A newborn umbilical cord is a stump of 1-2 cm long
with a plastic clamp attache Within one day the umbilical
cord which was shiny and moist at birth will shrivel
up, turn crusty and darken in color. After about 5
days to 2 weeks the clamp will dry up and fall off.
For a while there will be two parts: the blackish
part of the umbilical cord and the skin color part
of the navel.
Caring
for Cord
In the past doctors used to advise
cleaning the stump with cotton swab dipped in rubbing
alcohol or antiseptic powders to aid in the healing
process and keep the area free from infection. Not
anymore. Recent studies indicate the more you stay
away from it the better. But again it all depends
on what you are comfortable with; just ensure the
umbilical cord area is kept clean and dry at all
times to ward off infection. 2 things you can or
should do:
• Fold down your baby's diaper to air the
stump. As much as possible do not allow the diaper
to come into contact with the umbilical cord and
to expose the umbilical cord to air
• Skip tub baths altogether for a week to
10 days or until the umbilical cord drops off and
the area heals totally; stick to topping and tailing
instea The idea is to keep the navel area as dry
as possible. Infection sets in when the wound comes
in contact with water and for some reason the area
doesn't dry up.
The Basics on Cleaning
• Once the umbilical cord falls off there
will be a small woun Sometimes a small amount of
blood tinged fluid oozes from the site. This is
normal unless it doesn't dry up completely in a
few days.
• Remember to clean the area every day to
prevent infection.
• Never be tempted to pull the umbilical cord;
it will drop off when its time for it to drop off.
• Clean the umbilical cord every day with
cotton wool dipped in cooled, boiled water if you
prefer cleaning it to leaving it alone.
• Dry gently with a soft towel.
• Keep the umbilical cord exposed to air and
prevent it from becoming wet with urine - turn the
top of your baby's nappy down
Common concerns
• Umbilical cords take longer to fall off if
there is an infection. If it is kept dry it will fall
off sooner, usually within a week after delivery.
• Touching the umbilical cord doesn't hurt the
baby unless it is infecte
• A few drops of blood seeps out when the umbilical
cord starts to separate - this is old bloo If the
area is kept clean the bloody spot will heal fast.
• Swelling in the navel is a hernia. It is very
common. It usually resolves itself in a few months
and sometimes it can take longer but no treatment
is needed. Do not attempt to press the lump down with
home binders as it can do harm instead of good.
• The fleshy part after the stump falls off
is the granulation tissue (umbilical granuloma). With
time this bright red scar tissue will settle down;
if not it will be treated with silver nitrate and
allowed to wither and drop off.
When Cause becomes a Concern
• Redness in the surrounding skin
• Discharge from the navel or the base of the
umbilical cord
• Discharge is foul smelling
• If the raw spot doesn't completely close and
dry up two weeks after the stump falls off