I know its a personal decision.. Need some direction Regarding CBR

I feel torn in 100 different ways regarding this topic. I try to separate the aspect that it is $$$$ because i know there is no amount of money to big for my baby but unfortunately at this given moment it plays a big role. I feel guilty if i pass on it and god forbid i could have used it. I mean this is like a lifetime commitment that you are paying here it isnt like you can change your mind after a few months if you dont think you need it. Any suggestions. What is everyone else doing. I thought about the public banking and donating it but still not 100% chance of getting back yours. I spoke with my OB and she is on fence as well she didnt do it with any of her children and really didnt know what to say to me about it. So im open to any deciding factors you guys might have to share.

Re: I know its a personal decision.. Need some direction Regarding CBR

i believe we are going to do the donation.

from what my sister in law tells me (she did a lot of research and is due in january) - the chances of getting your own back are likely VERY good - as there are few people in the world who would match your blood/dna precisely...

also - there is no real 'research' on how long the 'blood' will last...and what they can do with it.

another thing - it's likely baby a's cord blood cannot be used to help baby a. If there is a problem big enough - it was likely there in the cord blood... BUT - baby b can likely use it...and baby a would likely be able to use baby b's...

she and i are not doctors - this is just what she learned and when she & i discussed it - i felt she did a lot of research....

Re: I know its a personal decision.. Need some direction Regarding CBR

I wanted to do it so badly, but when i delivered, the dr said there wasn't enough blood in the cord for the donation.

So all the plans I had went out the window. I just tell myself that I tried my best and that if anything happens, there was nothing I could do to change the situation. I have to be thankful I hvae my baby girl here, alive and well, and that who really knows if the donation would ever be needed or would ever even be helpful if we did do it. No one knows what the future holds re cord blood.

But anyway...I would totally do it if I were you and could afford it, to have no regrets.

Re: I know its a personal decision.. Need some direction Regarding CBR

Is there a fee if you want to donate? Sorry to crash, just curious.

Re: I know its a personal decision.. Need some direction Regarding CBR

Hey lady. We are going with CBR. If it helps, they have payment plans. I think the cheapest is around $40.00 a month and you don't have to start paying anything until after the blood is banked.

With CBR as well you can ultimately get each year of storage for free through referrals to your friends and family if they go with it.

You should definitely at least give them a call to see what your options are.

Re: I know its a personal decision.. Need some direction Regarding CBR

My baby will be getting all of her blood and stem cells. My midwives will not be cutting the umbilical cord until it stops pulsing. All that blood in the umbilical cord is meant for baby and is part of their "supply" so that is what we will be doing.

Re: I know its a personal decision.. Need some direction Regarding CBR

I also had a very difficult time deciding this. We've decided to donate it. I have one friend that did the banking and presented her view and then I have another close friend that is a delivery nurse that didn't do it for her two kids and gave reasons why...similar to those mentioned above. I decided based on what my second friend said. It is sooo confusing.

Message edited 12/17/2008 5:32:13 PM.

Re: I know its a personal decision.. Need some direction Regarding CBR

we've decided to do it, I just haven't contacted them yet

my reasoning was that I believe in life insurance and to me this is similar.

also I have many friends that have done it so that helped my decision.

If $$ is an issue then do the public donation, at least it will cut out your regret factor

Re: I know its a personal decision.. Need some direction Regarding CBR

I have to say that if we had the money I would just do it but we really don't. It's a terribel factor but we really can't do it. It's a couple of thousand up front and then storage fees. Beside that what's the harm really. If money is no issue then I say go for it.

Re: I know its a personal decision.. Need some direction Regarding CBR

My DH and I have been having this conversation for the past few days and we decided that we are going to do it with CBR. My OB recommends it and has done it with her own children and I don't want to have any regrets about it later on if I don't. What made us choose CBR over another facility besides all the reviews/opinions girls have posted on this site was that they offer you a discount of $750 off if you are a medical professional. Money was a factor when we were trying to decide but once I found out that because I work in the medical field I am eligible for the discount it helped me make the decision. My DH's opinion is that we have had no problem spending more then this costs for a carribbean vacation each year, so how could we ever put a price on possibly saving our child's life. Here is a website I used that compares different companies:
Cord Blood Banks

Re: I know its a personal decision.. Need some direction Regarding CBR

we banked my second, not the first. but the first was born with a condition that makes it very likely he will be diabetic as he gets older. (type I insulin dependent)

so we banked DD's cord blood to donate stem cells to my older DS. they are doing major work on stem cells to be used to replace non working islet cells (the ones that produce insulin) and if or when he needs it, hopefully the process will be ready for him, and the cord blood we banked will be a match.

with no history of conditions that would be in need of stem cells, i don't know if i would have banked my second's or not. but in this case, we had a very good reason to bank it for my older one.

p.s. if anyone is seriously considering CBR let me know, i can get you referral codes which give discounts to both of us.

Re: I know its a personal decision.. Need some direction Regarding CBR

DH and I havent really discussed it but I think were leaning toward no.... we seem to be of the thought that for so many years babies have been born without having cord blood banked.

IMO its a money making business that prey upon the fears of new parents that something is going to happen and that you are a bad parent if you dont do this...again IMO