5 Months Before the Due Date

If leukemia or lymphoma—or any other disease that can be treated with a stem-cell transplant—runs in the family, arrange to bank your baby's umbilical-cord blood. The downside is cost: a first-year fee of around $1,700, and annual fees of $125. If these diseases don't run in the family, you can donate the blood to a public bank instead, at no cost, where it can help people who need it.