Remember to avoid covering the cord with the diaper, because the cord area should be kept dry and clean at all times. If the diaper is too high, fold it down on your baby before securing. You can also buy special newborn diapers that have a space cut-out for the umbilical cord.
While her cord is attached, use the notch-cutout diapers (or fold down a regular one), and be sure to daub the stump with a wet cotton ball or swab when you change her.
Use layers.
A cotton onesie. It's okay if that covers the umbilical cord because it can still breathe. A shirt with pants and socks or. A suit/pajamas covering the feet.
Using newborn diapers that have a special cut out or folding your baby's diaper down will help keep the cord from becoming irritated. If weather permits, dress your baby in just a t-shirt and diaper to allow more time for the cord to dry out.
Use comfortably fitting—not tight—onesies, or just dress baby in diapers and T-shirts. Don't clean the stump unless it comes in contact with stool or other potential infectants. In that case, clean it with water and a mild soap, and dry it thoroughly. Leave it alone.
You don't need to use antiseptics and alcohol. Let the cord sit out of the nappy so it dries out in the air; this can be done by folding the nappy under the cord stump. There is no need to cover the cord stump with Band-Aids or bandages, as this stops airflow around the stump.
You should: Keep it dry. Expose it to air. Give your baby sponge baths (keeping the cord dry) until it falls off.
Keep the stump dry.
Researchers now say this might kill bacteria that can help the cord dry and separate. Instead, 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.
To keep your cord in good shape, you must store it in a cool, dry place. Rubbing it down with alcohol also sanitizes it and helps with the drying process. Once the cord is dry, you can place it in a keepsake box or even wear it as a piece of jewelry.
The cord can't fall off too early. The average cord falls off between 10 and 14 days. Normal range is 7 to 21 days. Even if it falls off before 7 days, you can follow this advice.
A wet diaper on the cord keeps the cord from drying and increases the risk of infection. Do not bathe your baby in a tub or sink until the cord falls off. You may give your baby a sponge bath until then. When the cord falls off, you might notice a small pink area in the bottom of the belly button.
An umbilical cord may become compressed or damaged before or during childbirth. Common signs of umbilical cord problems include an irregular fetal heartbeat and decreased or low fetal movement.
Can You Bathe Your Baby While the Umbilical Cord Stump Is Still Attached? During your baby's first few weeks, while the umbilical cord stump is still attached, you should only give sponge baths. A sponge bath is as simple as wrapping your baby in a towel, and wiping her with a damp washcloth and soapy water.
Check the waist
A diaper should close easily without having to tug and pull at them. Also, consider the rise of the diaper. A properly fitting diaper should come just slightly below your little one's belly button. If it's fitting a little more like a low rise, it's time to move on up!
The blood vessels in the cord are surrounded by thick sheath, and within the sheath is a substance called Wharton's jelly, which protects the umbilical cord from pressure.
In short, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association recommend against storing cord blood as a form of "biological insurance," because the benefits are too remote to justify the costs.
Delayed umbilical cord clamping is associated with significant neonatal benefits in preterm infants, including improved transitional circulation, better establishment of red blood cell volume, decreased need for blood transfusion, and lower incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and intraventricular hemorrhage.
Signs The Umbilical Cord Is Around Baby's Neck
It's visible via ultrasound. Your practitioner can detect a nuchal cord about 70 percent of the time during routine ultrasounds, although it's usually not possible to determine if the cord is short or tight around the neck.
The best way to care for your newborn's umbilical cord is to keep it clean and dry. Make sure you fold your child's diaper in the front so it doesn't cover up the stump and make it harder for it to dry up. Avoid the temptation to help your child's cord fall off by pulling on it.
Meredith Shur, MD, FACOG, is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, as well as a certified medical examiner. According to research from the Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network, umbilical cord accidents account for around 10% of stillbirths.
If the cord is looped around the neck or another body part, blood flow through the entangled cord may be decreased during contractions. This can cause the baby's heart rate to fall during contractions. Prior to delivery, if blood flow is completely cut off, a stillbirth can occur.
When the umbilical cord is not cut, it naturally seals off after about an hour after birth. The umbilical cord and attached placenta will fully detach from the baby anywhere from two to 10 days after the birth.
Once the stump falls off, feel free to bathe your baby in his pint-sized tub. Diaper delicately. Avoid covering the stump with the top of his diaper. Some newborn-size disposables feature a little notch at the waistband, or you can simply fold down the front of the diaper to keep it from rubbing the stump area.
Signs of an Infected Umbilical Cord Stump
A smelly yellow discharge from the stump area. A reddening of the skin around the stump. Swelling of the navel area. Your baby crying when you touch the stump, indicating it is tender or sore.
But for most families, bathing the baby two to three times a week is plenty after the first couple of weeks of life. In fact, we recommend delaying your newborn's first full bath for at least two weeks.