The umbilical cord is the “supply line” that connects the developing fetus to the placenta, delivering oxygen and nutrients that the developing fetus needs to grow. At birth, the umbilical cord is cut and clamped. It will usually dry up over the next few days before falling off on its own.
Many parents (including my husband) are not comfortable handling the umbilical cord. However, umbilical cord care is actually very simple. The most important thing to remember is that your job is to keep it clean and dry, and allow it to fall off by itself. That's really it! Here, I share some tips to care for umbilical cord stump.
What the umbilical cord stump looks like
After birth, the baby’s umbilical cord is cut and clamped (with a plastic clip). Bub was discharged with the plastic clip still clamped to the cord. (We had left the clip on when we brought bub home, but in retrospect, it would have been better to remove the clamp earlier because that would make handling the cord easier. That's up to you.)
In the first two days, the cord stump appears white and shiny. Thereafter, the cord stump will dry up and shrivel, turning brown to grey-black before falling off.
How long does the umbilical cord stump take to fall off?
It may be anywhere from 5-15 days. Bub's cord fell off at ~7 days.
Caring for the umbilical cord stump
1. Keep it clean
The nurses at our hospital taught this to us: Soak sterile cotton balls/ gauze in cool boiled water or sterile water. Clean the cord stump from the base upwards, changing cotton balls with each wipe. There is no need to use rubbing alcohol or other antiseptics. Let the cord stump air dry thereafter.
2. Keep it dry
Keep the cord exposed to air as much as possible. Ensure that it is not covered by the diapers or tight clothing. During bath time, avoid wetting the cord stump as much as possible. It is preferable to do sponge baths rather than bathing baby in a tub as it can help you keep the cord drier. If you have inadvertently wet the cord stump during bath time, gently dab dry with a clean towel then air dry.
3. Let it fall off on its own
Over the days as the umbilical cord shrivels and dries, it will become loosely attached before finally dropping. DO NOT pull it off, even if its only attached by a thin strip, as this may cause bleeding.
4. Look out for signs of infection
Observe for any redness, swelling, pus, or foul smelling discharge at the base and the skin around the cord stump site. These are signs of an infection and require medical attention if present.
Aaaand there you have it! Easy peasy!! Remember again that the key is to keep it clean and dry, while observing for any signs of infection.
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