Caring for the Umbilical Cord Stump

New parents often have a lot of questions about caring for their newborn baby. In the first two weeks of babies life, most of these questions center around caring for the umbilical cord stump. Is it supposed to look like that? How long does the cord take to fall off? How do I clean the stump? Here are the answers to those questions.

During pregnancy, the umbilical cord supplies your baby with nutrients and oxygen for growth. After your baby is born, the umbilical cord is no longer needed. The cord is clamped and cut close to the baby's body leaving an umbilical cord stump.

The stump will turn from a yellowish green to brown to black as it dries out. It will usually fall off around ten days after the baby is born. The stump has no nerves, so do not worry about hurting your baby when you clean it.

As the umbilical cord stump heals, it is normal to see a little dried blood or crust near the base of the cord. The area may look a little raw when the stump falls off. This is normal and should be fully healed within a few days.

Keep the umbilical stump clean and dry. Avoid putting onsies on your baby until the stump falls off. Until it does, dress your baby in a loose t-shirt and diaper. Do not pull or clip the cord even if it is hanging by a thread, let it fall off naturally.

Some newborn baby diapers have a notch cut out of the top, but if yours do not, fold the top of the diaper below the umbilical stump. Clean it with alcohol two to three times a day.

Dampen a cotton ball with alcohol and swab around the base of the stump. You can also use a q-tip dipped in alcohol, or use pre-packaged alcohol pads.

Do not give your baby a bath until the umbilical cord stump falls off. Instead, give your baby a sponge bath with a damp cloth.

If your baby develops a fever and you notice any of the following signs of infection around the cord, contact your baby's doctor.

The signs of infection are redness or swelling around the base of the stump, bleeding, oozing a yellowish pus, and a foul-smelling discharge.

Caring for the umbilical cord stump is the easiest part of having a newborn. So relax and enjoy your brand new baby.

Source

Umbilical Cord Care