my son is 10 days old today, his umbilical cord fell off after 8 days but before it did, it smelled very bad. the doctor told me not to mess with it before i left the hospital so i never put any alcohol on it or cleaned it with water or anything, now that its fallen off, it is still gooey in the middle and it still gets little crusties on it, is this normal? i think it still had a very slight smell to it, but nothing like it was before the cord fell off. there are no other signs of infections and it isnt red and it doesnt bother him or anything, the past few days i have been dabbing alcohol on it and i dont know if it seems to help, is the cord normal to have a strong smell to it? or should i call the doctor? the cord has already fallen off but the gooey stuff in the middle is not healed yet, is this normal?
2007-06-23 08:26:53 · 15 answers · asked by Arie 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
hi monica, first of all congratulations on your new baby and your safe delivery, thanks God! is it a boy or a girl? :) well, first wash your hands well and just clean it with alcohol swab or get a cotton ball and wet or soak it with alcohol and gently wipe it from outside to inside in circular motion, do it at least 2 times in a day and hopefully around 2-3 days the umbilical area will dry up. please don't pinch or squeeze any gooey's : ) it will dry up hopefully and don't cover the umbilical area with diaper, just fold it way down to expose the area with some air, i hope i helped you in a way, God bless and kisses to your baby :)
2007-06-23 18:58:32 · answer #1 · answered by *dimples* 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My doctor also told me not to put anything on my son belly button cord too but then it go infected. It sounds like yours did the same thing. I put rubbing alcohol on it. It cleaned up the infection and healed in two days and was completely healed in 3 days. Just put it on there every time you change his diaper.
The gooey stuff is normal. I asked my doctor about that too. My doctor had asked me if when I gave my son a bath, was there a chance I was getting it wet. I said yes. That brought on the infection. Not that your sons cord has fallen off, still give him a sponge bath until it is completely healed.
Congrats! and Best of luck!
2007-06-23 09:27:51 · answer #2 · answered by luvae3187 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
After I had my son, his umbilical cord smelled funny too. I took him into the doctor, and she just told me to put alcohol on it. I know what you mean by the gooey stuff in the middle. That's how my baby's was. I think the smell is normal, unless it's extremely strong. His smelled almost rotten. Like he had peed on it and it just got yucky. I think you're baby's fine. Just make sure it doesn't start to bleed a lot. A little blood is ok. Good Luck!! and Congrats!
2007-06-23 09:29:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just give it a swipe with a damp cotton ball... you could use alcohol if you wish. Probably the last of the gooey stuff will rub right off.
That is exactly what my 2nd and 3rd baby's cords did. My first baby's cord took forever to fall off because I wiped it with alcohol twice a day.
Unless it gets red and hard, you're fine. Just keep it clean and dry (other than the damp cloth/cotton ball) and it will finish healing.
2007-06-23 08:46:50 · answer #4 · answered by busybusymomma 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My daughter is 3 months old and it took almost 2 weeks for her cord to come off. We took her to the doctor b/c it started to smell REALLY bad. The first time we took her he didn't take it off, he just cleaned it with alcohol and put a drying agent on it to clear up all of the '****'. It was really freaking me out! Then we took her back to the doctor b/c it still didn't come off and it was still smelling THEN we saw blood. When we went back the doctor just took it off - which didn't hurt at all. He then put some more drying agent stuff on it. It has cleared up nicely now. You probably need to call the doctor to get something to help dry it up. That will clear up the smell and the goo.
Good luck.
2007-06-23 08:39:34 · answer #5 · answered by djssexymom 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your baby's umbilical cord stump will change from yellowish green to brown to black as it dries out and eventually falls off — usually within 12 to 15 days after birth. In the meantime, treat the area gently.
* Keep the stump clean. Parents were once instructed to swab the stump with rubbing alcohol after every diaper change. Researchers now say the stump may heal faster if left alone. If the stump becomes dirty or sticky, wash it with soap and water and dry it well. Hold a clean, absorbent cloth around the stump or use the low setting on a hair dryer, being careful to hold the dryer a safe distance from the baby.
* Keep the stump dry. Expose the stump to air to help dry out the base. Keep the front of your baby's diaper folded down to avoid covering the stump. Change wet or soiled diapers quickly to prevent irritation. In warm weather, dress your baby in a diaper and T-shirt to improve air circulation.
* Stick with sponge baths. Sponge baths may be most practical during the healing process. When the stump falls off, you can bathe your baby in a baby tub or sink.
2007-06-23 08:38:36 · answer #6 · answered by Incongruous 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's normal. Keep doing the rubbing alcohol a couple times a day until it heals completely. And yes, they do smell awful just before they fall off!
2007-06-23 08:35:03 · answer #7 · answered by kati9 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
all you will need is alcohol. the hospital has these little alcohol swabs and you could use them to clean around the umbilical area and help dry it out so it can fall off. It is not recommended to cover the area. You will be ok ;) Congratulations and Good Luck
2016-04-01 01:02:52 · answer #8 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
thats normal, dont worry, just clean with a damp cotton ball, i was advised not to use anything with alcohol in it, but it sound s like it is healing, scary being a mum isnt it sometimes! congratulations
2007-06-23 09:21:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
its normal. you don't really need to do anything to it, let it have some daily "air time" it just needs to dry out. Also fold your diapers down or buy ones that have the umbilical area removed. you are doing a great job, don't worry
2007-06-23 10:14:07 · answer #10 · answered by Panda 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋