Umbilical stump: what it is, care and what to do after it falls out

The umbilical stump is a small part of the umbilical cord that is attached to the baby’s navel after birth and will dry naturally until it falls off, which normally happens until the 3rd week of life.

It is common, in the first few days after birth, for the umbilical stump to appear gelatinous, whitish or yellowish, moist and shiny, and to become dry, hardened and black over time.

The umbilical stump requires care and monitoring until it falls off, due to the risk of infections and inflammation, and it is important to consult a pediatrician in case of symptoms such as yellowish secretion or redness in the skin around the umbilical stump.

Umbilical stump care

Some care that should be taken with the umbilical stump are:

• Avoid touching or manipulating the umbilical stump, except when cleaning it;
• Allow the umbilical stump to fall naturally;
• Always keep the umbilical stump clean and dry;
• Wash your hands with soap and water before handling the umbilical stump;
• Do not place homemade products, bands, belts, coins or clothing that squeezes the baby’s navel, as this increases the risk of infection.
• Do not cover the umbilical stump with the diaper, leaving it folded about two fingers below the navel, so that the area does not become stuffy or dirty with urine and/or feces.

These precautions are important so that the baby’s navel heals more quickly and does not become infected, and must be taken until the umbilical stump falls off naturally.

Signs that the umbilical stump is inflamed

Some signs that the umbilical stump is inflamed include a bad smell, redness and/or swelling of the surrounding skin and yellowish discharge, and it is recommended to consult your pediatrician if they appear, to rule out the possibility of infection. Find out more about the inflamed umbilical stump.

If you want to make an appointment, you can find the pediatrician closest to you using the tool below:

Navel infection can be serious in some cases and treatment is usually carried out in the hospital with the use of antibiotics directly into the vein.

How to clean the umbilical stump

To clean the umbilical stump, you must:

1. Expose the umbilical stumpremoving any clothing that is covering the area;
2. Wash your hands wellwith soap and water;
3. Moisten some sterile gauze with 70% alcohol or 0.5% alcoholic chlorhexidine before starting cleaning;
4. Hold the clamp, which is the clip at the end of the umbilical stump, with your index finger and thumb use the opposite hand to the one that will be cleaning to elevate the stump, but without pulling it;
5. Use one of the moistened gauze pads to clean the place where the umbilical stump inserts into the skinmaking a single circular movement, and throwing it away;
6. Use another moistened gauze to clean the body of the umbilical stump, located between its end and the cord insertion site, in the direction from the base to the clamp and with a single movement. Then discard the gauze;
7. Clean the clamp with a new moistened gauze padstarting at one end and going all the way around, so that the clamp is completely clean;
8. Leave to air dryuntil the alcohol or alcoholic chlorhexidine evaporates completely.

Cleaning the umbilical stump does not cause pain, but it is normal for the baby to cry, as the liquid used for cleaning is cold.

Umbilical stump stages

After birth, the umbilical stump has a gelatinous and whitish appearance, but as the stump dries, its color changes, becoming yellowish and progressively darker until it falls off, which normally happens until the 3rd week of life.

When does the umbilical stump fall off?

The umbilical stump normally falls between 7 and 21 days of life, and it is recommended to consult a pediatrician if it has not yet fallen after this period for an evaluation and to identify the cause.

What to do after the stump falls off

After the umbilical stump falls off, it is important to keep the area under observation and cleaning should continue until the area is completely healed. After bathing, it is important to dry your navel with a compress or clean cloth, using gentle circular movements.

It is not recommended to place coins or other objects to prevent the navel from sticking out, as this can cause serious infection in the baby, mainly because the bacteria contained in these objects can spread through the newborn’s umbilical stump.

When to go to the pediatrician

It is recommended to consult your pediatrician in case of:

• Bleeding from the umbilical stump;
• Foul odor;
• Output of yellowish secretion or pus;
• Fever;
• Redness and/or swelling at the site of the umbilical stump;
• Crying when touched in the area around the navel.

Furthermore, it is also important to consult your pediatrician if your baby’s belly button takes more than 21 days to fall, as it could be a sign of some change.