Umbilical Cord Care Tips

Caring for your babies navel cord, after falling off:

Smell

To start off, it’s very normal for there to be a certain odor, although it should be only noticeable if you’re close to the baby. If it’s noticeable from quite a distance, then it’s infected and you should see the doctor right away.

Cleaning

It’s a good idea to clean it during every diaper change with a bit of rubbing alcohol. If it’s not possible to do every time you change the diaper, then try and clean at least 2-3 times a day. This will help it dry much faster and unsure it’s clean to avoid an infection.

Tip

Once the navel cord is just hanging by a couple threads, it is pretty safe to pull it off. If it doesn’t come off with minimal force, just leave it until it’s ready.