns about my sweet Weston coming early.
One thing that helped me during this time and really in most situations in my life is feeling prepared. There is only so much we can prepare for, but these little things really help put the mind at ease. I leave the rest up to God and pray – a lot. Packing my “go-bag” earlier on in my last pregnancy was something my doctor recommended just in case I went into labor early. Having that little bag with everything in it made me feel so much better because I knew I just had to grab it on my way out the door and I’d be good to go. Here is what was in my go-bag:
8 Things Expecting Moms Need in Their Go-Bag
- A good nursing bra and nursing pads
- Old underwear I didn’t mind throwing away if needed (I recently read about someone who takes depends (the pretty ones) and thought that was genius).
- A comfortable nursing gown / tank and cardigan
- Slippers
- Baby’s going home outfit
- a small hygiene bag with toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.
- Baby Book
- Cord Blood Registry (CBR) Collection kit
Ryan and I made the decision to preserve newborn stem cells with CBR, saving our babies’ cord blood stem cells in case it was needed one day.
Here is what you need to know about banking cord blood and CBR:
Your baby’s umbilical cord is made of tissue and contains blood, and both are rich sources of powerful stem cells. Preserving your newborn’s 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. Many conditions may be treatable with cord blood as a part of a stem cell transplant, including various cancers and blood, immune and metabolic disorders.*
CBR believes in the power of healthy families and have many options for families such as payment plans and even gift registry options where friends and family can donate towards preserving the baby’s stem cells. They also have the Newborn Possibilities Program® which assists families with a qualifying medical needs by covering all costs for preserving their newborn’s stem cells and storing them for 5 years. CBR partners with research institutions for multiple FDA-regulated clinical trials that aim to advance stem cell research and potentially help with current diseases and conditions that have no cure.
If you did not know this was an option, I wanted to let you know about the different ways you can make it work for your family. Especially if you have a family history of cancers or diseases that preserving your baby’s stem cells could help with some day. Just in case.
CBR makes it so easy to enroll. All you need to do is sign up online here: cordblood.com or call 1-888-240-1996 and they will ship you a kit. You can also receive a discount code for $200 off of the initial fees by filling out your information here. Bring the kit with you to the hospital on the big day and your healthcare professional will collect the cord blood – it’s a painless process! Then you call the medical courier (phone number on the kit) and CBR will handle the rest and will let you know when they have received the kit. It’s really that easy!
Be sure to check out this helpful video that breaks down how it all works, too!
What is in your go-bag?
*https://www.cordblood.com/stem-cell-research/cord-blood-uses-and-research
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