Newborn Bath and Umbilical Cord Care: A Parent's Guide

Bringing a newborn home brings a lot of small questions. Two of the most common are how to give a safe bath and how to look after the little stump left from the umbilical cord. This article explains what MedlinePlus, the health information service of the US National Library of Medicine, says about both.

Keeping the cord stump clean and dry

After birth, a short piece of the umbilical cord stays attached to the belly button. MedlinePlus says the best care is simple: keep the stump clean using only gauze and water, and keep it dry.

• Give sponge baths instead of tub baths until the stump has fallen off.
• Let the stump come off on its own. Do not pull it, even if it looks like it is hanging by a thread.
• Keep the area dry between cleanings.

When the stump falls off

According to MedlinePlus, the stump normally dries up and falls off when a baby is somewhere between about 5 and 15 days old. If it has not fallen off after 4 weeks, contact your baby's health care provider, because a delay that long can sometimes point to an underlying problem.

Sometimes a small pink lump of scar tissue called a granuloma forms and leaks a light yellowish fluid. MedlinePlus says this usually goes away within about a week. If it does not, let your baby's provider know.

Signs of infection at the stump

Infection of the cord stump is uncommon, but MedlinePlus notes it can spread quickly. Watch for:

• Yellow, foul-smelling drainage
• Redness, swelling or tenderness of the skin around the stump

Call your baby's provider straight away if your baby also has poor feeding, a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, unusual sleepiness (lethargy) or floppy muscle tone. Bleeding that does not stop after the stump was pulled off too early also needs an immediate call.

Bathing a newborn

The MedlinePlus patient instructions on bathing give these points for newborns:

• Have a towel ready so you can wrap your baby right after the bath and keep them warm.
• Use warm water, not hot. Test it with your elbow.
• Wash the head last, so the head does not get cold.
• The page suggests bathing a newborn about every 3 days.
• Keep the cord stump dry.

Bath safety rules that matter most

Water is a serious danger for small children, so MedlinePlus is very firm about supervision.

• Never leave a child alone around water, not even for a few seconds. It adds that most home drowning deaths of children happen when a child is alone in the bathroom.
• Stay close enough to reach and hold your baby if they slip.
• Keep the water heater below 120°F (48.9°C) to prevent burns.
• Empty the tub when the bath is finished.
• Use a non-skid mat or decals in the tub, and keep the floor and your baby's feet dry.
• Keep razors, scissors and electric items such as hair dryers out of reach.
• Store medicines in child-proof containers and keep cleaning products out of reach.

As children grow, MedlinePlus also suggests keeping the bathroom door closed when it is not in use and fitting a lid lock on the toilet seat to prevent drowning.

When to see a doctor

Ask your baby's provider about bathing routines or bathroom safety any time you are unsure. Contact the provider promptly if the stump has not fallen off after 4 weeks, if a granuloma does not clear in about a week, or if you see redness, swelling or smelly yellow discharge.

Get urgent help if your newborn has a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, is feeding poorly, is hard to wake, or feels floppy. In an emergency, call your local emergency number (112 in India, 911 in the United States).