When does the umbilical cord fall off?
As soon as the baby is born, the doctor clamps the umbilical cord and cuts it. The blood stops circulating through the vessels, and the baby begins to breathe and eat on its own.
The umbilical cord of the newborn is cut off right after it is born, leaving a small piece. Photo: Getty There are two ways to remove the umbilical cord:
- The cord or clamp is fastened to the umbilical cord. After 4-5 days the remainder dries and disconnects from the navel. It remains only a small wound, which must be kept clean until complete healing.
- The umbilical cord is removed on the second day after birth andimpose a special bandage. After a while, the pressure of the dressings is weakened, and after 24 hours they are removed. In place of the wound there is a crust, which disappears after 6-7 days.
After discharge from the hospital, my mother should take care of the wound herself.
On what day does the wound heal?
It may take some time before the wound is completely healed.several weeks. The period depends on individual characteristics and the thickness of the umbilical cord. In order for the navel to heal faster, you need to ventilate the room more often, leave the baby naked so that the skin can breathe and the umbilical cord dries out. Until the wound is completely healed, you do not need to bathe the baby, it is enough to wipe the skin with a cloth soaked in warm water. But if there is such a need, the area around the navel must be well dried. In no case should you tear off the remainder of the umbilical cord yourself. It is enough to regularly wipe the wound with cotton swabs and ventilate. The main thing is that the remainder of the umbilical cord does not rub against diapers, nappies or clothes. The healed navel acquires the same shade as the skin of the abdomen.
What to do if bleeding from the wound, where was the umbilical cord of the newborn?
If the wound starts to bleed, it needs to be treated especially carefully. Treatment procedure:
The frequency of the procedure is 2-3 times a day. If a crust appears on the navel, it should be carefully removed with hydrogen peroxide and cotton swabs. A newborn should be shown to a doctor if he has:
- very often bleeds wound;
- increased body temperature;
- there was swelling, tightness, or redness near the navel;
- from a navel the liquid of grayish or yellow color with an unpleasant smell is allocated.
This may indicate the presence of infection.Knowing, on what day the umbilical cord falls off and how to care for the wound, young mothers will not feel so much and will feel more confident.
