Navel in newborns: simple rules and recommendations for care and treatment. We treat the umbilical wound according to all the rules
When a baby is born, doctors cut the umbilical cord. The procedure for cutting the umbilical cord and tying it is painless. Bandage it anywhere. Usually the distance to the umbilical ring is 2 cm - at this distance a knot is made with silk thread. Doctors talk with the woman in labor: they explain how the umbilical wound heals in newborns and what proper care for children should be. It is important for mothers (especially first-time mothers) to know what can cause the navel to take a long time to heal.
How long does it take for a newborn's belly button to heal?
Processing of the umbilical cord begins in the maternity hospital. The initial process consists of lubricating the wound with brilliant green and cauterizing the umbilical cord with alcohol. After discharge from the hospital, further care is provided by the parents. In the first days of life, the wound must be cauterized with brilliant green or iodine until the umbilical cord falls off on its own. Day by day, the umbilical wound becomes drier.
How long should a newborn's belly button take to heal? The healing time depends on immunity, the size of the navel, and also how proper the care was. After 21-30 days, the newborn’s navel should heal completely.
How long does it take for a newborn's belly button to fall off? Wound healing occurs in several stages:
- from 3 to 5 days the umbilical cord looks like a small nodule;
- with proper care, after 5-7 days the umbilical wound is epithelialized;
- from a medical point of view, the wound is considered quite deep, so it heals in 1-3 weeks. During this period, moderate bleeding is observed, so there is no point in parents being in a panic - this condition of the navel is considered normal;
- Final healing of the umbilical wound in newborns occurs after 3-4 weeks.
Any mother can avoid navel problems in a newborn. There will be effective advice to help her, with the help of which the navel will quickly heal, and complications will be behind.
What does a healed navel look like in a newborn photo?
- After the baby is born, the wound is wiped with hydrogen peroxide as many times as it takes for it to stop bleeding. The best option would be to apply a cotton pad soaked in peroxide to the umbilical residue;
- at the second stage, the formation of a yellow crust can be observed. To avoid the entry of germs, it is necessary to moisten a cotton swab with hydrogen peroxide;
- the navel should always be kept clean;
- It is advisable to treat the wound before bedtime, after bathing. Once a day is enough. It is not advisable to disturb the wound unnecessarily. The exception is the large navel. It is processed 2-3 times a day;
- during the healing of the umbilical remnant, the child should be bathed in a baby bath, adding potassium permanganate; the temperature of boiled water is 36-37 degrees;
- make it a rule to ventilate the room;
- ensure that the navel is always dry and exclude moisture;
- The child should not feel inconvenienced by diapers or clothes rubbing. Otherwise, the umbilical wound will be damaged: redness may form.
The navel heals poorly in newborns
When treating a baby’s umbilical wound according to the rules described above, some complications may arise: severe bleeding, suppuration.
The reasons for poor healing may be the following:
- The baby has a large navel. Babies' belly buttons may differ from each other. For example, if the placenta was thickened, then the baby's navel is larger. Accordingly, the healing process is delayed. It will dry without fail, but more slowly;
- There are cases when the wound heals slowly, and on top of that, protrusion of the navel is observed. This alarm signal indicates the manifestation of an umbilical hernia. It is forbidden for the mother to take any action on her own. The child needs to be examined by a pediatrician;
- Due to suppuration of the wound, there is a possibility of infection. Accompanied by an unpleasant odor and yellow discharge. The navel is constantly wet.
Cancer healing navel in a newborn photo
Not all babies are born healthy and strong. It is possible that a child may be born with a weak immune system, which means he will be exposed to various microbes and infections. For a weakened body, it is difficult for mom and dad to solve such a problem. We'll have to contact the doctors. A competent examination by a pediatrician will provide the correct medication treatment.
The mother's inattention during the treatment of the navel will lead to a long healing time. All parents are different. There are those that blow away dust particles from the baby, and vice versa, hygiene for mothers is not so important. All two cases are bad. Clean parents, carefully cleaning the umbilical wound, can harm the thin skin.
If hygiene is not observed, there is a possibility of dirt being introduced and infection developing. There can be no talk of quick healing. Independent removal of a foreign body is prohibited; you should consult a doctor in a timely manner;
What parents should do if the umbilical wound is bleeding
Despite proper care of the navel, it is quite possible for it to bleed. You can observe it when the crust is accidentally torn off. Usually a few drops of blood are released, but this problem cannot be left unresolved. Severe bleeding indicates the onset of an inflammatory process in the navel vessels.
The first days of a baby’s life are an amazing and very important period for inexperienced parents. The first question they have is how to treat a newborn’s navel? It's not at all as scary as it seems. You just need to choose the right solution, follow a certain manipulation technique and take into account the regularity of the procedures.
For the first time in the maternity hospital, a special clamp is applied to the remainder of the umbilical cord
Caring for a baby's navel in the maternity hospital
Immediately after birth, the rules of hygienic care for the child come into force, one of the mandatory stages of which is the treatment of the navel. The length of the umbilical remnant at this moment does not exceed two centimeters. The navel can be treated in different ways in the maternity hospital.
- Open method. A metal or plastic clamp is applied to the umbilical remnant; in this case, a bandage is not used. Until the newborn is discharged, the remainder is treated daily with hydrogen peroxide and a solution of potassium permanganate. After no more than five days, the excess skin falls off, leaving behind a small wound.
- On the second day after birth, the remainder of the umbilical cord is cut off with surgical scissors or a scalpel, followed by application of a sterile pressure bandage. After two hours it is loosened and removed after a day. The resulting wound is treated daily with hydrogen peroxide and potassium permanganate. Over time, the wound heals with the formation of a crust, which quickly falls off.
Depending on the type of treatment to which the navel was subjected in the hospital, follow-up care is carried out at home.
After the crusts have softened under the action of peroxide, you can carefully remove them with a cotton swab
What is the best way to treat a newborn's umbilical wound?
Among the most popular means used to treat a newborn’s navel, experts highlight traditional drugs and new ones. They must be used correctly and as intended, otherwise burns or ulcers may occur.
Traditional ones include:
- 3% or alcohol solution of hydrogen peroxide. The first is instilled into the umbilical fossa, the second is moistened with a cotton swab, which is used to treat the umbilical ring.
- 2-5 percent solution of potassium permanganate. This is a drying and disinfecting drug. Before treating the navel with the resulting pink liquid, you need to pass it through several layers of gauze, which will trap undissolved crystals.
Among the new products we can highlight 1% solution of chlorophyllipt. This is a unique drug of natural origin based on eucalyptus extract. The drug actively fights streptococcal infections, acting gently and without causing pain.
Not so long ago, it was customary to treat the umbilical wound of a newborn with brilliant green. Today, experts recommend abandoning this option, because it causes the appearance of a thin film on the skin, which prevents the rapid healing of the navel.
Treatment of the umbilical wound can be carried out using various special means
How to properly treat a newborn's navel at home?
Complete healing of the wound takes about three weeks. For 1-1.5 weeks, parents should treat the navel after bathing the newborn daily. The technique of performing the manipulation will be explained by nurses in the maternity hospital or a visiting nurse.
To properly treat the wound, you need to prepare 3% hydrogen peroxide, a solution of potassium permanganate or chlorophyllipt, cotton swabs and swabs, and a pipette.
- Before treating a newborn's navel, the baby must be bathed. Sometimes herbal decoctions are added to the bath, which also speeds up the healing of the umbilical wound.
- After bathing a newborn, a few drops of hydrogen peroxide are dripped onto his navel.
- You need to wait a few minutes, then the crust will soften.
- The area of skin around the navel is carefully pulled apart, softened pieces of crust are removed using cotton swabs or disks, and the skin is dried.
- The navel is lubricated with chlorophyllipt or potassium permanganate.
At first, the first stage will be accompanied by foaming of the peroxide; after some time this will pass. This reaction will indicate that the navel has healed.
If the umbilical wound has already healed, there is no point in continuing the procedures for its treatment
How many times a day and for how long should a newborn’s navel be treated?
In the normal course of the recovery process, daily one-time care of the umbilical wound is sufficient. If droplets of blood appear, it is necessary to treat the skin more often - up to three times a day.
If after three weeks the wound has not healed, despite the fact that care was carried out correctly and regularly, you should consult a doctor. If swelling appears around the navel, purulent discharge with an unpleasant odor, redness of the skin and anxiety in the newborn, it is also necessary to urgently seek help from specialists.
Sometimes there is increased bleeding of the wound, most often it is associated with the separation of a very large crust. In this case, you can use a special hemostatic sponge.
The main thing that inexperienced parents should remember is that they should not be embarrassed to seek help or advice from doctors. The first days of a baby’s life are one of the most exciting periods, and you want only positive memories of this time to remain.
The umbilical wound in a newborn baby is the place where the connection between the placenta and the fetal bloodstream occurs. The healing process of the navel must occur correctly and consistently, as this is key to the health of the baby.
The umbilical cord served as a connection between mother and baby. Immediately after the baby is born, doctors cut this connecting thread in such a way that a short cord about 3 cm long remains. It is twisted with a flagellum and secured with a special plastic clip. Provided proper development, within a week the umbilical cord should fall off, and in its place a small wound will form that needs care and treatment. 
Typically, an umbilical cord will heal in about three weeks under normal circumstances. Of course, this depends on individual characteristics: for some babies this process takes several days, for others – several weeks. There are cases when the clothespin falls off the baby’s navel after three days in the maternity hospital. In other situations, young parents bring the baby home along with a plastic device. 
Wound healing goes through several stages, presented in the table..
According to pediatricians, mothers should pay attention to the condition of the baby’s wound. Usually, on the first day after arriving home, a visiting nurse comes to examine the little one and treat the wound with hydrogen peroxide and regular brilliant green. This is a rather painful procedure. 
If after such treatment the ichor only occasionally oozes, then the healing process is proceeding normally and does not require additional intervention. The fact is that under the best circumstances, caring for the umbilical wound is practically not required.
Why doesn't a baby's belly button heal?
By the month of a child’s life, the wound should have completely healed, and the baby’s navel should be practically no different from the navel of an adult. However, sometimes after this period the wound continues to bleed. Experts identify several key reasons that can explain such a long healing process.
| Cause | Description and recommendations |
|---|---|
| 1. Some babies have very large belly buttons due to a thick placenta. | Such wounds take a little longer to heal than usual. There is nothing wrong with this, you just need to be patient and consult your pediatrician just in case. |
| 2. Sometimes the cause of long healing of the wound is an umbilical hernia. | This is an extremely dangerous disease, which can be recognized by the protrusion of the navel. This becomes especially noticeable with severe coughing or hysterical crying. In such a situation, you should immediately consult a doctor. |
| 3. Perhaps the cause is parental zeal, as a result of which the wound is damaged. | If the baby's wound systematically bleeds, try cleaning the navel less carefully. |
| 4. In some cases, the umbilical wound bleeds due to the presence of a foreign body in it. | You should not try to identify, grope, or even extract it yourself. Be sure to consult your doctor. |
| 5. Sometimes a newborn’s belly button cannot heal because the baby’s body cannot cope on its own. | This is usually associated with a disease, which is a matter for the doctor to determine. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate. |
| 6. If prolonged healing is accompanied by an unpleasant odor, then we are dealing with suppuration. | In this case, parents also cannot cope alone, so medical professionals need to be involved. |
| 7. The cause may be an infectious disease that the baby contracted immediately after birth. | In such a situation, the baby’s immunity simply does not provide the strength to heal. |
Reasons for visiting a doctor 
In some situations, you should not wait until the umbilical wound heals on its own. If you experience the following symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor:
- bleeding does not go away;
- the navel has greatly increased in size;
- there is severe redness and suppuration around the wound;
- An unpleasant odor emanates from the navel.
Wound care rules
Sometimes the speed of wound healing depends on how carefully parents follow simple hygiene rules. There are several key postulates that determine whether the baby’s wound will heal in a timely manner.
Firstly, bathing in the first month of a newborn’s life should be done with the addition of potassium permanganate to the water. You should boil the water and add a few drops of the solution so that the water turns slightly pink. This promotes more effective cleansing and prevents infection. In addition, it is better to purchase a separate baby bath for bathing. It is recommended to boil the water for the procedure and then cool it to 37 degrees. 
Secondly, for the rapid healing of a bleeding umbilical wound, air baths are very important, which are recommended to be done every day. The fact is that the navel heals much faster in the open air. 
Thirdly, make sure that the baby does not lie on his tummy during the healing process. During careless movements, the crust can tear off, and an infection can enter the wound. If you do everything correctly, the belly button will not bleed. 
How to treat a wound with brilliant green and peroxide
In order to properly disinfect a wound, you need:
- cotton shelves;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- brilliant green;
- pipette.
Treating your baby's belly button is very easy. Any mother can cope with this. There is no need to worry, because the baby does not experience any pain at this moment.
For maximum safety, treatment is carried out after bathing the little one. Using a pipette, take a small amount of hydrogen peroxide and drop it onto the wound. At first, the product will foam and hiss. You need to wait until the hemorrhagic crust that has formed on the navel softens. At this stage, the crusts can be either yellow or bloody - both will be normal. 
After they have softened, the mother should carefully move apart the areas of skin around the navel, carefully examine and remove the remaining crusts using a clean cotton swab.
At the next stage, you need to take cotton wool or a gauze napkin (a small piece of bandage will also work) and gently blot the wound to dry it for the next procedure. Applying brilliant green is the last stage. It is very easy to understand that the navel is healing - hydrogen peroxide will stop foaming on the wound. 
The main thing that parents should remember is that not only the speed of healing, but also the risk of developing infectious diseases such as purulent omphalitis depends on how thoroughly the wound is treated.
What to do to ensure the wound heals correctly
In addition to processing, attention should be paid to some additional nuances. One of them is a competent choice of diapers. A material that fits tightly to the baby’s body will prevent the “clothespin” from falling off. 
In such a situation, there are two options:
- purchase diapers with a specially designed cutout in the place that falls on the edge of the navel;
- make a cutout in the right place with your own hands;
- put on diapers so that their edges do not rub the base of the umbilical wound.
It is very important to choose the right wardrobe for your baby. Synthetic T-shirts and undershirts can provoke a greenhouse effect, which does not contribute to wound healing. It is best to choose clothes made from natural fabrics. In addition, it must be the right size for the baby. Make sure that shorts and pants do not tighten the baby's navel area.
Another point with diapers: it is extremely important to change diapers in a timely manner so that they do not have time to wet the crusts. However, no one is immune. If such a situation does occur, you need to take a cotton swab, moisten it with alcohol and wipe the umbilical wound.
Young mothers are wondering when to stop treating the umbilical wound. Some people succumb to the misconception and stop treatment immediately after the umbilical cord stops causing discomfort to the baby. In fact, the wound requires treatment for some time, twice a day. This should be done before swimming. 
The scheme is as follows:
- applying peroxide;
- cleansing the wound;
- a drop of alcohol tincture or any antiseptic.
After this, it is best to cover the wound with a small piece of bandage and secure it on top with a special rubberized mesh. Pediatricians do not recommend using patches for these purposes, because their material slows down healing.
If the umbilical wound has not healed within a month, then there are clear reasons to consult a doctor. The specialist must determine what is happening in the child’s body and why healing takes so long. After such a long period, you should not take any independent action - in such a context, treating a child with folk remedies can be simply dangerous. Feel free to ask your pediatrician any questions regarding wound care and other procedures that affect your baby's health.
Immediately after your baby is born, the life of the family is filled with new experiences. For young parents, caring for a newborn in the first days is an unfamiliar and quite difficult task. From the first days of a baby’s life, an incredible number of questions arise! One of the first questions for young mothers is how to properly treat the umbilical wound of newborn babies so as not to cause harm.
An umbilical wound in newborns is formed as a result of the fall of the umbilical cord on days 3-5 of life.
How is an umbilical wound formed?
When a baby is born, the umbilical cord is secured with a clamp and tied tightly near the future navel. Next, the umbilical cord is cut off: the doctor makes an incision between the clamp and the place of ligation. As a result, a small section of the umbilical cord remains, which subsequently dries out and falls off on its own. At the site of separation of the umbilical cord, the so-called umbilical wound appears.
How to properly treat and care for a wound
What you need to have to treat the umbilical wound:
- Cotton buds;
- Pipette;
- Sterile gauze wipes;
- Hydrogen peroxide (3% solution);
- Zelenka (1% alcohol solution of brilliant green);
Step by step processing:
If you notice discharge from the wound or redness of the skin around it, then the wound should be treated 2 times a day (morning and evening), and you should also notify the visiting nurse or doctor.
Hygiene of a newborn with an unhealed umbilical wound
Until the wound has healed, it is necessary to prevent possible contact of the navel skin with bacteria. To prevent infection from entering the wound, the following measures are taken to treat the wound:
But if your newborn baby’s belly button is bleeding, then read
What should parents do if a weeping umbilical wound in a newborn does not heal for a long time? Should you see a doctor? How to care for and treat the umbilical wound -
When does the umbilical wound heal?
Subject to hygiene recommendations and wound treatment rules, healing of the navel occurs no later than after 2 weeks (10-14 days) after birth. It is worth noting that in the first few days after discharge from the maternity hospital, the child is observed by a visiting nurse from the clinic. She can demonstrate how to treat the wound if the maternity hospital staff did not do this.
We also read:
VIDEO GUIDE: correct treatment of the navel
An umbilical wound remains, which requires careful care (usually the wound heals no longer than 10-12 days). Otherwise, infection may occur, resulting in infection entering the body through the wound.
The navel in newborns finally heals in a few weeks, and during this time parents should carefully monitor the condition of the navel.
What you need to know about a newborn's navel?
Navel treatment in the maternity hospital
The umbilical cord is cut within a few minutes after birth, after which the wound is disinfected. In the maternity hospital Only a pediatrician can treat the umbilical wound, but the mother should prepare in advance for the fact that in a few days such treatment will become her responsibility.
It could happen like this that discharge from the maternity hospital will occur before the remainder of the umbilical cord dries up and falls off. Moreover, if the umbilical cord is very thick, then this process may take longer than a week.
Doctors don't think that discharge from the maternity hospital with an umbilical cord that has not fallen off is dangerous for the health of the child and mother, however, in some cases, such a remnant can be removed surgically: this helps speed up the healing process of the umbilical wound in some cases.
Navel treatment at home
At home, the baby’s mother will have to process, wash and disinfect the umbilical cord, and in order to avoid infection, certain rules must be strictly followed.
The first thing you need to do is take care of the products you will need to care for the wound:
Usually, the first two weeks the wound is treated 1-2 times a day. To avoid unnecessary irritation of the wound, it is not recommended to treat it more often.
Considered optimal for processing time after swimming. To do this, dip a cotton swab in hydrogen peroxide and gently moisten the wound.
Do not worry about the fact that the peroxide begins to hiss and bubble: this does not indicate the presence of an infection in the wound, but that there is bloody discharge in the wound.
After that the navel should also be carefully dried using a dry cotton swab or cotton swab, and then the wound is treated with brilliant green, which dries the wound well.
Don't use too much greenery: firstly, in case of possible complications, it is not always possible to see discharge or redness under a layer of brilliant green. Secondly, a large amount of brilliant green can cause a burn.
Regarding bathing– it is absolutely safe and even necessary. There is no reason to worry that water will negatively affect the wound.
The only thing that needs to be strictly followed is before bathing a child, water must be disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Usually the amount of potassium permanganate is determined “by eye”: after adding it to the bath, the water should acquire a pale pink tint.
Very important Take care of the right clothes for your baby, because even if the wound is treated and bathed according to the rules, uncomfortable clothes can cause the navel to take a long time to heal.
When using diapers it is necessary to put it on in such a way that it does not touch the wound, and it is best to purchase special diapers with a cutout for the navel. In any case, diapers must be changed on time and urine should not be allowed to get on the wound.
What is an umbilical hernia and is it dangerous?
Navel healing does not always go smoothly, and the most common problem during this period is umbilical hernia.
A hernia can occur at any time if intra-abdominal pressure increases. For example, when a child cries or screams. At this moment, the contents of the abdominal cavity (intestinal loops) emerge through the expanded umbilical ring.
Visually, an umbilical hernia looks like a noticeable swelling and air can be felt under the skin. Moreover, when the intra-abdominal pressure normalizes, the hernia disappears.
If a child develops an umbilical hernia - need to see a doctor. The doctor reduces the hernia inward and connects the skin around the navel into a fold, after which it is fixed with a plaster.
Such the patch is applied for ten days- during this time the wound heals, the umbilical ring tightens, and the danger of a hernia disappears.
Bathe child during this period Can(except for the first day when the patch is applied).
In most cases, an umbilical hernia goes away quickly, but parents themselves can speed up the healing process.
The umbilical ring can be massaged 2-3 times a day directly through the patch: lightly pressing your index finger on the navel, you must make circular movements, first clockwise and then counterclockwise.
Within 1-2 minutes you can lightly pat with two fingers around the navel. After this, the child can be turned from back to stomach several times, and then the legs straightened at the knees must be raised at an angle of 90 degrees 5-7 times.
A hernia can go away very quickly if it is noticed early and its size is very small, but often the hernia can remain for several months.
In this case, only surgery will help, and you can’t delay the operation: A hernia strangulation can occur at any time. This means that part of the intestine can bend and become stuck in the umbilical ring, resulting in intestinal obstruction and, in the worst case, death of the intestinal wall.
