What to do if the baby's umbilical cord does not fall off

Umbilical cord care after birth is very important. After a newborn is born, the doctor will use a pair of large scissors to cut the umbilical cord, leaving a wound next to the baby's belly. This wound can easily cause infection and pose a threat to the newborn's life. Generally speaking, the umbilical cord will dry up and fall off soon after it is cut. So, what should you do if your baby's umbilical cord doesn't fall off?

What to do if the newborn's umbilical cord does not fall off

After the baby is born, the doctor will tie the baby's umbilical cord. After a few hours, the umbilical cord stump will turn brown-white, and then gradually dry up, become thinner, turn black, and eventually fall off.

Under normal circumstances, the umbilical cord of most newborns falls off in about 2 weeks. If the baby's umbilical cord has not fallen off after 2 weeks, parents must carefully observe the condition of the umbilical cord to see if there are signs of infection or inflammation, such as no redness, swelling or suppuration; if there is no large amount of fluid oozing out of the baby's navel, parents do not need to worry too much, just insist on disinfecting the baby's navel with alcohol every day. If any abnormal situation occurs, it is recommended to take the baby to the hospital for treatment.

It is important to keep the baby's belly button dry, because the tied umbilical cord is a necrotic tissue and it is easy to be infected with bacteria if it is wet. If this area dries up quickly, the umbilical cord will fall off more easily and the baby will not be easily infected by bacteria. Therefore, it is necessary to keep your belly button dry.

When caring for the baby, if the umbilical cord is accidentally soaked with water or urine, mothers should immediately wipe it dry with a dry cotton ball or clean soft gauze, and then disinfect it with an alcohol swab.

It is also important to note that the baby should not be bathed in a tub before the umbilical cord falls off. Keep your baby's belly button dry. You can also wrap the belly button with gauze to protect it from getting dry.