Taking Care of Your Newborn’s Umbilical Cord

As the parent of a newborn, you'll likely be interested in umbilical cord care, including how to keep your baby’s umbilical cord stump dry until it falls off, how to identify the signs of infection, and when to call your healthcare provider. Read on to learn all about caring for your little one’s umbilical cord and more.

What Is the Umbilical Cord?

The purpose of the umbilical cord is to deliver nutrients and oxygen to your baby in the uterus during pregnancy. It’s a tube-like structure that connects from the placenta to your baby. So, when does the umbilical cord form? It typically forms during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Soon after your baby is born, the cord is clamped and cut. Your baby won't feel this as the umbilical cord has no nerves in it. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now recommends waiting at least 30 to 60 seconds before clamping the umbilical cord. This may help increase your baby's hemoglobin levels at birth and enhance iron stores during the first few months of life.

The clamp is usually kept in place for 24 to 48 hours. It's taken off once the leftover cord is dry and not bleeding anymore.

Once the clamp is removed, what will remain on your little one's belly is a small stump. As the umbilical cord stump dries, shrivels, and hardens, it will go from a yellow color to a brownish-black color.

When Does the Umbilical Cord Stump Fall Off?

The umbilical cord stump usually falls off within a few weeks of your baby's birth. Contact your baby's healthcare provider if it hasn't fallen off after 3 weeks.

In some cases, there may be an underlying medical condition that’s causing the umbilical cord stump to not fall off.

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Umbilical Cord Healing Stages

As we mentioned above, once the clamp is removed from the umbilical cord, a small stump will remain attached to your baby’s belly button.

The stump will dry up and shrink before it falls off naturally. You will likely see it change color from yellowish to brown or black as it shrinks.

After the stump falls off, the skin underneath will likely be healed. Sometimes, the skin may be a little raw, and you might notice a few drops of blood. This is completely normal. If it’s actively bleeding, contact your healthcare provider.

So, how long does a baby’s belly button take to heal inside? Continue to keep your little one’s belly button dry and clean, including if it's an outie belly button and it should soon heal completely. Contact your healthcare provider if it hasn't healed within two weeks of the stump falling off or if you notice any of the signs of infection listed in our section below. 

Take a look at our visual below to see the process of healing for your little one’s umbilical cord stump.

Signs of an Infected Umbilical Cord Stump

It’s unlikely your baby’s umbilical cord stump will become infected, but if you notice any of these signs of infection, contact your baby’s healthcare provider.

These are some of the signs of an infected umbilical cord:

• A smelly yellow discharge from the stump area

• A reddening of the skin around the stump

• Swelling of the navel area

• Your baby cries when you touch the stump, indicating it is tender or sore.

It’s normal to see crusted discharge, dried blood, or a little bleeding when the umbilical cord stump falls off. Bleeding is not necessarily a sign that your newborn's belly button is infected, but if your baby's umbilical cord area continues to bleed, ask your child's healthcare provider for advice.

How to Care for and Clean the Umbilical Cord Stump

The key is to keep the stump area clean and dry. It might be most convenient to clean your little one’s stump when you change their diaper or bathe them.

Here are some umbilical cord care tips to follow:

• Keep the umbilical cord stump clean and dry. Wondering how to clean the umbilical cord stump? Experts recommend “dry cord care,” which means allowing air to reach the cord stump and not covering it in water or ointments. You may have heard of dabbing rubbing alcohol on the stump, but nowadays experts tend to recommend just letting it be. Ask your healthcare provider for advice if you're not sure what to do.

• Give them sponge baths. If you're wondering how to bathe a newborn with an umbilical cord stump, it's important to stick with sponge baths until the stump falls off and the baby's belly button heals. This method prevents the stump from being soaked in water. You don't need to sponge bathe your baby every day; two or three times a week is usually enough. Cover your baby with a towel, exposing only the parts being washed. Start by cleaning their face with a damp washcloth (no soap), then use soap for the rest of their body, focusing on skin folds. For the umbilical cord stump, clean around it with a wet cotton ball without getting it wet. After the stump falls off, you can use a baby bathtub or sink for baths.

• Prevent irritation. Try to prevent your newborn’s diapers from rubbing against the stump by folding the top of the diaper down under the cord stump. Or even better, choose a disposable diaper, such as Pampers Swaddlers, with an umbilical cord notch at the top to protect your newborn’s belly.

• Check for signs of infection. Clear liquid oozing from the stump, drops of blood, and scabbing can be normal, but if you notice any signs of an infected umbilical cord stump or if your baby has a fever, let your healthcare provider know right away.

• Don't pick at the stump. Let the umbilical cord stump fall off on its own rather than picking or pulling it, even if it's hanging off. It will fall off in due course.

• Keep an eye out for bleeding. A few drops of blood when the stump falls off is normal. If you notice more bleeding from your newborn’s umbilical cord stump or belly button, contact their healthcare provider.

• Don't tape or cover the umbilical area with a coin. Contrary to what you may have heard, taping the navel area down or placing a coin on it won't help change the shape of your little one's belly button and may actually cause damage. 

Reach out to your baby's healthcare provider if you’re concerned about the shape of your baby’s belly button or if you suspect your little one may have a condition like an umbilical hernia.

Changing Your Baby's Diaper and Protecting the Umbilical Cord Stump

When changing your newborn’s diaper, keep in mind that in these first few weeks, you'll need to be extra careful to protect the umbilical cord stump area.

Knowing how to change a newborn's diaper with an umbilical cord involves a few extra steps to ensure the stump stays clean and dry. If the cord stump hasn't fallen off yet, you can fold the diaper down for the umbilical cord to prevent it from rubbing against the stump. Alternatively, use diapers designed with an umbilical cord notch, such as Pampers Swaddlers. This notch is specifically designed to accommodate the cord stump and protect your newborn’s belly.

Understanding how to put a diaper on with an umbilical cord will help you keep your baby comfortable and promote healing.

Follow the rest of the umbilical cord care tips listed above. Again, you may like to use diaper changes as a time to gently clean the skin around the stump with a wet swab or cotton ball.

When to Contact Your Healthcare Provider

Contact your baby’s healthcare provider if the umbilical cord stump has not fallen off after 3 weeks, you notice active bleeding (more than a few drops), your baby develops a fever, or if you notice signs of infection, such as yellow pus or discharge, a foul smell from the area, or swelling and redness.

There are also two conditions associated with the umbilical cord or navel area. Chat with your healthcare provider if you think your baby may have either of these:

• Umbilical granuloma. After the cord falls off, you may notice a reddish moist lump or nodule near where the cord fell off that may get slightly larger and continue to ooze slightly. This is likely to go away after about a week or so, but if not, your baby's healthcare provider may remove it.

• Umbilical hernia. If you notice that your baby's belly button bulges out when they cry, they could have an umbilical hernia. This is a little hole in the abdominal wall that allows tissue to bulge out when there’s pressure, such as when your little one cries. An umbilical hernia will typically heal when your child is between 12 months old and 18 months old.

The Bottom Line

Within a few weeks after your baby is born, what remains of the umbilical cord will fall off to reveal your baby's cute little belly button. It's a reminder of how far your little one has come in just a short time.

As you go about carefully changing your newborn's diapers, know that you could be getting gifts and discounts for all that you're doing. Download the Pampers Rewards app to get started.

_{How We Wrote This Article The information in this article is based on the expert advice found in trusted medical and government sources, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. You can find a full list of sources used for this article below. The content on this page should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult medical professionals for full diagnosis and treatment.}