Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Cord Blood Bank and Stem Cell

Umbilical Cord Blood

The umbilical cord is is the cord which connects an embroyo to the womb of its mother.

Photo of is property of Reinout van Rees

Blood containing nutrients and oxygen is carried from the mother to foetus and carbon dioxide and waste is carried away. If the umbilical cord is not prematurely clamped after birth, a physiological clamping will occur after birth caused by contact with cold air. Wharton's jelly (gelatinous substance, will swell around the umbilical blood vessels at the opposite ends of the umbilical cord and trap some blood between the opposing ends.

Umbilical Cord harvesting

Almost 200ml of umbilical blood can be harvested (collected) from the umbilical cord. Many believes hematopoietic cells (stem cells which can develop into different types of cells) in the umbilical cord' blood can be used to treat various types of serious illness of the infant and its family as well as strangers. Note that this is controversial. Note also

Umbilical cord blood bank

There are cord blood banks which provide services to save the cord blood for future uses. There are many such cord blood banks using cryogenic (very cold technology) to store cord blood and CryoCell cord blood bank and currently they have a cord bank special offer.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Natural Remedy or Baby Colic and Acid Reflux

What is Baby Colic?

What is colic is often the question that exasperated mothers often asked. Baby colic is abdominal pain characterized by incessant crying, often with apparently no particular reason. The non-stop crying of the baby is very distressing.

Natural Remedy for baby colic

Here are some natural Colic Cures you can try:

Soothing Music and Sound

Change of diet - if you are breast feeding, try changing your diet. If the baby is on cow's milk-based formula, try changing to a soy-based one.

Soothing bath or massage - give the baby a bath followed by a soothing massage

Swaddle the baby with warm blankets like in the photo below:
Photo of swaddled baby is property of Paul

Rocking motion - put the baby in a swing and gently rock the baby either manually or with a mechanical rocker:
Photo of baby in a rocker is property of rashida s. mar b.

The traditional cure -Gripe Water: This had been the traditional cure for colicky baby from decades ago and can be effective if you get the right Gripe Water.

What is acid reflux

Acid reflux occurs when the acidic content of the stomach flows in the reverse direction from stomach to the throat (oesophegus), and when it occurs in a baby, it is referred to as infant reflux. It may cause mucosal damage (Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease) and if it reaches the throat, the condition is referred to as laryngopharyngeal reflux disease.

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Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Family safe Reader's Digest online

I used to regularly read Reader's Digest some 30 plus years back and thoroughly enjoyed the articles published in them. You may even say that Reader's Digest had an influence in my life as all the articles are wholesome, family oriented and inspire and motivates. However, over the past few years, many things have changed. The marvelous invention, the World Wide Web and Internet have completely changed the people's (and mine) way of getting the news and stories. I for one have stopped buying the daily printed newspaper and read news online.

So it is a pleasant but not a great surprise to see that my favorite Reader's Digest have gone online. As usual, many of their articles are family oriented, like Reader's Digest tips for parenting children.

Now not only am I a single parent of 5 grown kids, I am also grandfather to one - Lewis Chew, youngest "blogger" in the world, plus grandpa to 2 more soon. So this blog My first grandchild will soon have to change title and become My grandchildren instead.

My grown daughter has become mother herself and if I am not wrong, complained about getting Lewis Chew to sleep. As usual, Reader's Digest have an article for such harassed mom - Help for Sleepless Moms

Here is another familiar inspiring story or drama from Reader's Digest - Heroes: Day-Care Drama. It is a story of how a brave mom became a heroine and tackled an armed man in a day care center almost single-handed.

Tonight, I am going to tell my daughter that Reader's Digest has joined the online bandwagon and now we are going to get our favorite family safe articles online 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

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Good Parenting Practices