Parent Handout
UMBILICAL CORD
What about the Umbilical Cord?
Your baby’s umbilical cord requires just a little bit of care once you are home. Don’t worry —there are no nerve
endings where the cord is attached, so touching the cord will not hurt your baby.
What if the cord does not fall off?
Most cords fall off within 10 to 14 days. Occasionally a stubborn cord will hang on by a thread of tissue for three
weeks. Every baby is different, so don’t worry if your baby’s cord stays on for up to three weeks. Cords can’t fall off
too early either, so don’t worry if your baby’s cord falls off after only one week. Contact your baby’s nurse practitioner
or doctor if the cord does not fall off after three weeks.
What you can do at home?
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When you diaper your baby, fold the diaper down below the stump in order to speed up the drying
process. It is very important not to put any other preparations or powders on or around the cord.
Keep the cord dry. Give your baby sponge baths until the cord has fallen completely off.
What if there is some bleeding around the cord before or after it has fallen off?
It is very normal to see a few drops of blood where the cord has separated. The area may bleed before the cord
comes off if the area has been rubbed by the diaper or the baby’s clothing. The bleeding usually stops by itself, or you
can use a tissue or gauze to hold slight pressure to the area.
Contact your baby’s doctor or nurse practitioner right away if:
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The plastic tie has come undone and the cord is bleeding
The spot of blood is the size of a quarter or larger
The bleeding doesn’t stop after 10 minutes
The area continues to bleed for more than 3 days
A lot of drainage is coming out of the navel
Your baby has a temperature above 100 degrees
Pimples or blisters appear around the cord area
Red streaks appear on the skin around the cord
Your baby looks or acts sick
Developed for Healthy StepsSM for Young Children by BUSM ©: Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center