What is cord care?

Cord care is how to care for your baby's umbilical cord stump. Before your baby is born, the umbilical cord
brings nutrition and oxygen to him and removes his waste. After birth, your baby does not need the
umbilical cord anymore. Healthcare providers cut off all but a small part (stump) of the umbilical cord. The
stump dries and falls off in about 7 to 21 days, leaving a bellybutton.

Importance of cord care

Cord care helps prevent infection around your baby's cord stump. Very rarely, these infections can enter
your baby's body and cause severe or even life-threatening disease.

How do I care for my baby's cord?

 Wash your hands. Use soap and water. Wash your hands before and after you clean his stump.
 Clean the cord stump. Gently wash the cord stump and the skin around it with mild soap and warm
water during every bath. Gently pat the stump dry after your baby's bath.
 Use rubbing alcohol or water. Your baby's healthcare provider may suggest you use rubbing
alcohol or water and a cotton swab to clean the stump. Gently wipe from the base to the top of the
stump with a cotton swab dampened with rubbing alcohol or water. Clean the stump with each
diaper change.
 Clean urine or bowel movement off the stump. If your baby's stump gets dirty from urine or bowel
movement, wash it off right away with water. Gently pat the stump dry after you clean it.
 Let the cord air dry. After diaper changes or stump cleaning, fold the front of the diaper down below
the cord stump to let it air dry.
 Dress your baby in loose clothing. Loose-fitting clothes will help the stump dry out faster.
 Do not pull or tug at the cord stump. The stump will fall off on its own.
 Do not cover the cord stump. If you want to use a bellyband on your baby, use only clean, dry
gauze.
 Signs of infection

Signs of a local infection at the stump include:

 Foul-smelling, yellow drainage from the stump

 Redness, swelling, or tenderness of the skin around the stump
Be aware of signs of a more serious infection. Contact your baby's health care provider immediately if your
baby has:

 Poor feeding
 Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
 Lethargy
 Floppy, poor muscle tone
If the cord stump is pulled off too soon, it could start actively bleeding, meaning every time you wipe away a
drop of blood, another drop appears. If the cord stump continues to bleed, call your baby's provider
immediately.

Sometimes, instead of completely drying, the cord will form pink scar tissue called a granuloma. The
granuloma drains a light-yellowish fluid. This will most often go away in about a week. If it does not, call
your baby's provider.

If your baby's stump has not fallen off in 4 weeks (and more likely much sooner), call you baby's provider.
There may be a problem with the baby's anatomy or immune system.