What is an umbilical cord?
The umbilical cord is a tubular structure that carries food and oxygen
from mother to baby during pregnancy. It also draws waste products away from
the baby so that the mother's body can get rid of them.
After childbirth, doctors clamp and cut the umbilical cord. The
umbilical cord has no nerves, so neither you nor your baby will feel anything.
A small stump will remain on your baby's belly. It can be from half an inch to
an inch long.
At first, the stump may appear shiny and yellow. But as it dries, it can
turn brown, gray, or even purple or blue. It will shrivel and turn black before
falling off on its own.
This usually happens between 10 and 14 days after the baby is born, but
can take up to 21 days.
Care of the stump of the umbilical cord in a child
Here are a few things to keep in mind until the cord comes loose:
- Be gentle. Keep your hands off of it, and don’t ever pull on it.
- Keep the cord clean and dry at all times. Skip the tub and sink and give your baby sponge baths instead.
- Leave the cord alone until it falls off by itself.
- Fold diapers so that they rest below the cord to shield it from your little one’s pee. You can look for diapers that have an area cut out for the cord or cut a spot out of a regular diaper. Just place a piece of tape around it to seal the edges.
- If your baby has dirty stools and stool gets into the umbilical cord, wash it gently with soap and water.
Check your umbilical cord frequently for infections. Call your doctor if
you see:
- Blood on the end of the cord
- A white or yellow discharge
- Swelling or redness around the cord
- Signs that the area around the cord causes your baby pain
If your baby had a low birth weight because he was born prematurely or
had another medical condition, he may be more susceptible to infection, so it's
worth keeping a close eye on your baby - one of these signs.
What happens when the stump separates?
It's normal to see a few drops of blood on your baby's diaper. But if a
lot of blood comes out when the umbilical cord is separated, see a doctor
immediately.
If the umbilical cord hasn't come off after 3 weeks, be patient. Keep
the area dry and make sure it is not covered by your baby's diaper. If it
hasn't cleared up within 6 weeks, or if you see signs of a fever or infection,
call your doctor.
Once the cord is gone, continue to keep the area clean and dry. You may
notice a discharge of a yellow, sticky liquid. This is fine. Sometimes this
happens when the cord comes loose. It's not pus or infection.
You may also see scabs on the navel. This is also normal. But if your
child's stomach turns red, has a fever, or notices a cloudy discharge, call
your doctor.
Sometimes, a small amount of scar tissue can form a red mass on the
belly button. This bump is called an umbilical granuloma. If you see this and
it doesn't go away after about a week, let your doctor know. They'll put silver
nitrate on it. This will burn the area and the fabric will dry out. But
remember that the umbilical cord has no nerves, so your baby won't feel it.
At some point you will probably wonder what type of navel your baby will
have. You will have to wait until the stump is gone to be sure. But know that
the appearance of your baby's navel has nothing to do with how the doctor cut
the umbilical cord.
Cord complications
They don't happen often, but some health problems are associated with
the umbilical cord stump, including:
- Omphalitis: this is when the area around the stump of the
umbilical cord becomes infected. Symptoms may include soreness, bleeding or
leakage of fluid from the navel, irritability, and fever. He needs antibiotic
treatment.
- Umbilical hernia: In this condition, part of the baby's intestines
ruptures through the muscles near the navel. It is usually not serious and goes
away on its own by age 2.
- Umbilical granuloma: This is a small pinkish-red mass that does not fall off when the rest of the umbilical cord falls off. It doesn't hurt, and your child's doctor can remove it with stitches or freezing it with liquid nitrogen.