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Umbilical Cord:

When your baby is first born, you will need to take care of their umbilical cord until it falls off. Actually, part of the care you must give it is to help speed the process of it coming off naturally.

The best way to do this is to avoid water on the area, and to try to dry it out as best you can. This works well by using rubbing alcohol and applying it every time you change your child's diaper. Usually, the hospital where you had your baby will send home some disposable alcohol wipes, and these work great, because they aren't quite as cold on your baby's skin.

But, it is likely that you will run out of these long before your baby's cord falls off, which means you will have to use something else to apply alcohol with.

One of the best things to use is a cotton ball. These can work great, but sometimes they can hold too much alcohol and this will make your baby's skin very cold when you try to apply it. Another excellent thing to use is a Q-tip, and these don't hold near as much as a cotton ball does.

You shouldn't give your baby a regular bath until after the umbilical cord has fallen off completely. Instead, you should give your child a sponge bath until this time, and try not to get the cord wet at all.

Most babies umbilical cords come off within a few weeks, and your baby will likely have a check-up scheduled with the pediatrician at 2 weeks old, and this is one of the things the doctor will look at when you take the baby in.

If your baby's umbilical cord area ever starts to swell or bleed, you should call your doctor immediately. It may be nothing, but you should always cal just to be sure.



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