why hasnt my month old baby's umbilical cord fell off yet?

Question

i have been cleaning it with alcohol,and i can kind of see under it and it looks light pink. when i clean it a kind of bloody goo comes out, but its not really blood, i dont think =( she doesnt cry when i clean it, so it must not hurt. im just a worried, new, single mom and thought it was supposed to come off between 10-14 days, but it hasnt yet. Thanks to anyone who answers =)

Answer 1

All babies are different, but you're perfectly justified in asking questions.

Try to keep it from getting infected by keeping the diaper away from it. Sounds like you're doing all the right things, though.

Talk to the advice nurse from the hospital where you delivered the baby (there will be a phone number among your discharge papers) to find out anything more specific about your particular situation.

Good luck with your new little one!

Answer 2

Congratulations on the New Baby. As a mom of three, I have had various times for the umbilical cord and understand the worry. I was the same way with my first. My daughter's did not fall off until she 1 1/2 months old. The doctor said she had a thicker cord and they did not cut it as short as they always do, so it took longer for it to dry up and fall off. It is good to take Rubbing Alcohol and a Q-Tip and gently roll it in between the crease of the umblicical cord and her skin. Don't be afraid, it will not hurt her. It should fall off soon, but sometimes it may take a while longer. Don't be afraid to soak the Q-Tip either... don't go skimmpy on the alcohol. Do it every diaper change and you should be fine. Once again, congratulations!

Answer 3

I had this problem with my son, he peed on his umbilical cord a couple times and I don't think i could ever get it totally dry again, even with air and alcohol. He got a pussy/bloody discharge from under the cord too (the belly button doesn't have any nerve endings so it doesn't hurt). I took him to the doctor and he put some stuff on it and it came off in a couple days. Take your baby to the doctor and they will take care of it. You don't want to let it drag out too long because it can be infected and you don't want that to spread.
good luck

Answer 4

Goldenseal!! It's a yellow powdered herb that comes in capsules and you can buy it at most health food stores and probably at wal mart too.
Break open a capsule and put it on the cord twice a day, using a Q tip to gently help it into the cracks. Guarenteed to make the cord fall off in MAX 2 weeks. My baby's came off in 5 days.
You don't have any stinking either, like you do if you treat it with alcohol.
The herb does stain baby clothes, so put ones on that you don't particularly care for.

Answer 5

Congrats to the new mommy! I would say 10-14 days is the norm but every baby is different.

Okay I removed a lot of what I said, here is a good link with good info on the umbilical cord stump.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_caring-for-your-newborns-umbilical-cord-stump_127.bc?Ad=com.bc.common.AdInfo%4064f0417

Answer 6

ill correct chromo...who obviously doesnt have kids or has never seen a new born baby...don't stress about it...the alcohol(if you didnt know) is there to dry the lil part of umbilical cord that is there...not to really "clean" it...I DIDNT KNOW THAT UNTIL MY NOW 6 MONTH OLD CAME ALONG....just give it time and keep "cleaning" it and it will come off....its nothing to worry about...i promise...p.s my daughters doctor told me about the "drying and not cleaning deal"..thats the only reason i say that...and no it doesnt hurt your baby...even with my second one I was always afraid I was hurting her..when it was on its last strand..but it didn't ...just keep doing what you are doing..

Answer 7

Many physicians advise that alcohol be applied to the cord during routine diaper changes, others only recommend the use of warm water. Talk to your child’s pediatrician to see what method is preferred. Contact your baby’s pediatrician if you notice bleeding, pus, or if there is swelling or bulging around the naval. Your child may need to be seen by their pediatrician if their umbilical cord stump has not fallen off by three weeks of age.

Answer 8

my son was exactly 3 weeks when his fell off. It started to smell really bad. Just make sure you keep it really dry and keep using the alcohol. One night I was at my mom's with him and she thought it was a good idea to let him lay in just his diaper (it was winter) and let it air out, she kind of blew on it and gave it some air to breath. The next morning I changed his diaper and it was actually in his diaper....I'm not sure if what she did helped, but its worth a try. If it does start to smell I would take him to the doctor, it may be infected!

Answer 9

Ok Chromosome, she's talking about the stump left over AFTER they cut the umbilical cord. DUH! If it had never been cut, she would have a whole placenta hanging from her!LOL!

Some take longer to come off than others. If it truly bothers you or seems infected, take her to a doctor. Make sure you are wiping all around the base, not just swiping over the top w/ the alcohol.

Answer 10

my second childs didnt fall off..i kept it dry i kept it clean i cleaned it all the time..i finally took her to the dr and they had to use a silver iodine i believe...they touched it and it fell off the next day..sometimes what happens is they dont pull it out enough when they clamp it and it stays in there and stays moist as long as it is moist it will not get dry enough to fall off..you should make an appointment and have the dr look at it and see if they can put something on it to speed up the process