Umbilical cord care: how and why
Should I apply alcohol to the umbilical cord stump?
Short answer: It is not recommended. An outdated practice that has been shown to potentially delay the healing process.
In more detail:
This case–control study compared 2 different procedures for the UC care in infants born in a high-come hospital: dry cord care versus 70% alcohol. No statistically significant differences between the 2 UC care practices resulted regard to the occurrence of UC AEs (local infection, systemic disease, granuloma, bleeding, etc.), while time of UC separation was significant shorter in dry cord care group. Dry cord care is an easy, straight-forward, and safe method of handling the UC in healthy newborn infants born in a high-income hospital setting.
from the website of National Center for Biotechnology Information (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) — the United States National Library of Medicine and the National Center for Biotechnology Information (official website of the U.S. government)
It’s not a good idea to use alcohol on your baby’s umbilical cord area. In the past, new parents used rubbing alcohol to clean the umbilical cord after a bath or diaper change. Today, research shows this could destroy healthy bacteria that help the stump naturally fall off.
from the website of the Cleveland Clinic (my.clevelandclinic.org), updated on their website on April 10, 2024.
How should I care for the umbilical cord stump?
Short answer: Watch for signs of infection, keep it dry, gently clean it when needed, protect it from touching and rubbing, etc.
In more detail:
Instead of using alcohol, gently clean your baby’s umbilical cord stump with a damp sponge or cloth and allow it to air dry.
- Do sponge baths until the stump falls off This means using a soapy washcloth to clean your baby’s body rather than putting them into a tub of water. Allow the stump to air dry. Once the stump falls off, wait a couple of days and then do a real bath.
- Fold the diaper down When diapering your baby, fold the front of the diaper down below the cord stump and in toward your baby’s tummy. This helps keep poop and pee from reaching the stump. Some newborn diapers have a special cut-out cord area.
- Wipe clean as needed If poop or pee gets onto the cord stump, use a damp cloth to wipe the area. Allow it to air dry.
- Wait for the stump to fall off It’ll naturally do this on its own. Don’t try to pull off the stump, even if it seems like it’s dangling by a thread. Pulling off the cord stump may cause unnecessary bleeding and harm your baby.
- Watch for signs of infection These may include redness, swelling, fluid discharge, foul smell or bleeding. Call your pediatrician right away if you suspect an infection.
from the website of the Cleveland Clinic (my.clevelandclinic.org), updated on their website on April 10, 2024.
When does the umbilical cord stump fall off?
Short answer: Usually 1–3 weeks after birth. If it has not fallen off after 3 weeks, contact a doctor.
The umbilical cord stump typically dries up and falls off one to three weeks after birth. If it’s still attached at three weeks, contact your pediatrician as this may be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
from the website of the Cleveland Clinic (my.clevelandclinic.org), updated on their website on April 10, 2024.
* Most of these materials are sourced from original English-language sources. The translations were created with the help of Google Translate and ChatGPT. For the most complete and accurate information, please always refer to and verify the original source first. For the most complete and accurate information, please always refer to and verify the original source of the information.
Check the latest information on the topic yourself
Cited Sources
- 70% Alcohol Versus Dry Cord Care in the Umbilical Cord Care pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Umbilical Cord my.clevelandclinic.org
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