One of the things that families with a newborn baby worry about the most is the umbilical cord. They may think that it hurts the baby when the belly is touched, and they may not know what to do about its care. Since there is no nerve tissue in the umbilical cord, it does not hurt babies when touched. So, what should and should not be done for care?
The basic principle in umbilical cord care is to keep the umbilical cord dry and clean.
In order to keep it dry, it is necessary to ensure that the umbilical cord breathes. To do this, it is necessary to tie the baby's diaper by folding the upper part of the diaper under the umbilical cord. In addition, contact with urine prevents the cord from getting wet.
Wearing a t-shirt with an open bottom in hot weather in summer and loose clothes in winter allows the belly to breathe and stay dry.
A sponge until the belly falls down to keep it dry. You can take a wiping bath with a wet, damp cloth or sponge, which we call a bath.
If urine or feces get dirty, you can clean it with a cotton swab and water and then dry it.
You should never wrap a cloth around the navel.
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You should wash your hands before every care.
If you follow all these, the umbilical cord will dry on its own and fall off, and there will be no risk of infection. Thus, you do not need to apply anything for care. -It falls in 2 weeks. Sometimes it can take up to the 3rd week. If it is delayed further, it would be beneficial to consult your doctor.
It is normal to see slight blood in the gland or navel after the umbilical cord falls, but if there is active bleeding, you should consult your physician.
After the navel falls, sometimes a small red mass with bright yellowish discharge, which we call granuloma, which is an abnormal healing tissue, forms in the healing area. This tissue is treated by burning it with silver nitrate. This procedure, which can be performed by your doctor, is not painful.
In umbilical cord infection, there will be redness, swelling, tenderness in the skin around the navel, and foul-smelling discharge from the navel. In such a case, your physician should definitely evaluate you.
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