Proper treatment of the navel of a newborn - how to care for it. Rubbing alcohol and a bloody or inflamed navel
For nine months, the umbilical cord was the artery through which blood and all the necessary nutrients reached your baby's body. After the birth, the umbilical cord was definitively cut off, closed with a clamp, and your baby was left with the so-called navel sticking out. umbilical stump. At first glance, the umbilical stump appears very unsightly, but know that after the healing process, your baby will be left with a beautiful and unique navel, as it should be. When does the umbilical cord fall off? How to clean the navel of a newborn and how to care for it? What to do if a bloody or smelly navel appears in a newborn?
Author:Emily Anderson
Updated: 06.12.2023
When looking at their baby, some first-time mothers are surprised to see a 2 to 3 cm long umbilical stump - the umbilical cord - sticking out in the place where the navel is usually located. In several maternity hospitals, it is a practice to remove the protruding umbilical cord during the hospital stay. However, sometimes the stump remains with the baby even after you bring it home. There is no need to be afraid of anything, it is a natural thing. All that is needed is regular cleaning, hygiene and care to prevent infection and subsequent inflammation. How to take care of the navel of a newborn properly? Is rubbing alcohol suitable for the navel of a newborn?
Umbilical cord of a newborn
The umbilical cord (umbilical cord) represented the connection between the mother's body and the fetus during pregnancy. The task of the umbilical cord, which consists of two arteries and one vein, was to perform a nourishing and cleansing function. During this period, the umbilical cord supplied the fetus with nutrients, blood, oxygen and removed waste components. The umbilical cord itself has a standard length of around 50-70 cm, but it can be up to 130 cm.
After childbirth, the umbilical cord is cut. At that moment, all functions of the umbilical cord are interrupted, and the newborn's organism begins to perform all processes independently. It is interesting that the umbilical cord has no nerve endings, so cutting it does not cause any pain. Since the child was connected to the mother's organism through the umbilical cord, a small piece with dimensions of approximately 2 to 3 cm remains in the place where the baby will later have a navel. The umbilical cord is closed with a clamp and the process of its healing begins.
When does the umbilical cord fall off?
Two cases can occur in obstetric practice. In some maternity hospitals, the umbilical stump is removed with a simple operation with the help of a scalpel, and thus the process of cleaning and healing begins. In other maternity hospitals, the stump of the umbilical cord is left to fall off naturally. If the rest of the umbilical cord has been cut, healing at home is faster (if healing takes place without complications) because the parent does not have to wait for the stump to fall off. The umbilical cord usually falls off 5 to 10 days after birth. For children with a larger birth weight and a thicker umbilical cord, it can be a maximum of 14-21 days. If the umbilical cord has not fallen off even after 3 weeks from birth, inform the pediatrician about it.
How to care for the navel of a newborn
When caring for the navel of a newborn, it is important to follow certain rules and principles so that the healing process goes well and no complications arise. It is advisable to remember that after the umbilical cord has been cut, a small wound is created in the given place, which needs to be taken care of. The wound may ooze, light bleeding may also appear. Therefore, cleaning and proper care is important. Strict hygiene is the absolute basis for caring for the navel of a newborn.
How to clean the navel of a newborn?
By default, it is enough to wash the umbilical stump or the navel itself with gauze soaked in clean water. Then dry the place with a cotton towel or cotton swab. Try to keep as little moisture as possible. The umbilical cord may be sticky and there may be a faint bloody discharge, even if the umbilical stump falls off. You should clean your navel at least two to four times a day. Always use clean gauze when cleaning.
When bathing, be careful that the wound of the umbilical cord does not come into contact with soap or shampoo. Avoid soaking the wound while bathing. If it happens by mistake, it's okay, just dry the place thoroughly with a cotton towel or cotton swab. Do not apply any ointments, creams or fillings to the umbilical cord.
Alcohol on the navel of a newborn
It is also advisable to use 60 percent medical alcohol for cleaning. Compared to water, it has the advantage that it dries the wound and does not leave wet spots because it evaporates naturally. At the same time, alcohol has a disinfecting and anti-inflammatory effect. Put a few drops of rubbing alcohol on the square of gauze and clean the umbilical stump with gentle movements. For more precise cleaning, you can use cotton swabs that you soak in alcohol and thus clean the area around the wound. It is advisable to lift the stump of the umbilical cord slightly and thus also clean the space below it.
Instead of alcohol, it is possible to use other antiseptic preparations suitable for cleaning wounds. Some research points to the harmful effects of alcohol on the baby's nervous system. In this case, use clean water or the mentioned other disinfectants suitable for treating wounds in newborns as well. It is a good idea to consult a pediatrician about the suitability of disinfectants.
Access to air promotes healing
In no case do not cover the umbilical cord wound with gauze or a bandage. Also, when changing the diaper, avoid the diaper covering the navel. On the one hand, the umbilical cord of the diaper can irritate the baby when it moves, and on the other hand, air access is prevented, which is very important for wound healing. Otherwise, if the wound does not breathe, oozing may occur and there is a higher risk of infection. Try to dress the child in looser clothes that will not put pressure on the belly and the umbilical stump.
Navel after the umbilical cord has fallen off
How to clean the navel after the umbilical cord has fallen off? The principle remains the same, after the umbilical cord falls off, a small open wound remains in place of the navel. Cleaning and keeping the wound dry is important for the fastest possible healing. Continue to clean the navel with alcohol or clean water at least 2 times a day. If dirt, urine or stool accidentally gets into the wound, wash and dry the wound immediately. You can use a cotton swab on which you drop alcohol and very gently clean and disinfect the area at the same time.
You should apply such care until the navel heals. How the navel looks after the umbilical cord has fallen off can often be individual. Later, just cleaning with clean water is enough, the navel will gradually begin to form and will not require any special care. In some cases, after the umbilical cord has fallen off, small traces of wetting or bleeding may still appear, in other cases, you will only notice a small scab that will gradually fall off.
Bloody navel of a newborn and problematic healing
You can tell that the belly button is properly healed by the fact that there is no wetting, there is no scab, and when you gently stretch the belly button and apply gauze, the area is dry and free of dirt. If you are not sure that the navel wound is healed, visit your pediatrician. Also, if you suspect that healing is not progressing as it should, the wound is oozing, reddened or smells, definitely do not wait to see a doctor.
An inflamed belly button or discharge from the belly button
If the area is red, a yellowish discharge from the navel (pus) or regular active bleeding appears, these are clear symptoms of infection and ongoing inflammation. Also, if the navel bleeds even after the umbilical cord falls off. A very common symptom is a smelly navel in a newborn. An infection in the navel in a newborn can cause problematic and longer healing. The area is usually sensitive to touch and the baby responds to it. Fevers caused by inflammation in the body may also appear.
In some cases, wetting lasts longer and may be caused by the formation of new skin pores. It doesn't necessarily have to be a problem. Slight bleeding may occur as the stump heals or after it falls off. However, if the wetting is present for a long time or it is an active bleeding (even after you wipe the spot and another trace of blood appears), it is better to visit a pediatrician so that a diagnosis can be made and possible complications can be avoided.
Umbilical granuloma
It usually appears shortly after the umbilical stump falls off. It can be accompanied by wetness in the form of a yellow-green liquid, and pinkish-red fleshy tissue, the so-called, rises to the surface. granuloma. Usually, this phenomenon disappears by itself in the course of cleaning and caring for the navel of the newborn. If the granuloma does not disappear or, on the contrary, grows, visit a pediatrician, who will assess whether therapy is necessary. To remove this tissue, silver nitrate is used, which is applied to the tissue and it subsequently dies. Usually, however, the tissue shrinks and a doctor's intervention is not necessary.
Bulging navel/hernia navel in a newborn - experience
During the healing and formation of the navel, a phenomenon called a bulging navel may occur. In fact, it is a hernia of the navel (stripe), which occurs in its vicinity due to the tightening of the skin. Hernia or band is a relatively common congenital phenomenon in newborns and affects almost every fifth baby born. In adults, the band is formed most often due to lifting heavy loads. This phenomenon in newborns occurs due to diastasis of the abdominal muscles, which are not strong enough and the navel is thus bulging. In most babies, the navel retracts on its own during the development of the intra-abdominal muscles.
You can find out what stage the hernia is with a simple examination - gently press down on the navel. If it goes gently downwards, the hernia is mild and in order. On the contrary, if the navel does not go down after being pressed and remains tense, it is advisable to seek medical help. Retraction of a bulging navel can take a week in some cases, but in some cases even months. Depending on the size of the hernia. As the mothers mentioned in the discussions, covering the healed navel with a gauze pad and an anti-allergic plaster can help to pull the navel, so that it does not irritate the skin. The operation is necessary only in extreme cases, when the hernia is already painful for the baby.
The most frequent questions - FAQ
The baby's navel may not initially have the shape that some parents would expect, but it takes time. At the same time, strict hygiene and care of the umbilical stump is necessary. What are your experiences with caring for the navel of a newborn? Did certain complications appear in your case? Do you have any advice or tips for caring for the navel of a newborn? We will be happy if you share your experience with us in the discussion below the article. Feel free to add a comment that might help other parents.
How to care for the navel of a newborn?
How to clean the navel of a newborn?
When will the umbilical cord fall off?
What does a bloody navel of a newborn mean?
Is it possible to treat the umbilical cord with breast milk?
Pridať komentár
