Care for the newborn's umbilical cord must be done in the right way. This aims to prevent irritation and infection of the baby's umbilical cord. What steps need to be taken in caring for the little one's umbilical cord? Check out the information in the following review.

In general, the umbilical cord or umbilical cord of a newborn will fall off or fall off within 1-3 weeks after birth. As long as it hasn't been released, the baby's parents need to keep the area clean and dry. This is because wet and damp conditions in the umbilical cord area can trigger the growth of germs that cause infection.

 


The Right Way to Take Care of the Newborn Umbilical Cord

Care for the newborn's umbilical cord should not be done haphazardly. There are certain ways to keep this baby's limbs clean and dry. These include:

Keeping the umbilical cord clean

Before taking care of the baby's umbilical cord, don't forget to wash your hands first. The umbilical cord does not need to be cleaned with alcohol. Just clean it with water, if indeed the umbilical cord is dirty. The umbilical cord should also be dried using a soft cloth or by fanning it dry.

Recent research says that the umbilical cord is likely to heal faster if left alone. Washing it with alcohol, soap, or antiseptic fluids can actually irritate the skin around the umbilical cord and make it heal longer. Also avoid giving oil, powder, herbs, or certain herbal medicines around the umbilical cord

Keep the umbilical cord dry

Leave the umbilical cord open without covering it with dry gauze or covering it with a diaper. When diapering the baby, make sure the umbilical cord is not covered by the diaper. This is so that the umbilical cord is not exposed to the baby's urine and feces which can cause infection.

Babies also need to wear clothes made of soft and absorb sweat, so that air circulation runs well on their skin. Also avoid wearing bodysuits (which cover the whole body) to your little one.



Let the umbilical cord fall off naturally

Letting the umbilical cord fall off by itself is one of the correct ways to care for the umbilical cord. Do not force the umbilical cord to be removed by pulling it because it can cause bleeding and infection.

As long as the umbilical cord is still attached, bathe the baby by washing his body using a washcloth or bath sponge. Avoid soaking the baby in the bath until the umbilical cord drops.

Things to Look For During Baby's Umbilical Cord Care

You don't need to worry if you see a change in the color of the baby's umbilical cord during the healing process.

In the early days after the baby is born, the umbilical cord is usually yellowish and shiny. Over time, the umbilical cord dries and shrinks until it finally sheds. Usually the color of the umbilical cord will be brown, gray, purplish, bluish, then black.

When the umbilical cord ruptures, there may be a little blood in the little one's navel. Don't worry, this is also normal. In addition, sometimes there is clear or yellow fluid and residual tissue in the navel called umbilical granulomas. This fluid can disappear by itself.



Conditions that need to be watched out for and need to be treated by a doctor are if the baby's umbilical cord shows signs of infection, such as:

• Pus in the umbilical cord

• Baby has fever

• The skin around the umbilical cord area is swollen and reddish in color

• The umbilical cord is yellowish or smells bad

• The umbilical cord is bleeding profusely and continuously

• The baby cries every time the umbilical cord or the skin around it is touched

Caring for a newborn's umbilical cord is generally not too difficult, it's just that it takes patience to care for it until the umbilical cord is completely gone. Never force it off even though it looks healed. The most important thing is to take care of the baby's umbilical cord properly, so that the release of the umbilical cord and healing can be faster.

However, your little one needs to be examined by a pediatrician if the umbilical cord has not fallen off after 3-6 weeks. The reason is, this can be a sign of a health problem, such as an infection or immune system disorder.