Is Cord Blood Banking Part of Your Birth Strategy? If so, Here are Must-Read Tips For Delivery Day!

Is Cord Blood Banking Part of Your Birth Strategy?

This post is sponsored by ViaCord

Before you know it, the months of waiting and weeks of planning have passed and the big moment will finally come. You’ll find yourself at the hospital ready to deliver your baby! Be confident, you are ready for this incredible journey to begin.

As I’ve talked about before, most mom-to-bes have a plan (or a strategy, as I like to call it) about how the birth should go. One thing that you may have planned for ahead of time is to collect your newborn’s cord blood and/or cord tissue after birth. As with anything else in your birth strategy, discussing your decision with your doctor, mid-wife, or doula, prior to the big day will help ensure everyone is on the same page.
Below are some helpful tips from ViaCord so that you and the medical staff can work together to have a successful collection:
1. LET THE STAFF KNOW UPON ARRIVAL
When you check into the hospital let the medical staff know you’ve chosen to collect your baby’s cord blood. Even if your doctor already knows or it’s noted in your files, informing the staff at the hospital is very important. And if you’re in labor during a rotation, inform the replacement staff as well.
2. COLLECT EVEN WITH A C-SECTION
When moms go in for a c-section, whether it’s planned or unplanned, sometimes the collection kit gets left behind. Make sure it’s known that you want to collect your cord blood or cord tissue or both – whichever you ordered, so the medical staff will make sure the kit is in the c-section room. ViaCord’s sterile collection bag is FDA approved and can be used in c-sections.

3. NO NEED TO POKE YOU TWICE

Let the medical staff know that a sample of mom’s blood is required as part of the collection process, so when they draw blood for other purposes they can collect the maternal blood sample for ViaCord at the same time.

4. EVERY CELL COUNTS

If you’ve opted for cord blood banking you want the staff to collect as much blood as possible. If you’ve opted for cord tissue banking, you want the largest segment of the cord collected as possible. This is the responsibility of the staff, but there is no shame in yelling, “Did you get it all?” or “Are you sure there isn’t anything left?” You want to get the most out of your newborn’s precious gift!

5. KEEP THE KIT VISIBLE
It’s easy to forget everything else when the focus is on bringing your new little one into the world! To help remind the medical staff, keep your ViaCord Collection Kit clearly visible during your delivery. Perhaps you can lay it on a nearby table and designate a person in the delivery room to be in charge of ensuring the medical staff gets the kit at the appropriate time.

6. DESIGNATE A CALLER IN ADVANCE

Know ahead of time who will call ViaCord after the collection has taken place to review contents and arrange the courier pick-up. We recommend this be someone other than Mom. Mom has enough to do that day!

ViaCord also has a helpful app that guides you through every step of the newborn stem cell collection process. With checklists, notifications and contacts all in an easy-to-use format, you’ll have everything you need right at your fingertips. You can get more info the app here , as well answers to other FAQs about cord blood and cord tissue collection.