What To Do With Your Baby’s Umbilical Cord

Following the birth of your child, you may want some memento to remember the occasion. Though the idea isn’t for everyone, some mothers choose to save the umbilical cord for this reason. You may also be surprised to know that the umbilical cord can serve in medical uses as well. Different ways of using it may appeal to different people, though. If this topic interests you, you can find out what to do with your baby’s umbilical cord here.

Save It as a Keepsake

The most obvious way to save the umbilical cord is to place it in a box or scrapbook. Once the umbilical cord stump falls off of your baby’s belly button, it should be in a dried condition. This makes it perfect for saving easily by placing it in a Ziploc bag or taping it to a page. You can place it amongst other keepsakes, such as a lock of their hair and photographs, and store them all away together. Later on, when you rediscover these items, you’ll be able to reminisce on the joyful times surrounding your child’s infancy.

Encase It in Jewelry

Encasing the umbilical cord in jewelry is another viable option. You can contact special companies that will take your baby’s umbilical cord and permanently preserve it in a clear pendant. The final result is something akin to amber jewelry, except that it isn’t limited to the yellow-orange tinge of that substance. You can wear this pendant as a necklace or simply keep it as a more refined alternative to putting it in a scrapbook or box directly. There are also jewelry designs where the crafters encase the umbilical cord in metal or break it up into small pieces to use in beads.

Bank the Cord Blood

While you’re going over what to do with your baby’s umbilical cord, you may also want to contemplate a course of action that is practical. Banking the blood from the umbilical cord is a prudent move because it contains stem cells, which can play central roles in treatments for blood diseases. Since stem cells must match their recipient genetically, at least in part, your child and family members can miss out on treatments if you don’t have cord blood in a bank.

The process is straightforward on your part, as your doctor can collect the blood from the umbilical cord shortly after delivery and send it to your chosen cord blood bank. The bank will then preserve the stem cells so that you have them available for the future.