Whether or not to bank your baby’s cord blood when he or she is born is a huge decision in the lives of many parents.

If you do decide to bank your baby’s cord blood, it will be helpful to know a bit more about the process.

In both standard (vaginal) and c-section (cesarean) deliveries, the cord blood is collected immediately after birth. It’s not a decision that made on the spur of the moment, it requires a specific kit that the parents will have to have pre-ordered from their chosen cord blood bank.

In the case of vaginal delivery, the process consists of clamping the umbilical cord on both ends and cutting it. This will most likely take place before the placenta is delivered. Next, a small tube is put into the umbilical vein after one end is unclamped and the blood is collected that way.

If the birth is cesarean, the fact that the mother is under anesthesia and needs to be tended to makes the process more complicated, and there is usually a greater span of time elapsed before the cord blood is collected. The medical staff need to ensure the safety of both mother and child as a first priority.

After collection, it is transported in bags or syringes to the cord blood bank where it is cryogenically preserved in case it is ever needed, which, hopefully, it never will be.