One of the things that a new mother has to learn is the caring for the umbilical cord of a baby. Mothers may not yet have any problem with their umbilical cords of their babies while they are still inside the womb. However, they will have to know how to take care of it as their babies are born. A new mother need to know a little more about her baby’s umbilical cord and she also need to learn what to do with it when she goes home with her baby.
After delivery, the umbilical cord of a baby is clamped and then it is cut by using a painless process. What will be left is a stump which will dry up and then fall on its own after several days. A new mother need to keep the stump always clean and dry and she must fold the diaper just below the stump to expose it to air and to prevent it from being soaked in urine. A new mother is also advised not to bathe her baby in the tub until the stump has fallen off. There might be some small blood that may be observed as it falls off though this is just normal not unless that she sees some heavy bleeding.
A new mother who is caring for the umbilical cord of a baby should never attempt to pull the stump even if there is only being held by a very fine thread. She will have to be patient and wait for it to just fall on its own. There are times though that some flesh may still remain when the umbilical cord of a baby falls off. There is no need to worry as this will disappear in time or it may also be treated painlessly by a doctor.
Caring for the umbilical cord of a baby starts as the doctor swabs it with some antiseptic before putting a clamp on it. A mother is then instructed to swab it at least once or even twice a day with a cotton or gauze that is dipped in alcohol. However, there may be some doctors who would advice a new mother to just let it on its own to dry. If the baby is healthy and has a strong immune system, his or her umbilical cord will heal in a lesser time than expected. A new mother though has to consult her doctor immediately if she observes any sign of infection while she is caring for the umbilical cord of her baby.
