Caring For Your Newborn's Umbilical Cord

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Babies still in the womb of the mother gain nutrition and health through the placenta, which is attached to the mother's uterus. The umbilical cord serves as a conduit between the developing foetus and the placenta. After the baby is born, it does not require the umbilical cord for nutrition. It is clamped and cut as close as possible to the baby's body in a painless procedure.

It is painless as the umbilical cord doesn't have any nerve endings. A stump is left in its place where a umbilical cord used to be present. The stump usually just dries up and falls off in about three weeks. The umbilical cord of the baby can be cared for by following certain procedures. In fact, care for baby umbilical cord should be of utmost importance.

Fitness Tips Post Pregnancy

Bathing: The umbilical cord of a baby should be cared for properly and should be kept clean and dry. A sponge bath is recommended if you are intent on cleaning him/her up. Tub bath is a strict no no. Be very careful so as not to make the cord too wet. A wet cord can lead to infection, although it is quite rare. However, you should be careful as it can greatly discomfort the toddler.

Clean the cord: Some may be against bathing the baby before the umbilical cord falls off and heals completely. To clean the cord, dip a sponge in water and gently clean the base of the cord. Dry it with a clean cotton swab. Caring for your baby's umbilical stump is easy if you manage to keep it dry.

Clothing: Clothing should be loose fitting and comfortable. The diaper can be folded right below the umbilical cord to keep it intact. The baby will be a lot more comfortable this way. As it starts drying, it is common for some blood to ooze out. Keep some clothes handy for such times. This forms an important part of care for baby umbilical cord.

Let the stump fall on its own: The bathing, cleaning and clothing restrictions are all recommended so that the umbilical cord falls off on its own. The cord from yellowish green turns to brown and finally black before falling off. Do not pull it off even if it is barely hanging onto the baby.

Infections and preventions: The healing process takes about 3 weeks and during this time, it is normal to see dried blood near the cord. The doctor must be contacted if the baby develops a fever or if the cord is pulled off too soon, which can result in active bleeding.

Umbilical Granuloma: At times, the cord will form a small reddened mass of scar tissue that causes a yellowish fluid to leak out. It normally doesn't require any medical assistance as it gets cured in about a week. If it isn't cured, you may need to go to a doctor to burn off the scar tissue. This forms an important part of care for baby umbilical cord.