How to care for your baby's umbilical cord

These tips can help your infant's navel area heal quickly and easily.

If you're a first-time mom, you might be surprised by how much of the umbilical cord is left on your baby after giving birth. Even more surprising: it takes about two weeks, sometimes more, for the stump to naturally dry up and fall off.

That's a key point: you want the umbilical cord stump to fall off on its own and when it's ready. That means that this little, brown-colored bump stays with your baby — and with you — for at least a little while.

Taking care of the umbilical cord stump helps keep your baby's navel area healthy. It also promotes healing when the cord finally falls off.  Recommendations for stump care have changed over the years. Keep reading for accurate and up-to-date advice.

How to care for your baby's umbilical cord

• Keep the area clean and dry.
• Give sponge baths instead of tub baths to help keep the area dry until the cord has totally separated and fallen off. If the area does get wet during bath time, dry it gently.
• To avoid irritation, fold back the tops of diapers to expose the cord and keep it dry. You can look for diapers with a special notch cut out of the front to keep the cord from getting covered.
• It's OK if some urine or stool gets on the umbilical cord. Just be sure to carefully clean the area with mild soap and water, and then gently dry it off.
• Don't be worried if the stump bleeds a little just before falling off. That's totally normal.
• Most importantly, let the cord fall off by itself, and on its own time. Avoid the urge to pull or twist it off, even if it looks "ready."

How to care for your baby's navel after the stump falls off

After the cord falls off, the area inside the belly button may look pink or yellow. It can take several more days or even weeks to heal completely. Continue to keep the area clean and dry. You can start giving your baby baths in the tub. Afterward, dry the belly button gently and thoroughly.

When to contact your doctor

In some infants, the area inside the belly button seems to heal slowly and looks moist, lumpy, pink, or even yellow. This is usually a harmless condition called an umbilical granuloma. Give your pediatrician a call. Usually there is nothing that needs to be done. But sometimes doctors treat granuloma with something called silver nitrate.

Sometimes the umbilical cord and/or surrounding skin gets infected. Call your doctor if

• the skin around the cord area gets red or swollen
• the belly button is draining green or yellow liquid
• the area develops a bad odor
• your baby has a fever or seems sick.

All of these issues can happen in healthy babies. Very rarely, they might happen if your newborn has problems fighting infection. In rare cases, a connection to the inside of the belly can be open, as it was when the baby was inside the womb. Your doctor can help if your baby is having any of these symptoms.

Bottom line: keep your baby's umbilical cord stump clean and dry. Let it fall off on its own. Monitor the area after the stump falls off. If anything seems unusual, get in touch with your doctor.