The umbilical cord is the cord which acts as a lifeline for the baby when it is warm and cosy inside the mother’s womb, unaware of the world it is about to enter. The placenta which carries the nourishment and the oxygen content for the developing foetus has got itself attached to the baby by the umbilical cord. As soon as the baby arrives the cord remains vastly invalid for further usage and so is cut and clamped, attached to the belly button. What remains behind is the stump. The stump usually dries itself and falls off in about three to four weeks of birth. So, in this post few tips are discussed for how to take care of Umbilical Cord Stump.

The umbilical cord stump requires extra care as anything that goes wrong with it like bleeding, developing puss, cannot go down well with the baby. Here are some tips to help you keep your baby away from hurting the area.

How to take care of Umbilical Cord Stump:

Keep the area dry:

When giving a bath to the newborn make sure you make it get dry after the bath. Many suggest that a warm sponge bath is the best option for the babies. However, if you give a tub bath make sure to dry it completely as any moisture would make the area damp which can lead to further issues. Be careful when you massage your baby.

Keep it open and airy:

Because of the ugly look that it generates many try to hide away the area with bandages and clothes, but that is not advisable. Let the area be covered by just a loose t-shirt which allows the circulation of air. Doing so can help it fall out easily.

Care with the Diapers:

When making your little one wear a diaper, cover the front part a bit inwards, this folding helps in avoiding any rubbing against the area of the stump and prevents redness and irritation. It also helps keep the area exposed to air.

Don’t try to pull by Force:

Whatever look it displays the stump fall off within few weeks after birth and any pulling by force or manually removing can hurt the baby, it should be left on its own and fall off by itself.

Alarming signs:

If the stump starts oozing puss or bleeds profusely, immediately run to the doctor. Look out for any unpleasant smell generating from the area. Even redness that continues for a longer period is an alarming sign. However when it falls off a little reddish colour appears on the skin that is all right as it fades away after a few days.

These were the tips to how to take care of Umbilical Cord Stump. Hope, you find it useful.

Happy Parenting Moms!

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About Sidra Rizvi

Sidra Rizvi is a Post Graduate in Mass Communication from AMU. She has three gold medals to her credit in this field. She has been a freelancer and worked with Times of India. She has written a script for Zee Salam on which a short series Pehchaan was broadcasted.