What happens to my baby’s umbilical cord when they’re born?
After birth, your baby is ready to breathe and eat on their own so they no longer need their umbilical cord. Your provider will place a clamp on your baby’s umbilical cord and cut it. This stops the flow of oxygen and nutrient-rich blood from you to your baby.
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Does my baby have feeling in their umbilical cord?
The umbilical cord doesn’t have nerves so your baby has no feeling in the cord. Your baby doesn’t feel pain when the doctor cuts the cord. The cord doesn’t hurt your baby as it dries, shrinks and falls off.
How do I take care of my newborn’s umbilical cord?
After your baby is born, you’ll need to take steps to care for the umbilical cord after your hospital stay. It’s important to keep the cord stump clean and dry to prevent infection. You can take care of your newborn’s umbilical cord by:
- Allowing the cord to air dry. Don’t apply topical substances, such as alcohol, to dry it.
- When diapering your baby, make sure to fold the front of the diaper down below the cord and in toward your baby’s tummy so that the cord can dry. Some newborn diapers have a special cut-out cord area.
- Sponge bathe your baby. Wrap your baby in a towel and wash each body part with a sponge or washcloth. Don’t bathe your baby in a bathtub until the cord falls off. Occasional wiping of the cord with plain water and allowing it to air dry doesn’t increase the rate of infection or make the cord take longer to fall off. This may be needed, especially if your baby pees or poops on the cord.
- Waiting for the stump to fall off: The stump will naturally fall off. Although it may seem like a good idea to help your baby’s stump come off sooner, don’t pull it off on your own, even if it seems to be dangling or hanging by a thread. Pulling off the cord may result in unnecessary bleeding and harm your baby.
- Watching for signs of infection: This may include redness and swelling. In some cases, there may be fluid discharge, foul smell or bleeding. Call your baby’s provider right away if you suspect an infection.
How do I care for my baby’s belly button after the umbilical cord falls off?
Your child’s belly button might bleed a little when the cord falls off. Bleeding is similar to a scab falling off and light bleeding is normal. If your child bleeds continuously when their cord falls off, visit the emergency room.
A couple of days after the stump falls off your baby, continue giving them a sponge bath to make sure the entire cord removed itself and there is no bleeding from the area. Then, you can let your baby take a bath in a tub.
Can I throw away my baby’s umbilical cord stump when it falls off?
Yes, you can dispose of your baby’s umbilical cord stump after it falls off.
