Discover how to care for your little one’s umbilical cord stump so it stays clean and dry, and learn the signs of an infection. Read more here.
A baby's umbilical cord provided oxygen and nutrients for 9 months. Learn more on what life is like after the umbilical cord falls off.
The umbilical cord is the connection between a mother and their baby. It enters your baby through what eventually becomes their navel, or belly button, and is pretty big, averaging about 50 cm (20...
Learn when the umbilical cord stump falls off, and how to gently clean and care for your baby's future belly button before then.
Background Information The umbilical cord is the baby’s lifeline during pregnancy, but is no longer needed when the baby is born. Within a few minutes after birth, the cord is
Your baby's umbilical cord will become their belly button. Learn how to keep it clean and dry while it heals.
Keep the stump dry. Expose the stump to air to help dry out the base. Keep the front of your baby's diaper folded down, so it doesn't cover the stump. Or cut off a small piece of the diaper with scissors and use tape to seal the edge. Half of the strip of tape goes on the inside of the diaper, and half sticks to the outside of the diaper. Don't swab the stump with rubbing alcohol. Do not use this on the stump unless your healthcare professional tells you to do so. Clean up any fluids around the stump. Clear or blood-tinged fluids may seep out a ...
The first few weeks after your baby is born, you'll need to keep the stump of the umbilical cord clean and dry as it shrivels and eventually falls off. There is no need to use alcohol on the cord; just keep it clean. Meanwhile, a quick submersion bath is fine before the cord falls off, just dry the stump afterward. Also, keep the diaper folded below the cord to keep urine from soaking it. You may notice a few drops of blood on the diaper around the time the stump falls off; this is normal. But if the cord actively bleeds, call your baby's docto ...
Learn when the umbilical cord stump falls off and how to keep it clean.
Some moms are having umbilical cord keepsakes made after the birth of their children, but is it a safe practice? Moms, doctors and creators weigh in.