The umbilical cord is the source of oxygen and nourishment to your baby while they are in the womb. As long as the umbilical cord is working properly, then your baby should be able to get enough nourishment to continue to grow until the end of the third trimester when you go into labor.

The umbilical cord is attached to the placenta which is attached to the uterine wall and working fully to sustain your baby by the beginning of the second trimester. The umbilical cord is attached to your baby through a hole in your baby’s stomach which later becomes your baby’s belly button. At birth the umbilical cord will be clamped and cut off near your baby’s stomach in a painless procedure, where the stump of the umbilical cord will eventually dry up and fall off, sometime within 10-21 days.

Once your baby has been born and the umbilical cord has been cut, you must be sure to keep the stump of the cord still attached to your baby clean and dry at all times. Some newborn diapers are made with a cut out in them for the belly button so that the diapers don’t touch the umbilical cord. If your diapers do not have this cut out, be sure to fold down the top of the diaper some, so that the umbilical cord can remain free of the moisture of your baby’s diaper. Until the stub falls off you should not emerge your baby in water, instead giving him just sponge baths as needed.

As for cleaning of the umbilical cord, the pediatricians are now split on the best way to do this. For a long time it was told to new parents to clean the area with rubbing alcohol, and believed that the alcohol helps the cord dry up. Now some believe that if you leave it alone, it will dry faster because the rubbing alcohol kills ALL of the bacteria, including the bacteria that helps the umbilical cord heal and fall off. If you are unsure what you should do, call the baby’s doctor.

Normally infection around the umbilical cord stump is not an issue, however sometimes it can happen. There are several signs that your baby might have an infection. If you see any of them be sure to call the doctor and have your child seen. Signs of umbilical cord infection include the area around the navel becoming red, swollen or pussy especially at the base of the stump. You child might also develop a fever that has no other known cause.

The placenta is created during the first trimester but is not fully functional until the second trimester when it takes over all the nutrient production and waste management for the baby. The placenta is both genetically and biologically composed of two equal parts from the fetus and the mother. It is connected to the uterine wall and connected to the baby through the umbilical cord. It receives nutrients and oxygen and filters out any waste from the mother’s blood before delivering the blood to the baby via the umbilical cord.

Until the placenta takes over, a woman naturally produces progesterone to keep the baby viable. As soon as the placenta takes over it starts creating its own progesterone to sustain the pregnancy. After delivery of the placenta the cord is clamped near the baby and cut off permanently disconnecting the baby from the placenta. The entrance of the umbilical cord into the baby’s body later becomes the baby’s belly button.

Some cultures practice placentophagy which is the eating of the placenta. Those who do this believe that eating the placenta helps prevent postpartum depression and other complications. However, modern doctors and midwives do not believe that eating the placenta will actually help reduce the occurrence of postpartum depression.

In some pregnancies, placenta previa can occur. Placenta previa is a condition where the placenta covers at least part of the cervix, which is the opening that the baby will come through when born vaginally. This happens in about one of every 200 pregnancies. There are 3 types of placenta previa.

• Complete
  Complete placenta previa is the placenta covering the entire cervix. This can cause bleeding throughout the pregnancy, growth retardation and congenital defects in baby. It will also mean that a woman will need a c-section when it comes time to deliver her baby.
   
• Partial
  Partial placenta previa is a partial covering of cervix is covered. This can be anywhere from 1/4 to 3/4 of the cervix. This can also cause bleeding and may lead to a c-section.
   
• Marginal
  Marginal placenta previa occurs when just a small portion, or just the edge of the cervix, is covered. In this case, as the pregnancy progresses, the placenta will generally move up and out of the way, allowing a clear passage for the baby to be born vaginally.

If you experience bleeding during your pregnancy, you should talk to your doctor and rule out the possibility of any bleeding being caused by placenta previa.

Stem cells are special and have two important traits that separate them from other cells in the human body. The first characteristic is they are an unspecialized cell — for example a skin cell can only be a skin cell but a stem cell can be developed into any other cell in the body. The second trait, they continuously rejuvenate themselves through cell division. Since they are unspecialized primitive cells, under the right condition they can become any type of cell which is a huge step in overcoming many drawbacks of transplants.

There are two different types of stem cells — adult and embryonic. Adult stem cells are found mostly in bone marrow and they are capable of making the three different types of blood cells found in our bodies. They develop into mature red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. Stem cells can also be found in the blood, muscles, and brain tissue where they function to make replacements for cells lost from disease, injury, or just normal wear and tear that comes with aging.

Embryonic stem cells are a more primitive version of cells because they are the building blocks that form a fetus (developing baby). In a three to five day embryo, stem cells developing in the tissues begin to create the specialized cells needed to produce and function the brain, lungs, heart, as well as form the skin and other tissues. Embryonic stem cells are vastly more versatile than adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells can stay in stasis for a year or more and not specialize into a particular cell whereas adult stem cells do not have that capability at this time during research.

The stem cells taken from the umbilical cord blood are not the same as embryonic stem cells. But cord-blood cells are much less mature than those found in bone marrow, peripheral (circulating) blood, and muscles so they carry a lower incidence rate of graft versus host disease (GVHD). This is a very big advantage when dealing with transplants because it does not require a “perfect match” between the donor and the patient.

No parent wants to think their child might get sick someday but it is wise to consider the possibility. There is a decision available when your baby is born that could greatly influence his future health. It’s the decision to bank your infant’s cord blood. So much media attention has been brought to cord blood banking and it has become an issue for many parents.

What if your child needs transfusions? Bone marrow donations? Is there anyone in the family who can closely match your child in blood type? These are all questions that come to mind when a child falls ill, seriously ill. Each one can possibly be answered by researching cord blood banking. Research and education is key to understanding how this medical advance works.

Taking the time to educate yourself on this topic, whether you are a parent, expecting to be a parent, or in the stages of trying to conceive has become a new necessity. Unfortunately, many hospitals do not participate in cord blood donation due to funding constraints. Where cord blood donation is available, not all moms or cord blood units meet criteria for collection and storage in a public bank. However, private cord blood banking is available at any hospital to any person. Private banks provide expectant parents with a cord blood collection kit that contains everything their healthcare provider will need for the collection. Expectant parents should inform their healthcare provider that they are enrolled in private banking and should bring the kit with them to the delivery. Ask your Ob/Gyn if they participate in public cord banking through the hospital you will be giving birth at. If you plan on giving birth at home or in a center, there are still options available for you.

Your OB/Gyn may have materials available to you discussing cord blood banking. Often, the main materials offered are brochures which do not cover all of the information that is available to those who are researching this option. Most brochures only give basic information on cord blood banking, a company name, and phone number. While some of the information provided in these brochures is accurate, it is imperative to do your own research and when making a decision to use a certain company, make sure the company provides the most information with the most up to date science.