Welcome to Umbilical Cord Care 101.

You’ve just had a baby, and now there is this funny looking cord hanging from what will eventually be his belly button. Now what? Welcome to Umbilical Cord Care 101.

If you are not familiar with caring for your newborn’s umbilical cord, you’re not alone. Every new parent goes through this, and as you can tell by how many people have well-healed belly buttons, it can’t be too hard. It used to be a lot more complicated than it is today, so new parents now don’t need to worry half as much as new parents did even a few years ago.

If you aren’t sure why that dangling thing is there, this is what remains of the umbilical cord after the baby is born. After the birth, either the medical care giver or a member of the baby’s family will cut the cord, severing the baby from the placenta. Before the baby was born, the umbilical cord was the baby’s lifeline. Containing three blood vessels, it carries nutrient and oxygen rich blood to the baby, and takes wastes and depleted blood back to the placenta to be renewed. Wastes pass through the placenta to be disposed of by the mother’s body, and the blood is renewed with oxygen and more nutrients. Cutting the cord does not hurt, as there are no nerve endings inside.

Now that you know what an important job your child’s umbilical cord did before baby was born, here are a few tips to remember when dealing with your brand new baby’s umbilical cord.

Once the umbilical cord is cut, a small stump remains. It may be clamped off with a plastic clamp, or tied off with a sterile cord. At first the cord will look fleshy and soft. After a few days, it will start to look dry and start turning brown. Eventually it will turn sort of black, and fall off. The entire process can take as few as four days, or as long as fourteen or more. Do not rush this process, no matter how tempted you may be.

Keep the stump as dry as possible. When diapering your baby, fold the diaper down so the stump is not buried inside. The more exposure the umbilical cord has to the air, the faster it will dry and fall off.

In the event that the cord gets dirty, wash it gently with a soft wet cloth. Dry it carefully with as little manipulation as possible… a hair dryer set on low and kept a safe distance from baby works well.

It is normal for the cord to seep fluid and blood occasionally. You may notice little dried flecks on baby’s clothing or diaper. This is completely normal. If you notice a wet area where the seepage is coming from, wipe it gently and expose to air.

If there is a lot of seepage or bleeding, contact your caregiver immediately to rule out infection or other complication. Other danger signs include the area around the cord becoming red and swollen, noticing yellowish pus oozing out, or if it smells foul. If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your caregiver immediately.

Even if the stump is hanging on by a narrow thread… don’t pull it off. It needs to come off completely on its own.

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