Umbilical Cords and Belly Buttons

As your baby developed in the womb, she depended on a vein and two arteries in the umbilical cord for nutrients and to bring oxygen-rich blood from the placenta.

The cutting of the cord is one of the most special memories of your little one's debut. Now, all that remains of a nearly two-foot-long lifeline is a darkly colored, inch-long stub. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), that fragment should drop off one to three weeks after delivery. However, it's your job to care for the remnant until it falls off.

Don't worry— it might not be as hands-on as you think. While parents were once advised to clean the area with rubbing alcohol, that's no longer the case. Now, moms and dads should:

Keep the stump dry. Expose the stump to air to help dry out the base. Keep the front of your baby's diaper folded down to avoid covering the stump. Give your baby a sponge bath instead of a tub bath to avoid moistening the stub as much as possible.

Dress her appropriately. Before the stump can fall off, it must dry out. Clothe your baby in a T-shirt and diapers designed to leave the cord exposed to air, weather permitting; folding down the lip of the diaper helps, too.

Be patient. No matter how close to dropping off the stump appears, let it happen naturally. You might cause a problem by attempting to hurry the process. It's normal to see a little blood or scab-like material at the stump site.

Signs of a Problem

If the stump lingers longer than three weeks after birth, the AAP advises speaking with your pediatrician to find out why it's sticking around. Some umbilical cord stump problems might not need a physician's care, but symptoms of infection warrant immediate medical attention. Some indicators of infection are if the area oozes pus or the skin becomes red and swollen.

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