The umbilical cord is the link between the mother and the fetus. After the baby was born, the umbilical cord was cut and ligated, This means that the baby will leave the mother’s body and start his own life journey. When the umbilical cord was first cut, The stump is usually pale, moist, Then it may turn brown, gray or even black. Most umbilical cord stumps usually fall off naturally within 2 weeks after birth. Local cleaning and drying can accelerate the fall-off of umbilical cord stumps, while humid and sultry environment may lead to infection. In order to avoid infection, it is very important to do a good job of umbilical cleaning and care. How to do a good job of routine care? 1. Keeping the dry umbilicus dry can make the umbilical cord stump shrink and fall off faster. Special attention should be paid when bathing and changing diapers: do not let the upper edge of the diaper cover the umbilical cord stump; If the diaper is too large or inappropriate, a hole can be cut at the position corresponding to the navel on the diaper, so that the umbilical cord stump can be exposed to the air and the umbilical region can be prevented from being polluted by excreta. When bathing the baby, keep the water surface from passing through the umbilical cord stump. Of course, sponge wiping bath can better prevent umbilicus from being splashed with water. Do not use talcum powder to keep the umbilical cord stump dry, Because when the umbilical cord wound does not heal, Stimulation such as talcum powder can cause chronic inflammation of the umbilicus and form granuloma. 2. Clean healthy newborns with clean water only need to pay attention to keeping the umbilical cord clean and dry. If the umbilicus exudes or is dirty, Clean with clean water once a day. Before umbilicus care, Be sure to wash your hands first, Avoid contamination of the baby’s umbilical cord stump. After cleaning and nursing, use a clean cotton swab to dry the umbilicus. If there are no special circumstances, No need for iodophor or alcohol disinfection. 3. Don’t stop cleaning. The stump of the umbilical cord of a baby usually falls off within 2 weeks. If it does not fall off as scheduled, The baby’s umbilicus still needs to be cleaned once a day, Until the umbilical cord stump shrinks and falls off. Those are scary situations 1. Umbilical hernia Some babies will have a soft mass bulging from their navel. This is called umbilical hernia. Umbilical hernia is more obvious when the baby cries. It looks scary, In fact, this has no what effect on the baby. It is caused by the baby’s belly muscle development is not strong enough. As the baby grows, Muscle development is strong, Most umbilical hernia will disappear by itself within one and a half years old. If the umbilical hernia does not disappear by the age of 2, Surgical treatment is required. When umbilical hernia occurs, Parents should never use adhesive tape to paste or hold coins against the lumps, This is likely to cause skin inflammation, ulceration and even local necrosis. If you are not at ease, you can consult a pediatrician to decide whether you need bandaging and fixing. Although umbilical hernia is rarely [stuck], you need to suspect umbilical hernia is stuck when the following conditions occur, and you need to find a pediatrician to see it face to face: baby crying and vomiting for a long time; The raised mass hardens and the baby cries at the touch of the navel. 2. Umbilical intestinal fistula or urachical fistula has a very rare condition. Because the umbilicus is not well developed, The navel communicates with the intestine or bladder (umbilicus-bowel fistula or urachus fistula). We can observe gas, excrement or clear urine flowing out of the umbilicus. This situation requires immediate medical treatment. 3. Umbilical granuloma Some babies’ umbilical cord stump cannot be completely killed. The stump gives birth to a cherry red tumor, and there will be light yellow liquid outflow. This is called umbilical granuloma, which will not heal for a long time and needs medical treatment. 4. Infection When the baby has the following conditions, it is necessary to guard against infection: the baby has a fever; Smell a foul smell in the umbilicus, and yellow liquid has been oozing out all the time. The skin at the root of umbilical cord is red and swollen. When touching the umbilical cord or the surrounding skin, the baby is painful and crying. 5. Most umbilical cords do not fall off for a long time. Most umbilical cords usually fall off naturally within 2 weeks after birth. If the umbilical cord does not fall off for more than 8 weeks, you need to see a doctor in time to eliminate the possibility of umbilical polyps (or umbilical antlers). Responsible Editor: Hugh
