Posted: 26 Dec 2009 09:13 AM PST

Cord Blood Banking is a term that has been doing the rounds and gaining popularity for almost over a decade now. It is important that we understand what the term "Cord Blood" means. It refers to the blood that comes from the umbilical Cord and the placenta during childbirth. For a long time, it was discarded as waste material. However, as medical science progressed, professionals came to realize the wealth of life-saving content that this "waste" blood contained and hence, have started to save or "bank" it for future use. Have you ever wondered what exactly is it that makes cord blood so valuable? It is because it contains something called Stem Cells. Cord Blood Banking facilities are places where you can bank your child's cord blood and use it later on in life to cure life-threatening diseases. From being hardly aware of what this term means to looking for the cheapest banking facilities, man and medical science has come a long way!

We should also know that Stems Cells are. These are "raw" cells which have the remarkable capacity to develop into any type of cell that is found in the human body. Because of this amazing capacity of blood cells, they have been, still are and will continue to be used more and more to save lives and cure a number of diseases. To give you an understanding of how these stem cells can be used, imagine a situation when a parent suddenly finds that his child is suffering from a rare type of liver disease and there is no way you can save the child unless the diseased liver is "repaired" or "replaced" with a new one! In such a situation, if the parent had been careful enough to bank the child's blood at the time of his birth, the stems cells can be extracted from this blood and used to "repair" the damaged organ. It is done by introducing the stems cells into the damaged liver where they grow into healthy liver cells.

That was just an example to illustrate the value of Cord Blood. Stem Cells extracted from it are also used to treat Leukemia. A number of organizations have emerged today and all of them claim to have the cheapest cord blood banking facility available. There are a couple of things you might need to know about this - there are two types of facilities - Public and Private. You can donate your child's cord blood to any of these facilities and you can be sure that some day it can be used to save somebody's life. But the only difference is that, when you donate to a Public facility, you cannot be assured that the same blood can someday be used to treat your child. However, if you use a Private facility, you can be sure to get access to it whenever you might need it, later on in life to save your child.

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Pregnancy Signs

Posted: 26 Dec 2009 08:50 AM PST

Just like no two human beings are alike, no pregnancy is the same. Hence every pregnancy has its own set of signs and emotions. You cannot ask a friend who has children what she felt like and expect the same to happen to you. You need to check for any of the following Pregnancy signs.

Missed Period

Although this is a very common sign for pregnancy, it is also a common occurrence in normal women. Due to long working hours and stress, many women miss their period and think of it as nothing unusual. If you have been having unprotected sex and missed a period, you need to do a pregnancy test.

Feeling Pregnant

An emotion sometimes talks to us. And many women get the feeling that they are pregnant. No real signs but just a voice in the head or a strong feeling that there is something happening within me.

Breast Tenderness

Sudden feeling of your breast being sore or tender. When you are putting on your clothes or when an arm brushes against your breast, there is a sudden pain that surprises you. It's all of a sudden and where did it come from, you wonder. When it lasts for more than a few days, this is for sure one of the pregnancy signs.

Fatigue

Your daily walk in the garden or to office seems to be getting tiring. You wonder why you feeling exhausted after climbing two floors or even if you are not doing anything, you are still tired. Well your body is just telling you, that you are pregnant and you need loads of rest for the coming months. This further adds to the pregnancy signs now.

Frequent Urination

Although this comes along in the later stages of pregnancy because the swelling of the uterus that causes pressure on the bladder, for some it may happen at the beginning. You feel like you need to urinate, even though it's nothing more than a feeling.

Nausea / Morning Sickness

You wake up feeling like you ate something bad for dinner or you feel sick like your ill. But neither is true. Your body temperature is slightly high but you don't have a temperature. These symptoms are all common when you are pregnant. For some nausea and morning sickness remain right through pregnancy, while for others it stops after three months.

Heartburn / Constipation

For some there is a burn in the center of the heart leading them to the hospital directly for medication. While some get constipated and feel sick. This is not because of any food intake but only a way your body is responding to the fertilized egg.

Food Cravings

Other pregnancy signs include cravings for food. It is a well know aspect that certain food cravings occur when a woman is pregnant. That burger seems tastier and a craving to eat it every day emerges from nowhere. On the other hand, the scent of garlic has turned into a stink and you cannot just handle it. So no more garlic in your food or you are going to puke.

All these are pregnancy signs only and if you are also feeling the similar way, then you need to celebrate the new arrival in your family.

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Natural Skin Care Treatment For Pregnant Women

Posted: 26 Dec 2009 06:57 AM PST

Now that you are pregnant, you must take care of your body, including your skin, more than ever before.

One of the things you have to watch out for during pregnancy is acne. Acne can be due to several things, but stress is a major contributor. This disease can make you feel very uncomfortable; therefore, it is important that you know how to deal with it. Since stress may cause or worsen acne breakouts, one treatment of choice should focus on reducing stress. Like, for instance, you may want to engage in natural stress-reducing activities such as yoga, breathing exercises, or anything else that enables you to relax.

You may also be worried of stretch marks on the stomach. These usually appear during the latter stage of your pregnancy when your tummy begins to grow.

Other skin problems you are likely to deal with during pregnancy dryness and peeling. It's good to know that these problems may be resolved by eating right and by using the appropriate skin care products. Remember, though, that you cannot just apply any medication to treat acne or any skin problem for that matter. You see, pregnancy is a very delicate stage for you and your baby; anything you put in your body eventually gets transmitted to your baby, and you know that skin care products that are chemically formulated contain harsh ingredients that can result to birth problems.

It is therefore very important that you choose carefully the kinds of skin care products to use. As much as possible, go natural in your choice of creams, lotions and anything else. Natural products do not contain harmful chemicals that can affect your baby, so they are safe to use.

To help you deal with skin care problems during pregnancy, drink lots of water. Drinking water keeps you hydrated and your skin well moisturized so you get to have healthy, beautiful skin all throughout your pregnancy.

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