 | ||
|
| |    Taking Care of the Umbilical Cord by Dr. Benjamin Spock reviewed and revised by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. When still in the mother's womb, the baby is nourished through the blood vessels of the umbilical cord. Just after birth, the doctor puts a plastic clamp on the cord and cuts it off close to the baby's body. The stump that's left withers like a raisin and eventually drops off, usually in about two or three weeks, though it may take several weeks. If the cord hasn't fallen off by a month, it's a good idea to mention this to your child's doctor; however, most doctors and nurses don't become concerned until the cord has hung on for six weeks or longer. Before the cord falls off To help the cord dry out, fold down the top of your baby's diaper so that the cord is exposed to the air. To keep the cord dry during a bath, give your baby sponge baths rather than regular baby baths where your baby sits in a tub full of water. To give a sponge bath, simply use a damp soft cloth to wipe off your baby's head, body, and arms and legs. Get the cloth a bit wetter and squeeze out a little extra water to rinse off the diaper area. It's best to give only sponge baths until the cord has fallen off and the navel has scabbed over--usually when your baby is between two and six weeks old. Putting your baby in a tub of water while the cord is still attached will slow down the drying-up process, and it may increase the risk that the cord will become infected. Although you don't want to soak the cord under water, it's fine if a little water drips on it during a sponge bath. Just use a soft cloth to dry it off afterward. You don't need to wash the cord itself, nor do you have to do anything special to keep it bone dry during a sponge bath. Many parents use a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to gently wash around the base of the cord. You can also use premoistened, individually wrapped alcohol swabs that seem to float around hospitals in great numbers. The alcohol keeps the area clean and also helps the cord to dry out. You can pick the cord up with one hand and gently move it left, right, up, and down so that you clean around it with the alcohol. The cord itself has no nerve endings and so cannot feel pain. However, if you rub too vigorously on the skin around the cord, it will become irritated, and it is sensitive. After the cord falls off When the cord falls off, it leaves a raw spot, which takes a number of days--or occasionally, a number of weeks--to heal over. The raw spot should merely be kept clean and dry so that it won't get infected. If it is kept dry, a scab covers it until it is healed. It doesn't need a bandage and actually will stay drier without one. Once the cord falls off, your baby can have tub baths. Just dry the navel afterward with a corner of the towel (or cotton balls, if you like) until it is all healed. There may be a little bleeding or seeping of a little clear fluid a few days before the cord falls off and until the healing is complete. It's best to continue to keep the diaper below the level of the unhealed navel so that it stays dry. If the unhealed navel becomes moist and produces a discharge, you should clean it each day with a cotton swab dampened with alcohol, just as you did before. Things to watch for If the skin right around the navel becomes red or tender, or there is a smelly discharge, it may be a sign of infection. You should get in touch with your doctor or nurse practitioner right away, because a true infection of the navel can be serious in an infant. Keep in mind that it's normal to note a little odor just as the cord is coming off, particularly when the cord becomes soft. If healing is slow and the navel continues to be moist, the raw spot may become lumpy with what's called granulation tissue, but this is nothing to worry about. The doctor may apply a chemical called silver nitrate that will hasten drying and healing, and make the lumpiness go away. If clothing pulls off the scab before the navel is fully healed, there may be a drop or two of blood. This small amount of bleeding is normal. However, if there is more blood, or if oozing persists for more than a few hours, talk with your child's doctor. In rare cases, there will be a connection between the umbilical cord and the bladder or the bowel. If this happens, you might notice a bit of yellowish fluid leaking out, which is actually urine, or even a bit of bowel movement. These very uncommon problems are treatable, so just be sure to call your child's doctor.
| |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| About Us |
Contact Us |
Our Partners Privacy Policy | Ethics | Advertising Policy | Terms of Service © Copyright 2004 The Dr. Spock Company. All Rights Reserved. THIS SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. The information drSpock.com
provides is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for
professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your health care
professional if you have a specific health concern. Mention or advertisement
of any product, service, or brand does not constitute endorsement, guarantee,
or recommendation by The Dr. Spock Company. Please read our full
Terms of Service. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
