Cord blood is the blood in your baby's umbilical cord and your placenta. It houses potentially lifesaving cells called stem cells, which can develop into mature blood cells, including red blood cells, ...

Normally, the umbilical cord is attached to the center of the placenta, but unusual placements can occur. The cord can attach off-center, which is usually not a problem.

How the placenta works The placenta connects to the umbilical cord through thousands of microscopic "fingers" of tissue (chorionic villi) containing a network of blood vessels that connect to the ...

This childbirth trend involves leaving the placenta and umbilical cord attached to the baby until it falls off naturally in about a week or two. The idea is that both are filled with important ...

Make sure the placenta is near your baby at all times so that it doesn't pull or cause tension. When you feed, hold, or otherwise touch your baby, remember to look out for the umbilical cord.