The Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity Many Parents Don’t Know About (Until It’s Too Late)
This blog post was sponsored by Cord Blood Registry (CBR).
When You’ve Planned for Everything… Except This
By the time you hit your third trimester, you’ve probably made hundreds of tiny decisions:
What stroller to buy. Whether to get an epidural. How to decorate the nursery.
But there’s one conversation that’s rarely on any checklist—and many parents don’t even know it’s an option until it’s almost too late: cord blood banking.
If you’ve never heard of it, you’re not alone. Even many OBs and midwives don’t bring it up during prenatal visits. That’s why we sat down with Lauren Isley, a certified genetic counselor and Senior Clinical Science Specialist at Cord Blood Registry (CBR), for a full episode of The Early Momming Podcast.
Lauren broke down everything new parents should know—from how cord blood banking works, to who it can help, to how much it really costs.
What Is Cord Blood Banking, Really?
At birth, your baby’s umbilical cord and placenta still contain a small amount of blood. That blood is rich in stem cells—special cells that can grow into different types of cells in the body, like blood or immune system cells.
Traditionally, cord blood and cord tissue are discarded after delivery. Banking the cord blood and cord tissue simply means collecting and storing it in a secure facility so it can potentially be used later in medical treatments.
Here’s what’s inside:
- Cord blood contains hematopoietic stem cells—the cells that form the blood and immune systems.
- Cord tissue contains mesenchymal stem cells, which can become bone, muscle, or connective tissue.
Both types of stem cells are being studied for a wide range of uses—from treating blood disorders like leukemia to supporting regenerative medicine research in conditions like cerebral palsy.
Who Can Benefit from Cord Blood Banking?
This is where most parents are surprised. The stem cells collected at birth may not only be for your baby—they may also be useful for siblings or close family members.
Lauren explained that cord blood is already being used today in stem cell transplants to help treat over 80 diseases, including:
- Leukemia and lymphoma
- Sickle cell disease
- Certain immune and metabolic disorders
In many of those cases, it’s a sibling who benefits most, since their genetic makeup is a close match, and often donor stem cells are required for a transplant.
But research is expanding. Clinical trials at institutions like Duke University are exploring how cord blood might also help treat conditions like cerebral palsy and pediatric brain injuries. In these experimental treatments, the baby’s own cord blood can be used.
As Lauren put it during the episode, “What we used to think of as medical waste is now being studied as a powerful medical resource.”
Public vs. Private Cord Blood Banking: What’s the Difference?
There are two ways to bank cord blood: public or private.
Public Cord Blood Banks
Public banking is like donating blood—you give it to a public registry where it might be used for someone in need of a stem cell transplant. There’s no cost to you, but your family is unlikely to be able to access it later.
The catch? You can only donate if your hospital partners with a public bank, and only a small number of hospitals across the U.S. offer that option. As of this writing, South Carolina has no public donation sites.
Private Cord Blood Banks
Private banking means you store your baby’s cord blood and tissue exclusively for your family’s use. It can only be accessed by you or a close relative if needed.
Private banks—like Cord Blood Registry (CBR)—charge an enrollment fee and an annual storage fee, but they also offer payment plans and registry options so family and friends can contribute toward the cost.
The key takeaway: If you want access to your baby’s sample in the future for approved uses or clinical trials, you need to bank it privately.
Can You Delay Cord Clamping and Bank Cord Blood?
This is one of the most common questions parents ask—and the good news is: yes, you usually can.
Delayed cord clamping means waiting a short time (typically 30–60 seconds) before clamping and cutting the umbilical cord after birth. This allows extra blood to flow to your baby and can support healthy iron levels.
Lauren explained that one study showed waiting up to a minute doesn’t significantly impact the collection of cord blood.
However, after about 60 seconds, the cell count begins to drop, which might impact the overall ability to use that sample in a future treatment.
The best approach? Talk to your OB or midwife before delivery so they can help balance both goals—delaying clamping for the baby’s immediate benefit while still collecting enough cord blood for banking. In addition, families can preserve their baby’s cord tissue, which is unaffected by delayed cord clamping.
How Cord Blood Banking Works Step-by-Step
It’s much simpler than most parents think. Here’s how it goes:
- Enroll anytime during pregnancy.
Ideally by 32–34 weeks, but even if you’re close to your due date, most private banks (including CBR) can overnight a kit to you. - Bring the kit to the hospital.
Pack it with your hospital bag and tell your labor and delivery team that you plan to bank cord blood (and cord tissue if you chose to store that, as well). - Your provider collects the sample.
After your baby is born and the cord is clamped and cut, the medical team draws the remaining blood from the cord and placenta into sterile bags. If you are storing cord tissue, as well, your delivering provider will cut a section of umbilical cord and add it to the cord cup included in the kit. It’s quick, safe, and painless for both mom and baby. - Call the courier.
The support person (often your partner) calls the medical courier, who picks up the collection kit and transports it to the storage facility—CBR’s lab is located in Tucson, Arizona. - Storage and notification.
Once the lab receives the sample, they process and test it for cell count and quality. You’ll get confirmation when it’s officially banked.
That’s it. You can go back to snuggling your baby while science does its thing.
The Real Cost of Cord Blood Banking
Cost is one of the biggest reasons parents hesitate—but it’s not nearly as expensive as most people assume.
Some families use their baby registry to help cover the cost—CBR even allows friends and relatives to contribute directly through a gift registry.
You can also use promo codes to save (for example, code EM50 gives 50% off CBR’s annual bundle).
When you consider how much parents spend on gear that lasts six months, investing in something that could one day benefit your family’s health feels like a different kind of security blanket.
“But What Are the Odds We’ll Ever Need It?”
That’s a fair question—and Lauren was refreshingly honest about it.
For transplant medicine (current, approved uses), one paper suggested the odds of using donor cord blood for a stem cell transplant – either from a related or unrelated individual – are around 1 in 2,500.
But that number doesn’t tell the full story.
At Cord Blood Registry, over 80% of released samples have been used for emerging regenerative medicine treatments—clinical trials exploring new ways to use stem cells for conditions like brain injury or autism spectrum disorders.
So while the chance of needing it today for an approved use might not be high, the potential for future use continues to grow as medical science advances.
As Lauren put it, “Many of the families who’ve used their child’s cord blood never expected to. But when they did, they were grateful they had it.”
Why Parents Are Choosing to Bank Now
Every parent has a different reason. For some, it’s about peace of mind. For others, it’s a form of long-term investment in their family’s health.
Erica (currently expecting) and Hillary (a mom of four and labor & delivery nurse) both shared why they decided to bank:
“My husband is super practical—he doesn’t like to spend money on extras. But when we learned this could one day help our baby, a sibling or be part of research, he was instantly on board.”
“I wish I’d known about it with my first three kids. I finally did it with my fourth and thought—how did I not hear about this sooner?”
For both moms, cord blood banking isn’t about fear. It’s about options. About knowing they did one more small thing to prepare for the unknown.
Making an Informed Decision
Like everything in parenthood, this isn’t a one-size-fits-all decision. Your financial situation, medical history, and personal values all matter.
But awareness is key. As Hillary said during the episode, “So many parents don’t even know it’s an option—and we want them to.”
If you’re pregnant now, here’s your takeaway:
- Talk to your OB provider.
- Learn the difference between public and private options.
- Ask about delayed cord clamping compatibility with cord blood collection.
- Decide whether this additional peace of mind is worth the investment for your family.
Then, if you decide to move forward, enroll early enough to have your kit ready for delivery.
Final Thoughts: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity
You can buy baby gear later.
You can redo the nursery later.
But you can’t go back and collect your baby’s cord blood later.
It’s a one-time opportunity—one that might never be needed, but could mean everything if it ever is.
If you want to learn more, listen to our full conversation with Lauren Isley from Cord Blood Registry on The Early Momming Podcast.
And if you decide to bank, use code EM50 at cordblood.com for 50% off CBR’s annual bundle.
Your Next Step
Cord blood banking is one of those once-in-a-lifetime decisions that helps you feel prepared for what’s ahead—and that same confidence is what I want for you in every part of early motherhood.
If you’re ready to take what you’ve learned here and go deeper, I’d love to walk with you:
– Babies Made Simple Class → step-by-step guidance for sleep, feeding, and routines in the early months
– My Book → practical tools and encouragement you can keep on your nightstand
– 1:1 Consults → personalized support for your unique baby and family
✨ Whether you choose a class, a book, or a consult, my goal is the same: to simplify early motherhood and equip you with the confidence to thrive.
About the Author
I’m Hillary Sadler, RN, IBCLC — board-certified lactation consultant and master’s-level registered nurse; author of Babies Made Simple; mom of four; and founder of Baby Settler Consults, located in Charleston, SC (and supporting families virtually worldwide).
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding any questions or concerns about your or your baby’s health.
In your corner, always.
—Hillary
