What to Do After Umbilical Cord Falls Off

When Your Infant's Umbilical Cord Will Fall Off and What to Do

Medically Reviewed by Lauren Crosby, 1000.D., F.A.A.P.

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on July 14, 2021

Caring for baby'due south umbilical cord afterwards nascency is simpler than it might seem. Here's what you lot demand to know.

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Your babe's umbilical cord stump is a funny little piece of skin that's actually the terminal link to his stay in the womb. When the umbilical cord is cut at birth, a bit remains however attached to his navel — and information technology'll go through a metamorphosis during your baby'due south early days.

Indeed, the colour and expect of the stump changes from yellowish-dark-green to blackness and crusty every bit it dries upwardly and then falls off. Bluntly, it looks downright weird, even gross, but don't be intimidated. Read on for easy care tips for your baby's umbilical cord as well as what to practise if you call back something's non right.

When does the umbilical string fall off?

Information technology may seem like it's taking its sugariness fourth dimension, but the umbilical cord stump should dry out up and drib away by the time your baby is three weeks old, according to the American University of Pediatrics (AAP).

It'south possible the stump will fall away sooner, just if information technology's lingering longer than that timeframe, make an appointment with the pediatrician to get it checked out.

What to do when the umbilical cord falls off

Almost cords dry out completely and so fall off, leaving backside a cute infant umbilicus. Y'all might find a small raw spot or a bit of blood-tinged fluid oozing out. Try not to worry — this is also normal. Merely if you notice more profuse bleeding, call the doctor.

In some cases, the cord may form ruby-red-pink scar tissue called an umbilical granuloma, which may secrete a yellowish discharge. This should clear upwards in a calendar week, just if it doesn't, check in with your baby's pediatrician. An umbilical granuloma is a very treatable status.

Umbilical string intendance tips

Present, the standard practice when information technology comes to caring for a newborn umbilical cord is to keep it dry. Skip the rubbing alcohol and other ointments, and follow these umbilical cord tips to promote good healing:

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• Keep it clean.If the stump gets dirty, dab it gently with a wet washcloth then pat the area with a dry cloth. (It's unlikely yous'll need to practise this, as the cord unremarkably stays pretty make clean.) Avoid using lather, which can irritate a infant'south tender skin.
• Air the stump out. Help the base dry out by regularly exposing it to air.
• Stick to sponge baths.Don't dunk that navel underwater for now — sponge baths are enough. Once the stump falls off, experience free to bathe your baby in his pint-sized tub.
• Diaper delicately.Avoid covering the stump with the tiptop of his diaper. Some newborn-size disposables feature a little notch at the waistband, or y'all tin but fold down the front of the diaper to keep it from rubbing the stump expanse.
• Change diapers frequently. Change wet and dirty diapers promptly so they don't leak upward toward the navel and beal your baby'due south healing cord.
• Dress delicately also.Choose loose-fitting clothing that doesn't press against the stump or outfits with a special cutout for this area. Instead of onesies that snap at the crotch, effort kimono-style bodysuits, which necktie on the side for more air circulation and less rubbing.
• Resist touching or pulling.Permit the scab fall off on its ain. Never pull it, even if information technology seems to connect by just the tiniest thread. If information technology gets yanked off likewise soon, it could beginning haemorrhage continuously. If this happens, call your babe's doctor immediately.

Infected umbilical cord or belly button

Healing belly buttons almost always look worse than they actually are, even when they're progressing usually. It'due south rare that a healing umbilical cord stump gets infected, but when it does, the condition is chosen omphalitis.

Watch for these symptoms of a newborn belly button infection, or omphalitis:

• Red skin or a red, bloated appearance at the base of the string
• A fluid-filled lump on or nearly your baby'due south umbilical cord stump
• Oozing pus or discharge
• Bleeding from the scab (though a little dried blood is normal)
• Foul smell
• Fever or languor
• Low ambition
• Intestinal swelling
• Crying when y'all touch the cord or the area around it

If you detect any signs of infection or your babe seems to be in pain, telephone call your pediatrician. A class of antibiotics will get your infant's belly button back to healing in no time.

Umbilical cord or navel bleeding

It's normal to spot a few drops of blood on your baby's diaper after his stump falls off, but yous should monitor any additional umbilical cord bleeding closely. Contact your baby'due south doctor if a small corporeality of haemorrhage lasts for more than 3 days.

If heavier belly button bleeding won't terminate after x minutes of direct force per unit area applied two times or if in that location's a blood stain that's more than two inches beyond, immediately telephone call or visit the pediatrician. Continuous bleeding or a sizable spot of blood at this very young age (under a month) is a concern and should get checked out.

Less is more when it comes to caring for your baby'south umbilical string. If you keep the stump expanse dry and yous practise your best to avoid touching it when y'all diaper and apparel your baby, this little piece of leftover pare should fall off in no time at all.

From the What to Wait editorial squad and Heidi Murkoff, author ofWhat to Wait When Y'all're Expecting. What to Await follows strict reporting guidelines and uses simply apparent sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, bookish research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how nosotros proceed our content accurate and up-to-date past reading our medical review and editorial policy.

• What to Expect the Kickoff Year, 3rd edition, Heidi Murkoff.
• WhatToExpect.com, What's a Umbilical Granuloma and How Do You Treat Information technology?, June 2021.
• WhatToExpect.com, Cut Baby's Umbilical Cord: Should You Delay Clamping?, October 2018.
• WhatToExpect.com, Baby's First Bath, March 2019.
• WhatToExpect.com, How to Care for Omphalitis in Newborn Babies, November 2020.
• American Academy of Pediatrics, Umbilical String Care, December 2020.
• PediaClinic, Umbilical Granuloma, 2020.
• Seattle Children's, Umbilical Cord Symptoms, March 2021.
• Mayo Dispensary, Umbilical String Intendance: Do'due south and Don'ts for Parents, February 2020.
• March of Dimes, Umbilical String Weather condition, June 2016.

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Source: https://www.whattoexpect.com/baby-growth/umbilical-cord-care.aspx