Umbilical Cord Question

moped wrote: laila's thing fell off her button yesterday - seems to be a wee bit bloody - how can or how should I clean it out a bit? Can I submerse it in a bath or not?
Anyone know??

lovemy2 replied: What do you mean her "thing" fell off her button do you mean the whole thing fell off? Cause if it did you can put her in the tub now - or use some gentle baby soap to wash it up a little.....

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: I wouldn't do a bath quite yet, although they say once the stump falls off, you can. But since it's bleeding, I would keep swabbing it with a little rubbing alcohol to clean it. I remember Wesley's got a little oozy, so the doc put Neosporin on it to kill any bacteria.

boyohboyohboy replied: i wouldnt bath her just yet either, they say it really need to dry out, and thats half the reason for the alcohol, sometimes babies need to have that nitrate put on it if it doesnt heal all the way itself.. i would give it a few days and then let the dr know

luvmykids replied: I'd just keep dabbing it with alcohol, like Stacey said, and in another day or two if it's still bloody and/or moist, give the dr a call.

~Roo'sMama~ replied: I don't know... I think you can give her a bath. Andrew's took FOREVER to dry up, and his dr. said it was fine to give him a bath, just to keep swabbing it with alcohol. My sister's hospital told her she could give her daughter tub baths right away from the beginning not wait until the stump fell off, so she did and it was fine.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied:
Wesley, or was it Wil, had this done, the nitrate. When the stump fell off, there was still a piece still there, so they burn it off with the nitrate (in the peds office). Gross, but it happens. Does it look like a piece is still there Jen?

stella6979 replied: We used q-tips dipped in rubbing alcohol to clean Avery's out after it fell off. It worked really well.

Calimama replied:
Ditto!

moped replied:
No it looks good to me, just needs a good cleaning or something

Boo&BugsMom replied: I am such an oddball. I bathed both boys from day 1 of us being home and I let the cord get wet and never thought anything of it. They were both A.O.K. I second the alcohol and q-tips. That is what the hospital told us to do so it didn't get infected.

moped replied: I used to alcohol tonight - it looks pretty good actually.........

thanks everyone