Most new parents can't wait for their baby's umbilical cord to fall off. Parents are afraid to touch it, move it & clean it. You can make the cord fall off sooner if you follow these suggestions.
- be aggressive in cleaning the umbilical cord with alcohol by using several of the alcohol pads at a time or with a cotton ball & rubbing alcohol (using a qtip or gingerly wiping only the top part of the cord will not do anything!)
- being aggressive in cleaning the cord means pulling the cord up and exposing the moist tissue at the base where it connects to the body and dripping alcohol into that area
- clean the umbilical cord with alcohol every single diaper change
- fold the diaper under and below the umbilical cord so it will not get wet from urine
- wait to put your baby in bath water until after the cord falls off and these is not any discharge from the umbilical area for 4-5 days
- do not cover the umbilical area as it will retain moisture
The purpose of using rubbing alcohol is to dry out the cord and to prevent infection. If your baby's umbilical cord has not fallen off by three weeks old, make an appointment to see your pediatric office.
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