Viacord

Dads show their dedication in lots of ways, from driving passels of kids to the movies to teaching the fine art of tire changing and being a shoulder to lean on. So on his special day, don’t get caught without an idea or two to recognize all that he does. Dad’s selfless dedication to our lives deserves recognition. We compiled a few surefire ways to give Dad the Father’s Day he deserves.

1.    Have a ball (or a puck or a racecar or a monster truck)
Whether it’s a baseball game or a monster truck rally, consider taking Dad to a fun event that he’ll remember. You can buy tickets to take him yourself, or gift him with a spare ticket and the opportunity to take one of his buddies.

2.    Host a dudes-only day
You may want to take Dad and some of his friends to a local fishing hole or host a poker game—but leave the ladies out! There’s a reason for the saying “boys will be boys,” and Father’s Day can be the perfect day to let Dad just be one…

Mom. She’s always there for us. She gives us love, encouragement, confidence and the best cookies in the world. This Mother’s Day, we salute moms everywhere with some interesting and fun facts about this special day and the remarkable women it honors.

How did Mother’s Day start?¹ Upset by the devastation of the Civil War, Battle Hymn of the Republic composer Julia Ward Howe made a Mother’s Day Proclamation in 1870. She asked women to band together to protest the futility of war and the deaths of their sons. While the idea didn’t catch on right away, it laid the groundwork for a presidential order four decades later. President Woodrow Wilson signed the day into national observance in 1914, declaring that it be celebrated annually on the second Sunday in May.

The ViaCord Facebook^® page has become a wonderful place for ViaCord families to let their voices be heard. Your inspirational stories are moving and help raise awareness about the importance of cord blood stem cells. It’s this kind of insight that can help other families make an informed decision about cord blood banking. So when we asked our Facebook friends to tell us “Why did you bank your baby’s cord blood?” we knew we would get a response. But what we received was overwhelming.

Why bank? We asked, you answered!

We were amazed and gratified by how many families gave us a personal look into their reasons for banking their baby’s cord blood. Some parents told us that they wanted peace of mind, and others felt their family history influenced their decisions to bank. We were moved by your stories and couldn’t miss the opportunity to share some of your responses:

For many expectant moms following the development of your baby growing inside of you is a must. How could it not be when you stop to think about what really occurs during the nine months of pregnancy – a couple of cells miraculously transform into a tiny human being. It’s simply amazing. As a new mom, every time I look at my baby boy I’m still amazed and remember how the changes during those nine months were grand and rapid for both him and me!

One of the tools I used to feed my personal obsession with tracking our progress was the Pregnancy Companion^TM iPhone application. Created by two board certified obstetricians, who together have over 25 years of experience and more than 8,000 deliveries, this app combines useful information, medical knowledge and tracking tools to help guide women through their pregnancies.

In addition to providing the week by week playbook about the incredible evolution of mom and baby, it includes many other features to meet your pregnancy needs…