In addition to work, most of the day (including right now) I've been researching cord blood collection & storage companies and, I must say, it is a little overwhelming. It is similar to cloth diapering in that you come across a lot of information and much of it conflicts. One company says another company's way of doing things is bad and vice-versa. In fact, both companies I've talked to so far have told me that the other company has straight out lied to me about one thing or another. The only thing they seem to agree on is that their processes are very different. How do you know what is true?! I suppose I'll keep researching and try to find some independent sources (if there are any) to back up the information I'm getting from these companies.
By the way, in case you didn't know, cord blood is blood taken from a newborn's umbilical cord. It can be stored and later used for that child, siblings, and maybe even other family members to treat certain diseases, cancers, and illnesses. It's an insurance policy, in a way, against those certain illnesses.
All that I'm sure of right now is that I'm exhausted! And now it's time to make dinner. I know, I know... get used to it!
My opinion.....for what it's worth.....
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't worry about collecting and storing cord blood unless your family history is riddled with plenty of illnesses that would be helped by having the cord blood. I don't know any of the statistics, but it seems to me that unless you really have a major chance of needing it, the cost of storing it will be higher than the small chance you might need it. Plenty of people get treated and/or cured for diseases without their cord blood.
Just my $.02.
Yeah, it's a lot of $ and we've thought about it a lot and done a lot of research and we think it is worth it. They are doing tons of research and learning more and more uses for the stem cells. It's the only time you can really get stem cells, but they can last decades and decades. This video explains some of the things they're finding out: http://www.thedoctorstv.com/videolib/init/4140
ReplyDeleteAlthough I don't think we'd do it for more than 1 child. Some of the research they're working on is multiplying those stem cells to make many more than you're storing.
ReplyDeleteBut, like many parenting issues, it's a matter of opinion/personal preference. Like I said, kinda like an extra insurance policy... take it or leave it! : )
ReplyDeleteHey, if it's what you want to do, then go for it! There's just a lot of hype out there about what one absolutely MUST do or MUST buy as a parent. Then the kid gets here and you realize you didn't really need whatever it was they were selling. I just don't want you to get caught up in all that and think that you HAVE to do this. And please don't take that as disrespect or think I'm trying to imply that you weren't smart enough to know that already! lol! It's just hard to know what you need as a parent until you ARE a parent. :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't take it that way! I completely agree; there are a lot of hard decisions to make. We definitely make such an expensive decision lightly.
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