Baby 3.0: 18 Weeks + Placenta Banking

We've made it to the 18 week mark already. I'm still not feeling that-was-without-a-doubt-a-kick movements yet and yes, that makes me a bit nervous. I've heard two schools of thought: one, since you've had multiple pregnancies that you should feel kicks sooner since you know how to recognize them or two, you might end up feeling/recognizing kicks later in the pregnancy seeing as you're busier with two kids unlike your previous pregnancies. I'm going with the second! Plus, I looked to see how I was around this time in my second pregnancy and read I hadn't felt any kicks yet and I was worried back then, too. Even still, I'll probably end up calling my doctor's office for some reassurance on Monday.

As far as cravings/aversions go, coffee has really disgusted me lately. Normally I look forward to coffee every morning so this is a bit sad for me. Any craving I've had so far hasn't been very healthy - Taco Bell soft tacos, hot Cheetos, a big juicy burger... oh and there was also raspberries! I'm also craving a solo vacation full of sleep, reading books, and laying in the sun. Still working on that...

We've got under two weeks until we find out this baby's gender and I can hardly wait! We've finally been working on some names and I'm coming up with some real contenders thanks to some wonderful Facebook friends! For the first time ever our boy name list is looking better than the girl options. I know I will be overjoyed either way!!!

Not exactly my best angle, but it'll do.

I figured if I waited to write a post until we got a normal/decent picture of my belly then it might accidentally be a couple more weeks before another update. So I'm improvising and using a photo from our trip to the Memphis Zoo from earlier today. Now, there is something else I'd like you to know if you didn't already...

Placentas are amazing. (How's that for a segue?)

While in the womb, your placenta is the link between you and your baby. It's your baby's lifeline. Again ladies and gentlemen, a woman's placenta is an incredible, AMAZING organ! And most of us think little to nothing of the placenta throughout our pregnancies or after our deliveries, mostly because it's a temporary organ that our body expels when it's purpose has been completely served. But we are finding out more and more benefits from paying a bit more attention to this beautiful organ. And I love that! For example, studies have shown that waiting a few minutes to clamp and/or cut your baby's umbilical cord allows more iron-rich blood from the placenta to reach your newborn baby.

After I had Presley I thought nothing of my placenta until months afterward. I started to hear more and more of power behind this organ and I wondered, what did mine look like? Was it healthy? How did it compare to other placentas? Might seem silly but it's something I did wonder about. When it was time to bring Molly into the world I asked Tony if he would take a photo of my placenta afterwards - but this was as far as my interaction with my placenta went. And yes, I am fully aware that I'm weird. But I'm pretty awesome, too!

Thanks to lots of celebrity moms bringing this to light, many of us are now familiar with placental encapsulation... or really, consuming your placenta. Sounds insane, right? But when it can increase your milk supply, chase away the baby blues, help heal your body, aid in regaining energy, and reduce bleeding - most moms wonder where can I sign up?! I'm absolutely considering encapsulating my placenta after this delivery.

What you probably haven't heard much about is placenta banking. The blood left inside your placenta is full of stem cells that may help heal damaged tissue or organs. The same applies to the blood found within your umbilical cord. LifeBankUSA offers both placenta banking as well as cord blood banking. The stem cells found in both the placenta & cord can be used to treat at least 80 differnt diseases (including leukemia and lymphoma). Stem cell transplants work by replacing other cells in the body that have been destroyed or have stopped working properly. The first cord blood stem cell transplant happened nearly 30 years ago in Paris. (Side note: How is it that it's been 28 years since 1988?) The transplant took place on a boy who was only five years old with a severe, rare type of anemia and it was a success! This little boy is now a healthy adult thanks to advanced medicine. There are ongoing clinical trials to study how stem cells may help treat a wide range of diseases including stroke, cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, heart disease, and spinal cord injury.

With this type of banking, you only have one chance at collecting and storing these stem cells from your umbilical cord and/or placenta so it is important to be prepared. You can call and learn more at 1-877-543-3226 or visit LifeBankUSA to request a free guidebook. Banking with LifeBankUSA can cost as low as about $53 per month, though this does not include the annual storage fee - which applies after the first year.

If you haven't already, give placenta banking and cord blood banking a moment of your time. I've got two great reasons to consider it and a third one on the way!

Read more on The Power of Placenta Blood Banking with LifeBankUSA.
You can also visit them on Twitter @LifeBankU.

I was compensated for writing and sharing this post. 

I have shared my thoughts and my authentic thoughts alone. 

The facts I shared are true to the best of my knowledge.

LifebankUSA + MamaRoo Giveaway!

Through cord blood banking, you can collect and preserve potentially lifesaving stem cells, and doing so could one day save the life of your child or a blood relative.  Think about that.

photo belongs to Chasing Moonlight & Roses

You can bank even more stem cells by collecting them from two usable sources of stem cell-rich blood: the umbilical cord and the placenta.  This service is called Placental and Cord Blood Banking, and it's available only from LifebankUSA.  Whether you choose Placental and Cord Blood Banking or Cord Blood Banking alone, there are many important reasons to consider choosing LifebankUSA.

And can you guess what?  I'm gonna inform you as to why that may be a good idea for you and your family.

When you're pregnant, your baby is protected in the womb.  And then they enter the world.  There are a million things to think about and prepare for, but an invaluable step parents can take is to preserve his/her stem-cell rich cord and placenta blood.  The ability of stem cells to save lives via cord blood banking has proven successful for replacing abnormal or diseased cell,s and treating life-threatening blood disorders such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.  In fact, since 1988 stem cell transplants have been used to treat some 80 diseases.

When you bank with LifebankUSA, they include tissue banking (which is tissue from your placenta) for "free" [1: see other things you should know below].  Placental tissue contains mensenchymal cells (MSCs) and MSC-like cells.  While stem cells found in cord blood and placenta blood have been used to successfully treat patients, there are currently no approved uses for stem cells derived from the umbilical cord or placenta tissue.  Possible therapeutic applications are in early research stages and LifebankUSA's parent company is actively involved in their development.  LifebankUSA will store the placenta tissue for you as part of it's complete banking package using cryogenic tanks for long-term preservation.  In the event your baby's tissue cells are ever needed for future therapies, the tissue may then be processed and cultured using available technology at that time [2: see other things you should know below].  Tissue banking is just one more layer of protection and peace of mind offered by LifebankUSA.

Image belongs to Chasing Moonlight & Roses

Along with peace of mind, LifebankUSA wants to give parents the chance to win a coveted baby item - the 4Moms mamaRoo.  With the Facebook contest they are holding, LifebankUSA is giving away a 4Moms mamaRoo (valued at $260 each) to two lucky winners.  The mamaRoo bounces up and down and sways from side to side in a similar fashion as parents do when comforting their babies.  It plays soothing nature sounds and has the option of plugging in your own MP3 player.

The promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by - or associated with - Facebook.  By entering the contest, you understand that you are providing your information to LifebankUSA and not to Facebook.

Other things you should know:
1. Storage fees apply after the first year.
2. Clients will be responsible for the cost of shipping the tissue and any culturing or expansion of the cells.
3. The chance that a child will use his/her own stored stem cells during his/her lifetime for currently treated conditions is estimated at 1 in 400.29 These odds may increase if there is a family history of certain blood disorders or cancers.
4. You can visit the LifebankUSA website to request a free information kit.


As with any big decision you make, think before you act.  Before you make any choices - think of the "222" rule:  How will you feel about your decision in two weeks?  In two months?  In two years?

To speak to a representative, you can call 1-877-543-3226.

I was compensated for writing and sharing this post.
I have shared my thoughts and my authentic thoughts alone. 
The facts I shared are true to the best of my knowledge.