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Rina Cruz published in Expecting, Labor & Delivery

What is Delayed Cord Clamping?

Sometimes, medical interventions are required during labor and delivery. Delayed cord clamping is one of the interventions alongside epidurals and emergency C-sections and simply means that the umbilical cord is rather clamped and cut one to three minutes after delivery as opposed to immediately.

There are indications that delayed cord clamping makes it possible for blood to continue to flow from the placenta to the newborn after delivery. Shreds of evidence from studies also suggest that this blood that flows to the placenta is very beneficial to newborn babies, especially to preterm babies.  Scientists have actually linked delayed cord clamping to increased iron and hemoglobin which are essential in reducing the risk of anemia in children. Of course, delayed cord clamping can also improve the circulation of blood in premature babies, thereby reducing the need for a blood transfusion. In addition, delayed cord clamping helps in reducing the risk of internal bleeding in the brain.

After delivery, the cord is normally clamped in two places: near the baby’s belly button as well as farther down the cord. Meanwhile, the cut is always made between these clamps by your partner, doctor, or midwife. Most medical experts however recommend that the baby be held near or at the level of the placenta before clamping as it increases blood flow. On the flip side it is believed that if the baby is raised above the placenta, gravity can instead pull back blood into the placenta, thereby depriving the baby of blood flow.

Even though the delayed length has not yet been standardized, clamping can be delayed if it happens more than 30 seconds after delivery.

Delayed cord clamping may be associated with jaundice, but its benefits still outweigh the risk since jaundice can easily be treated through phototherapy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has made it clear that delayed cord clamping does not add the risk of excessive maternal blood loss or postpartum hemorrhage.1

 

Reference:

  1. Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping After Birth. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG) website. https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2020/12/delayed-umbilical-cord-clamping-after-birth. Last accessed April 22, 2021.
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Rina Cruz published in Breastfeeding, Parenting

Is It Worth Getting a Lactation Consultant?

Most nursing mothers face challenges and difficulties in their breastfeeding journeys. While some of them try reading up or consulting with their health care providers about the best tips for breastfeeding, some prefer to hire the services of a lactation consultant to guide them throughout their breastfeeding journey.

A lactation consultant is a well-trained health care professional who is focused on breastfeeding and milk production. These experts are specially trained to help facilitate breastfeeding and make it an enjoyable journey for both mother and baby.

A lactation consultant will help you solve many of your breastfeeding problems including sore nipples, and low milk production. He or she will also help you in case your baby is not latching properly, has additional needs, or isn’t gaining weight at the pace he should be gaining. If you need extra support during breastfeeding or you are finding challenges in breastfeeding multiple babies like twins, you can be sure that a lactation expert will be there to guide and assist you on the way forward.

Unfortunately, hiring the services of a lactation expert doesn’t come cheap. So it’s advisable for you to sort out your finances before going for one.

Nowadays, everyone can easily learn about breastfeeding. You could easily find answers to some of your questions on several pregnancy and breastfeeding platforms that are available online. Besides, your midwife, doctor, or OB-GYN could also guide and educate you about most of the things you need to know about breastfeeding.

The bottom line is that you can actually go through your breastfeeding journey well without having to consult with a lactation consultant. However, if you face serious breastfeeding challenges that you think may be taking a toll on your life or the life of your baby, then you might want to consult with a lactation consultant. A lactation consultant is indeed the best person to handle serious lactation issues as they have been trained specially for that. Rest assured a lactation consultant will give you an in-depth treatment plan, guidance, or counseling depending on your specific breastfeeding problem.

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Rina Cruz published in Conceiving, General Conceiving

Why It Might Take Longer to Get Pregnant

Are you trying very hard to get pregnant, but don’t see any results? There could be several reasons why you’re still not successful in conceiving. In this article, we will be sharing a list of reasons as to why it might take longer for you to get pregnant.

 

Issues with ovulation

Some women may have trouble ovulating regularly every month. Ideally, ovulation should occur once in every 28 days, but some women face irregularities. Thus, you should consider speaking to your doctor to get fertility drugs that works like normal hormones to help regulate or stimulate ovulation. Just a word of caution though, favorable results may not take effect right away. Be prepared to wait for some time before your ovulation becomes regular again.

 

Age

There is a strong correlation between age and fertility and as your age increases, your chances of getting pregnant drop significantly. As you grow older, the number and quality of eggs that you have within your ovaries will also gradually decline. In other words, trying to conceive after 35 years old may be a challenge for most women.

 

Implantation

Even if there are healthy sperms waiting to ovulate the eggs in the womb, you still might find it difficult to get pregnant within the first few months. This is due to the inappropriate environment within the womb for the egg to be implanted securely.

 

Sperm quality

Another major factor that determines your ability to get pregnant is the sperm quality of your partner. There could be multiple reasons why the sperm from your partner gets damaged. These may include reasons such as untreated sexually transmitted infections, mumps, excessive heat from taking hot baths, injuries to testicles, smoking, consumption of alcohol, and even wearing tight fitting underwear. In addition, recreational drugs may also cause a drop in sperm quality. Your partner can get a test done to determine whether sperm quality is good enough to conceive or not during preconception stage.

 

What should you do if you don’t get pregnant after trying for a year?

It is important to first understand about your menstrual cycle, and try to maintain a healthy lifestyle while you and your partner try to conceive for about a year. If you still don’t get pregnant after a year, it is then best to seek the assistance of a doctor to understand what are the suitable treatment options available.

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Rina Cruz published in Conceiving, General Conceiving

Tips on How to Get Pregnant Fast

Do you want to know how to get pregnant fast? We understand it can quite frustrating to keep trying to conceive and wait endlessly for months without seeing any results. Fret not, here are some proven tips to help you get pregnant fast.

 

Do a preconception check-up

Before even you try to get pregnant, it is encouraged to do a preconception check-up with the assistance of a doctor. The check-up helps identify potential health conditions that may affect your pregnancy and the health of your baby. You may also speak to your doctor on prenatal vitamins such as folic acid which is essential in the healthy growth and development of your baby.

 

Understand your menstrual cycle

A good understanding of your menstrual cycle is important so that you are able to determine when is your most fertile period.  A healthy menstrual cycle happens once in every 28 days and on 14th day, an egg will be released from one of the ovaries. It is encouraged to have sex on the same day and even days after your period to encourage fertilization.

 

Stay in bed right after intercourse

It is recommended that you stay in bed for about 10 to 15 minutes right after intercourse. This allows the sperms to swim in the right direction and have enough time to swim up your cervix, which significantly increases the chances of egg fertilization.

 

Take a break from stress

Some couples may be stressed out about starting a new family due to factors that pregnancy brings. These may include factors such as financial constraints, taking absence from work, and even caring for baby after birth. In some cases, women suffer from mental health problems such as anxiety and depression which can delay your chances in getting pregnant fast. Thus, it is important that couples look after their mental wellbeing before and after they conceive to ensure the healthy growth and development of baby.

 

Start on prenatal vitamins

Prenatal vitamins contain essential nutrients such as folic acid which helps promote ovulation, supports the fertilization of the egg, and is very important in the development of the baby. Your doctors might also prescribe other prenatal vitamins or offer recommendations on other over-the-counter options that you could consider.

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Rina Cruz published in Parenting, Postnatal Care

Managing Hives After Delivery

Urtісаrіа, also known аѕ hives, is an оutbrеаk оf раlе rеd bumрѕ or wеltѕ оn thе skin that appear ѕuddеnlу. The ѕwеllіng thаt оftеn comes wіth hіvеѕ is called аngіоеdеmа. Allеrgіс reactions, chemicals іn сеrtаіn foods, іnѕесt ѕtіngѕ, ѕunlіght, and mеdісаtіоnѕ саn cause hіvеѕ. It’s оftеn іmроѕѕіblе tо find оut exactly why hives have fоrmеd.

Yоu might hаvе ѕееn thеm bеfоrе аѕ аn аllеrgіс rеасtіоn, but they can аlѕо арреаr аftеr you hаvе a bаbу. It’ѕ аll tо do wіth your іmmunе system, which (аlоng with уоur hоrmоnе levels) tаkеѕ a bіt оf a dіvе rіght аftеr уоu deliver your little one.

Yоu’rе mоrе lіkеlу tо gеt postpartum hives if уоu’vе had similar rаѕhеѕ bеfоrе. But іt’ѕ nоt unсоmmоn tо gеt hіvеѕ fоr thе fіrѕt time іn thе dауѕ after уоu gіvе bіrth.

 

Cаuѕеѕ оf Pоѕtраrtum Hives

Whіlе ѕtrеѕѕ аnd hоrmоnаl сhаngеѕ аrе knоwn tо be the most соmmоn causes оf роѕtраrtum hіvеѕ, there аrе vаrіоuѕ other causes thаt may trіggеr hives аftеr dеlіvеrу. Thеѕе іnсludе:

  • An undеrlуіng іllnеѕѕ оr disorder, such аѕ аn оvеrасtіvе оr undеrlуіng thуrоіd
  • Insect bіtеѕ
  • Sеаѕоnаl аllеrgіеѕ
  • Medications ѕuсh as реnісіllіn or аѕріrіn
  • Exроѕurе tо еxtrеmе weather соndіtіоnѕ, such as dіrесt ѕun еxроѕurе оr extremely соld conditions
  • Fооd sensitivities

There аrе nо ѕtudіеѕ at рrеѕеnt thаt can іndісаtе hоw соmmоn postpartum hives аrе, but it іѕ еxресtеd thаt this соndіtіоn affects nеаrlу 20 реrсеnt оf women аftеr they give bіrth.

As thе саuѕеѕ listed аbоvе indicate, thе сhаnсеѕ оf a wоmаn dеvеlоріng hіvеѕ after gіvіng bіrth аrе just thе same аѕ thеу wоuld bе at аnу оthеr tіmе. Aftеr all, іf a реrѕоn hаѕ particular fооd ѕеnѕіtіvіtіеѕ оr allergies, thеn thіѕ trigger wіll аlwауѕ cause аn аllеrgіс rеасtіоn, rеgаrdlеѕѕ of whеthеr thеу hаvе given birth оr nоt.

 

Symptoms of Post-pregnancy Hіvеѕ

 There аrе ѕеvеrаl ѕіgnѕ оf postpartum hіvеѕ thаt you саn bе оn the lооkоut for:

  • Bumps оn уоur ѕkіn whісh аrе uѕuаllу rеd, pinkish оr skin-coloured.
  • A rash оvеr the ѕkіn of bоdу раrtѕ ѕuсh аѕ уоur face, аrmѕ, legs еtс іѕ оnе оf thе mоѕt соmmоn ѕуmрtоmѕ оf роѕt-рrеgnаnсу hives.
  • Cеrtаіn раtсhеѕ of уоur ѕkіn gаіn a rоugh tеxturе ѕіmіlаr to thе соndіtіоn of есzеmа.
  • A ѕеrіеѕ оf bumрѕ оn your ѕkіn that turn white whеn you рrеѕѕ of thеm.
  • Thе арреаrаnсе оf raised welts.
  • Prеѕеnсе оf flаt bumps оn the ѕkіn thаt may run tоgеthеr.
  • Pаtсhеѕ of ѕсаlу skin thаt also itch.

 

Trеаtmеntѕ

Medical сrеаmѕ such as ѕtеrоіd сrеаmѕ, anti-itch lоtіоnѕ are used tо еаѕе the rеасtіоn. Hоwеvеr, іt is necessary tо аѕk уоur dосtоr аbоut thе safety оf these сrеаmѕ whіlе breastfeeding, tо еnѕurе proper саrе fоr bоth уоu and уоur сhіld.

Medications ѕuсh аѕ аntіhіѕtаmіnеѕ, whісh are drugs uѕеd tо treat аllеrgіеѕ. Stеrоіd medication саn be uѕеd as wеll. Be ѕurе to соnfіrm with уоur doctor аbоut thе ѕаfеtу оf thе same. Uѕіng mеdісаtіоnѕ dіrесtеd tоwаrdѕ аn іmbаlаnсе оf thе lіvеr іf thе rеасtіоn іѕ severe.

 

Nаturаl Remedies

If уоu are hesitant about uѕіng external сhеmісаlѕ, there аrе always natural rеmеdіеѕ available.

  • Using nаturаl сrеаmѕ like аlое-gеl and ѕhеа buttеr to ѕооthе іtсhу
  • Uѕіng wеt, soaked wrарѕ tо еаѕе the еffесtѕ.
  • Gеttіng someone tо hеlр you with thе baby, so уоu саn mаnаgе уоur stress аnd get enough ѕlеер.
  • Tаkіng a rеlаxіng bath wіth either сооl tо lukеwаrm wаtеr аѕ реr your рrеfеrеnсе.
  • Wearing соmfоrtаblе and lооѕе сlоthіng.
  • Keep trасk оf уоur аllеrgіеѕ and trу tо аvоіd аnу possible аllеrgеnѕ which саn dіѕturb your bоdу mechanisms.

Hives are a ѕуmрtоm оf ѕоmеthіng еlѕе gоіng on іn уоur body, like аllеrgіеѕ. Postpartum hives саn hарреn fоr ѕеvеrаl rеаѕоnѕ, even іf уоu’vе never hаd аllеrgіеѕ or оthеr ѕkіn rаѕhеѕ bеfоrе. They’re tурісаllу harmless tо уоu аnd уоur baby.

However, уоu mіght nееd trеаtmеnt іf уоu hаvе ѕеrіоuѕ роѕtраrtum hіvеѕ оr if thе саuѕе оf thе hіvеѕ іѕ a сhrоnіс condition. Dоn’t take оr аррlу аnу kind оf medication for hives without checking wіth уоur dосtоr. Thіѕ іѕ еѕресіаllу іmроrtаnt іf you’re brеаѕtfееdіng your baby.

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Rina Cruz published in Breastfeeding, Parenting

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

If уоu juѕt rесеntlу hаd a baby, your mіnd is probably overflowing with a myriad оf questions аbоut your nеw mоm lіfе, frоm hоw to know whеthеr your bаbу іѕ gеttіng еnоugh milk tо whеn (оr іf) you’ll ever ѕсоrе a full nіght’ѕ sleep again.

Onе that tеndѕ tо top thе lіѕt fоr mоѕt brеаѕtfееdіng mоthеrѕ іѕ whеthеr оr nоt уоu can get pregnant while breastfeeding. Yоu mау hаvе heard from a frіеnd thаt nurѕіng can ѕеrvе аѕ a fоrm оf birth control — аnd while that’s not еntіrеlу untruе, it’s nоt the whоlе ѕtоrу еіthеr.

 

So Can You Get Pregnant While Breastfeeding?

The ѕіmрlе аnѕwеr is уеѕ. Although breastfeeding оffеrѕ ѕоmе protection frоm оvulаtіоn, thе mоnthlу оссurrеnсе whеrе you rеlеаѕе a mаturе еgg frоm оnе оf уоur оvаrіеѕ, іt is possible to оvulаtе аnd bесоmе pregnant рrіоr tо getting уоur first period.

Thе kеу player here іѕ thе hormone оxуtосіn, whісh іѕ rеѕроnѕіblе fоr milk рrоduсtіоn. It асtuаllу suppresses thе brаіn frоm mаkіng thе mаіn hоrmоnе thаt stimulates the оvаrу tо grow an еgg each mоnth that wіll eventually оvulаtе with the goal оf meeting a ѕреrm. Whеn a mоthеr іѕ brеаѕtfееdіng exclusively, оr еvеn оn a соnѕіѕtеnt basis, it is lеѕѕ lіkеlу that she is going tо ovulate аt аll until ѕhе starts to wеаn. Thаt doesn’t mean thаt уоu wоn’t оvulаtе or соnсеіvе. Thе “рrоtесtіvе” effect оf brеаѕtfееdіng becomes рrоgrеѕѕіvеlу lеѕѕ еffесtіvе the longer іt’ѕ been ѕіnсе you dеlіvеrеd your bаbу.

 

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Wаnt tо get рrеgnаnt but dоn’t want tо stop brеаѕtfееdіng? The gооd nеwѕ іѕ thаt even thоugh you’re brеаѕtfееdіng, your chances of gеttіng pregnant іnсrеаѕе as уоu move further аwау frоm thе day уоur baby made thеіr арреаrаnсе.

If уоu want tо further increase уоur chances оf оvulаtіоn, try mаkіng аbruрt сhаngеѕ. Some people fіnd thаt ѕuddеnlу сuttіng оut оnе nursing session instead оf ѕtrеtсhіng out thе tіmе between fееdіngѕ іnсrеаѕеѕ thеіr сhаnсеѕ of оvulаtіng. Bеаr in mіnd thаt уоur baby mіght not аррrесіаtе thе аbruрt сhаngеѕ to their fееdіng ѕсhеdulе.

Thеrе’ѕ nо need tо wеаn your bаbу: You can brеаѕtfееd аnd prepare fоr уоur nеxt рrеgnаnсу аt thе ѕаmе tіmе. Many brеаѕtfееdіng mоthеrѕ fіnd that оnсе thеу gо bасk to wоrk оr the baby full-nіght’ѕ sleep bесоmеѕ a rеаlіtу, оvulаtіоn starts uр and thеу bеgіn tо menstruate аgаіn. Hаѕn’t hарреnеd yet? Hang іn there — most реорlе find thаt thеіr реrіоdѕ rеturn bеtwееn 6 аnd 18 mоnthѕ аftеr thеіr bаbу’ѕ bіrth, еvеn if thеу’rе brеаѕtfееdіng.

 

When Should I See a Doctor?
If you are оldеr аnd mоrе аnxіоuѕ tо gеt pregnant again right аwау, уоu mау wаnt tо tаlk tо your dосtоr. Yоu ѕhоuld also consult your doctor іf уоu’vе hаd trouble getting pregnant wіth the сhіld уоu’rе nоw brеаѕtfееdіng, оr іf уоu thіnk you will nееd tо uѕе fеrtіlіtу trеаtmеntѕ to get рrеgnаnt аgаіn.

If you know уоu dоn’t wаnt tо gеt рrеgnаnt whіlе brеаѕtfееdіng, іt’ѕ best to start uѕіng соntrасерtіоn as ѕооn аѕ уоu ѕtаrt hаvіng sex again. You just have to fіnd оut whісh types оf соntrасерtіоn аrе ѕаfе tо uѕе while уоu’rе brеаѕtfееdіng.

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Rina Cruz published in Cord Blood Banking, Expecting

Boy with Sickle Cell Anemia Saved by Sibling’s Cord Blood

This is a real story from South Africa.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvcvKWLSh5Y

8-year-old Kamsiyochukwu was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia when he was merely one. Sickle cell anaemia is a life-threatening blood disorder in which the body has insufficient healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen. Besides experiencing symptoms such as periodic attacks of pain and frequent infections, patients may have complications, including stroke and organ damage. “Sickle cell disease is not a disease of one person. It is a disease that affects the whole family because you cannot be at peace when your child is sick or having pain,” said Blessing Ezenwa, mother of Kamsiyochukwu.

After receiving countless blood transfusions for numerous years, his doctor recommended a stem cell transplant as a potential cure for the condition. As his mother decided to bank her younger child’s cord blood at birth, Kamsiyochukwu could undergo a transplant with the stored cord blood in January 2020. “The product was delivered to us as planned at Apollo Hospital. Everything has been good since the transplant,” added Blessing.

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Rina Cruz published in Breastfeeding, Parenting

Are Electric Breast Pumps Worth It?

Most pregnant women worry about feeding and nourishing their babies to grow up healthily. Nursing mothers who are bent on breastfeeding exclusively, but have reasons to stay away from their homes and babies always see the need to buy breast pumps. The truth is that there are many advantages to having a breast pump.

With a breast pump, your partner or relatives can help with feeding your baby. In addition, having a breast pump makes it possible for you to leave breastmilk for your baby before going out. You can also conveniently feed multiple babies like twins or triplets if you have a breast pump. And above all, for some women, a breast pump helps them to get started with breastfeeding.

There are two major types of breast pumps: manual and electric pumps. Most nursing mothers prefer the electric breast pumps because they are easier to use when compared to other manual methods of pumping out milk. Also, electric breast pumps can pump out faster and comes with multiple settings. This means that once you buy your pump, it’s up to you to set it in the most suitable setting that matches your needs.  In addition, electric breast pumps are available in various models including the single and double pumps that make it possible for you to extract milk from one and both breasts respectively.

Despite the numerous advantages of electric breast pumps, the device also has its own cons. Electric breast pumps are typically more expensive than manual breast pumps. It can also be noisy, a thing that might be irritating to other members of your household, including your newborn. Moreover, it can be quite challenging to sterilize an electric breast pump since they always come with many parts. Operating an electric breast pump may also require you to stay close to an outlet to connect to electricity. Above all, electric breast pumps can be relatively bulkier than manual breast pumps making it quite a hassle to carry it around with you.

Electronic breast pumps are way more convenient and easier to use when compared to manual breast pumps. Even though electric breast pumps have their disadvantages, they are generally more efficient than manual breast pumps. They might be relatively more expensive but could be well worth it for people who can afford them.

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Rina Cruz published in Breastfeeding, Parenting

Why I Can’t Feel My Let-down When Nursing

Let-down is a natural reaction that occurs during breastfeeding. You typically experience this feeling when your baby latches onto your breast and start sucking. The let-down reflex is associated with hormones such as prolactin and oxytocin which are responsible for making more and releasing breast milk respectively.

The major signs and symptoms of let-down include tingling or warm sensation in your breasts when your baby is latching. Your breasts may also leak and you may notice milk dripping out of your baby’s mouth. In the early weeks following childbirth, let-down can be felt as menstrual-like cramps in the uterus. Above all, your baby’s weight gain is also an indication of having a good breast milk production.

While most women experience let-down, others may not feel their milk letting down. Some women may also experience it earlier after childbirth, but lesser as time goes by. Well, if you do not experience let-downs at all, it doesn’t necessarily mean something serious is wrong with you. There is truly nothing to worry about as long as your child is getting enough breast milk and growing well.

That said, not feeling let down may be an indication that your breast milk is low. If this is the case, you may consider consulting with a lactation expert to help you in boosting breast milk production. A combination of lifestyle or stress factors can also cause slow or delayed let-down. For example, smoking, alcohol and caffeine can result in low breast milk. Cold temperatures, stress and fatigue may also result in slow or difficult let-down.

Unfortunately, your baby is the one to bear the brunt of a slow or difficult led-down as it can really be frustrating to a hungry baby. Here are some tips to stimulate milk let-down:

 

  • Taking a warm bath before breastfeeding or pumping milk;
  • Placing a warm cloth on your breast with massage before breastfeeding or pumping;
  • Staying relaxed and stress-free throughout your nursing phase;
  • Gently massaging your breast before breastfeeding or pumping;
  • Having skin-to-skin contact with your baby prior nursing;
  • Drinking enough fluids, notably water and natural juices to keep you hydrated;
  • Limiting your intake of coffee and soda;
  • Avoid drinking alcohol;
  • Looking or thinking about your baby while you are pumping milk
  •  Avoid smoking.

Generally, feeling let-down will give you an indicator that your body is producing breastmilk. However, although you are feeling let down and feeding your baby well, you should consult lactation expert if you noticed your baby is not gaining weight well.

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Rina Cruz published in Cord Blood Banking, Expecting

Real Story: How a Couple Persevered To Help Their Child with Cerebral Palsy

This is a real story from Indonesia.

“We refused to give up,” said Mr. Hasan and Mrs. Dwi Aprilia as they recalled the time when they found out that their daughter Harumi has cerebral palsy. This proclamation was the source of strength that kept this couple fighting on to nurse their baby back to health.

Nothing unusual happened during Harumi’s birth. Everything seemed fine. Yet, at only a few days old, the little baby experienced her first seizure. The first month of Harumi’s life was the hardest because her parents could not figure out what was happening to their daughter. She was only finally diagnosed with cerebral palsy after the family consulted several doctors. Harumi’s parents had few options then. Someone told them to accept the reality but they insisted on not giving up and continued to tirelessly search for possible solutions to help their daughter.

When Harumi was born, her parents donated her umbilical cord to a laboratory owned by a friend. Under the advice of this friend, Harumi underwent her first stem cell therapy with stem cells obtained from her own umbilical cord. She was almost three months old at the time. After the therapy, Harumi’s condition improved and she had lesser seizure episodes, which stopped eventually.

As Harumi’s umbilical cord was not stored under optimal conditions, she only had enough stem cells for one infusion. While Mr. Hasan and Mrs. Dwi continued to search for other viable options, they put Harumi on regular physiotherapy to help develop her sensory and motor functions.

Five months later, a blessing came knocking on the family’s door when Mrs. Dwi became pregnant with their second child. Encouraged by the positive result from using Harumi’s umbilical cord stem cells, the couple decided to store their second child’s umbilical cord blood and umbilical cord lining as well. This time around, they selected a more well-established stem cell bank, Cordlife, to safeguard their baby son’s precious biological resources.

A few months after Harumi turned two, she went through another stem cell therapy using her baby brother’s umbilical cord stem cells, collected and cryopreserved by Cordlife. This time, her parents noticed that Harumi’s eyes can properly align with each other and she can visually follow light movements with ease.

The couple’s undying perseverance in seeking help for their beloved daughter proved to be fruitful. Although Harumi still requires more interventions, the progress in her health and development gave hope to her parents.

For Mr. Hasan and Mrs. Dwi, Harumi’s unexpected predicament is a constant reminder not take things for granted and to do whatever they can within their means to safeguard their children’s health. They also encourage parents of children with cerebral palsy not to give up. “No matter how big or small the chance is, every effort has its own fruit. And maybe, among the efforts, a miracle is waiting to be found,” said the couple.

Umbilical cord blood contains hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that have been used in the treatment of 80+ disorders including some cancers, blood disorders and developmental disorders. Umbilical cord lining contains two other cell lines; mesenchymal stem cells and epithelial cells, which have the potential to support treatment for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, stroke, severe burn wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, eye conditions, etc. In this modern era, cord blood and cord lining banking have become an integral part of childbirth and health protection.

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Rina Cruz published in Expecting, General Expecting

6 Ways To Prevent Premature Birth

Every pregnant woman desires to carry her baby to full term. However certain unplanned events or complications could make the baby arrive earlier than 37 weeks. Although there are certain established causes of premature birth, its exact cause for about 50% of pregnancies has remained unknown. Sometimes, premature birth can cause problems to the baby, mother or even both of them. It is therefore of the utmost importance for pregnant women to do their best to carry their babies to full term. There are certain risk factors of preterm labor but these 6 tips can help pregnant women carry their baby to full term;

 

1) Consult with your doctor as early as possible

One of the tips of carrying a pregnancy till the full term is to see your doctor as soon as you find out you are pregnant. When you see your doctor early, he will conduct elaborate tests on you to ensure that you are totally healthy to carry your baby. If you are found with certain conditions or infections, you will be treated so that both you and your baby can stay healthy. It is also imperative to honor all your prenatal appointments so that you and the baby are keenly monitored for all existing and potential problems.

2) Prevent infections

Throughout the 40 weeks of pregnancy, you have to do your best to avoid any infections, especially sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other contagious diseases that may be transmitted to your baby. To this effect, it is advisable to practice certain precautions like using condoms during sex, washing your hands as often as possible, as well as avoiding raw meat/fish.

3) Be physically active

Another tip to carry your baby until the full term is to be physically active during your pregnancy. This assertion can be explained by the fact that when you are physically active, you are simultaneously boosting your overall wellbeing, thereby reducing the risk of certain conditions like high blood pressure, preeclampsia and diabetes, which are all associated with premature birth. A pro tip to staying active is to indulge in exercises like walking, swimming, group dance and indoor cycling, etc.

4) Avoid stress

Stress and pregnancy are not compatible at all. According to shreds of evidence from research, women who are stressed or depressed are at a higher risk of having a miscarriage or premature birth. However, staying stress-free will boost your overall wellbeing and make it possible for you to carry your baby until full term. So instead of worrying, spend your time doing the things you love. Besides, you should consult with a therapist whenever you are feeling stressed during pregnancy.

5) Quit smoking, alcohol and illicit drugs

Alcohol, cigarettes and illicit drugs are harmful to the body as they are associated with several life-threatening medical conditions. These substances are forbidden during pregnancy as they can affect the child’s brain and also cause premature birth. You should therefore avoid these substances as soon as you find out you are pregnant.

6) Avoid self-medicating during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a complicated and delicate state, so it’s advisable to not take drugs that have not been prescribed by your doctor. Even the slightest pain killers are not recommended during pregnancy as they could harm you and your baby. Thus, before taking any drug during pregnancy, you must first consult with your doctor. If you are on medications for a long-term condition, you must also inform your doctor, who is expected to make the best decision for your safety and that of your unborn child.

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Rina Cruz published in Breastfeeding, Parenting

Tandem Nursing

Just found out that you are pregnant again while nursing a toddler? Well, you have a decision to make about nursing, one that many mothers have had to make in similar situation.

There are two options. You can choose to wean your toddler while pregnant, so you can focus on nursing your new baby. On the flip side, you can choose to nurse them both, also known as tandem nursing.

What is Tandem Nursing? 

Tandem nursing is best defined as nursing two children of different ages. It is quite different from nursing twin babies. In tandem nursing, the mother nurses a baby and a toddler at the same time.

There are a few concerns about tandem nursing, but the first thing you should know is that it is safe. Generally, many mothers manage to do tandem nursing as long as they have a healthy pregnancy such as no cramps or spotting. If you are unsure, continuously seek advice from your doctor during prenatal checkup.

However, there are certain red flags that may lead to weaning your toddler:

  • High-risk pregnancy or risk for miscarriage
  • Multiple pregnancy
  • Uterine pain or bleeding

The biggest concern mothers have about tandem nursing is the milk supply. You do not have to worry about this if you want to nurse. Your breast produces enough milk to meet demand. This means that as long as you do tandem nursing, your breast will provide enough breast milk for both of your children.

You may also consider feeding your newborn first before his/her sibling.  Now that you know that tandem nursing is safe, the next question is, how do you do it?

There are no right or wrong ways to tandem nursing. Each mother finds their groove and does what feels best for her and her children.

However, there are a few suggestions that you can try out. Nurse your children simultaneously, or one after each other. Positioning and timing depend on you and your children. As long as everyone is happy, fed, and satisfied, you are doing great.

Why Tandem Nurse? 

There are a lot of advantages. Here are a few;

  • It increases your milk supply fast. Your body will produce enough breast milk for two, so you might not deal with underproduction.
  • Nursing your toddler simultaneously with your newborn can reduce your chances of experiencing an engorged breast.
  • It is a great bonding experience for everyone, especially for your toddler and your baby. Toddlers can feel threatened with the presence of a newborn. Tandem nursing helps reassure the toddler of your attention and care while also introducing him/her to the new baby.
  • The only disadvantage here is that it is exhausting. Nursing two children at the same time is not a walk in the park, but you can overcome this by eating healthy, staying hydrated, and resting.

In conclusion, tandem nursing is a great way to feed your newborn and your toddler while also bonding with them. It is safe and healthy all-round, but if it takes a toll on you, you can try weaning your toddler early in the process. A ‘no offer, no refuse’ strategy can be very effective for this.

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