Umbilical Wound Care

In the first days after birth, the umbilical cord stump usually swells and becomes gelatinous. Then the umbilical cord stump begins to dry out, shrink and disappear after 1-2 weeks. To prevent infection and speed up the drying of the umbilical cord stump, apply alcohol or another antiseptic recommended by your doctor 3 times a day. When the umbilical cord stump falls off, you may see a few drops of blood in its place - this is normal. Continue to lubricate the umbilical wound for a few more days.

If the umbilical cord stump begins to fester or an unpleasant odor appears, go to the doctor. If there is a slight odor coming from the umbilical stump, this is normal, but a putrid odor may indicate the development of an infection. Use an antiseptic solution immediately. If the skin around the drying umbilical cord stump looks normal and is not inflamed, there is no reason to worry. A sign of infection is a red, hot, swollen and tender spot about the size of a dime around the base of the belly button. Call a doctor immediately.

To avoid irritating your belly button, do not cover it with a diaper or plastic panties, and be especially careful when using disposable diapers, which can irritate the belly button more than others. Is it possible to bathe a child in a bath until the umbilical cord falls off? Opinions on this matter differ. Some doctors believe that getting the belly button wet increases the risk of infection. If the base of the umbilical cord stump is purulent, it is unwise to put the baby in the bath - the pus will get into the water and the infection may spread. In this case, just wipe the baby until the umbilical cord falls off and the umbilical wound heals.