What's an umbilical cord stump?
During pregnancy, the umbilical cord provides nourishment and oxygen to your baby from the placenta👶. It connects to your baby's abdomen through an opening that will later become their belly button. Once your baby is born, they can breathe on their own and receive nourishment through feeding🍼.
When does the umbilical cord fall off?
The umbilical cord stump usually falls off within 7 to 21 days, showing that the belly button is healing. Keep the area clean and dry during this time🧹. If the stump doesn't come off or falls off too early, contact the doctor for further evaluation. After the stump falls off naturally, a small amount of bleeding is normal🩸, similar to a scab. However, if the bleeding continues or resumes even after applying gentle pressure, inform the doctor.
Some tips until your baby's umbilical cord stump falls off:
🧸Keep the stump and the surrounding area clean and dry.
Use warm water and a mild soap🧼 to gently clean around the base of the stump, then make sure to dry it thoroughly. You can use clean cotton swabs to help with cleaning. No need to clean the stump itself unless it accidentally gets dirty, like during a messy diaper change. In that case, simply cleanse it with warm water and dry it afterward.
🧸Fold your baby's diaper away from the stump.
Or look for newborn diapers with a special cut-out space for the stump. This allows air to circulate🌬️ and prevents contact with your baby's pee. Remember to change your baby's diaper frequently to avoid urine soaking toward the stump.
🧸Skip the alcohol application on the stump.
While it used to be recommended in the past, we now know that allowing the stump to naturally dry on its own leads to faster healing without any increased risk of infection.
🧸Opt for loose-fitting clothing until the stump falls off.
Avoid dressing your baby in bodysuit-style undershirts. If it's warm outside, a diaper, and a loose T-shirt will do the trick, allowing air to circulate and speeding up the drying process😉.