Caring for a newborn is a simple affair, for if you think about it, they just need to be fed, cleaned, and put to bed. Babies cry now and then, and most times, it’s because they’re hungry, tired, or need their diaper changed.
There is, however, another aspect of newborn baby care that needs attention, and that is a baby’s umbilical cord stump, which will fall off after a few days of the infant’s birth. In the meantime, it has to be cleaned and kept dry to keep it from getting infected. Read on to know more.
We often take our navels for granted, when in fact, it is a lifelong reminder that we were once in our own mother’s womb!
While still in their mother’s womb, babies receive all the nourishment they need via the placenta which is attached to her uterus. This placenta connects to the baby by an umbilical cord attached to the little one’s navel. At birth, this cord is clamped and cut off as closely as possible to the baby, leaving behind the umbilical stump which will dry up and eventually fall off.
Care has to be taken to avoid infections to this stump while it’s waiting to fall off. So, in the meantime, here are some ways to care for it.
Keeping the stump clean
If the stump appears dirty or sticky, clean it very gently with a soft, absorbent washcloth and plain water. It used to be that parents were instructed to use alcohol on the umbilical stump during diaper changes, but studies have pointed out that the stump will heal faster without it. In any case, this piece of information is meant to enlighten, so do follow the instructions given to you by your doctor or midwife in regards to your baby’s umbilical stump care.
Expose the stump to fresh air as much as possible to help it dry up quickly. Keep the front of your baby’s diaper folded down to avoid covering the stump and also to keep urine away from it.
Appropriate clothing helps
To help the umbilical stump dry up and help it fall off faster, keep your baby comfortable in loose clothing. Avoid dressing your baby in bodysuit-style clothing or onsides. Not only will it be more difficult to check and manage the umbilical cord stump, but these clothing types also tend to have poor air circulation. Also, avoid clothing that is too snug around the tummy area.
The aim is to air out the umbilical stump as much as you can so that it will have a better chance of healing quickly.
Just sponge baths will do for the first few days
To avoid infections, stick to sponge baths for now and avoid placing baby in a bathtub. Once the baby’s umbilical stump has fallen off and the wound has healed completely, you may begin to give your little bundle his or her tub baths.
It’s never safe to pull at the stump
We’ve all been there before – when we spot a hangnail on our finger and mistakenly assume that it will be alright to just pull it off, for, after all, it looks like it’s just hanging by a thread, right? That is until we tug at it and realise that it is quite painful to do so! A baby’s umbilical cord stump is the same – even if it looks like it’s just about to fall off if not for a tiny piece still adhering to the navel, avoid pulling off the stump! Your baby’s skin is delicate and sensitive, therefore tugging it off may lead to unnecessary wounding and infections. Allow every part of the cord to dry off on its own and heal naturally.
Umbilical cord stump infection
Infection of the umbilical cord stump must be taken seriously, for it can result in a life-threatening infection called omphalitis.
Signs of infection include the following:
- The base of the stump appears red or swollen
- The base still bleeds after the first couple of days
- The stump oozes yellowish or white pus
- The stump produces a foul-smelling discharge
- Your baby seems to be in pain when you touch the umbilical stump area
Consult your doctor if you notice any of the above signs. You should also consult the doctor if your baby’s umbilical cord is actively bleeding. Active bleeding in the umbilical cord means that when a drop of blood is wiped away, another drop appears.
When the stump falls off
When a baby’s umbilical stump falls off, a little bleeding might occur. However, it’s not supposed to be oozing of pus and neither should the surrounding skin be red and swollen. If any of these happen, do consult your doctor for they may be signs of infection.
The Lotus Birth
There is this birthing practice of leaving the umbilical cord uncut and attached to the placenta and baby until it falls off naturally, which usually about 10 days. It’s called the Lotus Birth and it used to be quite the thing back in the 1970s, although most young moms and moms-to-be today are probably not aware of it. Upon birth, a baby’s umbilical cord is left intact while waiting for the birth of the placenta. Once the placenta appears, it will take a few minutes for it to completely stop pulsating and for all the remaining blood to transfer to the baby’s body.
The placenta can then be gently washed in warm water and drained dry. Some practitioners recommend rinsing the placenta again after a few hours to thoroughly remove any residue. Once it’s cleaned properly, it can be patted dry.
The placenta is usually placed in a sieve or colander to drain and dry completely for 24 hours. Putting a towel underneath can help to absorb any moisture. Once dried, a generous sprinkling of either salt or dried rosemary (covering the whole placenta) will help prevent any odours. Some moms also use lavender oil or other essential oil for this purpose. The placenta is placed in a special bag while the cord, still connected to the baby, can be left exposed or wrapped in silk or cotton. Plastic containers are not used for it slows down the drying process and may even hasten deterioration.
The placenta goes wherever the baby goes, so extra care has to be given. The baby can still be given a bath, but care has to be given to keep the placenta dry – The cord dries off easily but the placenta won’t. Avoid moving the baby around unnecessarily during this time. You’ll have to regularly check on the placenta to wipe off any excess moisture or reapply your dried herbs or salt. The main thing is to keep it as dry as possible all the time.
Will the baby have an innie or outie?
For some reason, more humans prefer to have an ‘innie’ navel compared to an ‘outie’. There is no way to predict what a baby will end up with. In some beliefs, taping a coin or other flat object over a baby’s navel will help produce an ‘innie’, but there is very little physical proof and absolutely no scientific proof of this.
Reference: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/497030, Trends in Umbilical Cord Care: Scientific Evidence for Practice
