My 10 day old daughter's umbilical cord still hasn't come off. When I clean around it, there is dried yellow/brown stuff. Is this normal? When will it fall off?
Countdown to a Belly Button by: Laurie - The MNBC Mommy
Most babies lose their umbilical cord stumps between 2 to 4 weeks after birth. Keeping the stump clean and dry will help it heal and fall off at the soonest time possible.
Some doctors will tell you to clean the area with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol several times a day. This hasn't shown to make the stump fall off any sooner, but it does help to keep the area clean.
If the area becomes soiled, clean it with soap and water (or rubbing alcohol) and allow to completely air dry. Try to avoid getting the area wet unless necessary. This means you should avoid submersing your baby's body during bathtime until after the cord falls off.
Try to keep his diaper folded down away from the umbilical cord so it doesn't become soiled and stays dryer.
While a little brownish discharge and even a little bit of bleeding is totally normal, do watch for signs of infection. This is rare, but do talk to your pediatrician if you think it might be infected.
As long as you keep the umbilical cord stump clean and dry, you should be seeing that belly button very soon!
