The umbilical cord is cut immediately after birth. For some time in this area there is a wound that requires the care that a newborn needs. The processing of the umbilical cord is carried out at home and requires the use of pharmacy products and knowledge of the correct algorithm of action.
About the umbilical cord
While the baby is in the womb, the umbilical cord plays an important role. She is the link between the baby and mom. The umbilical cord is engaged in childbirth immediately. The fact is that the three vessels passing inside it are open gates for ambient air and infection.
After the baby is born, he independently adapts to life outside the mother’s womb, so the need for an umbilical cord is no longer for him.
Immediately after the appearance of the crumbs, the umbilical cord is cut off. After this manipulation, a small residue remains, which is clamped in a maternity hospital with a special clothespin.
About 10 days, this residue gradually hardens and dries. After this process will completely fall off. To speed up this process, you need to know how to properly care for the umbilical wound, what means can be used.
Primary and secondary processing of the umbilical cord of the newborn
This process is carried out in a maternity hospital. Before taking birth, the midwife processes her hands according to accepted hygiene standards.
- After the umbilical cord stops pulsating, two Kocher clamps are applied to it. One is located at a distance of 10 cm from the umbilical ring, and the second on a segment of 2 cm outside of it. The area that is between the two clamps is treated with iodine, and then it is crossed.
- Secondary processing of the umbilical cord of the newborn is to transfer the child on a special tray to the changing table. After that, the midwife handles her hands again, and then with the thumb and forefinger tightly clamps the umbilical cord. Then, in special forceps, a sterile bracket made of Rogovin metal is laid. The umbilical cord between the brackets is positioned so that its lower edge is at a distance of 0.5 to 0.7 cm from the edge of the navel. Then the forceps close until they click.
Maternity care
Primary processing of the newborn's umbilical cord requires proper hygiene. The navel can be processed in a maternity hospital using different methods:
- Open way. A clamp made of metal or plastic is put on the umbilical remainder. Before discharge of the newborn, the residue is treated daily with hydrogen peroxide. After 5 days, the process disappears, and a small wound remains in its place.
- The second way. On the second day after the appearance of the crumbs in the light, the remainder is cut off with a surgical instrument, and then a pressure-bearing sterile dressing is applied. After two hours, it is weakened, and after a day completely removed. The remaining wound is treated daily with potassium permanganate and hydrogen peroxide.
Bathing baby
Carrying out hygiene procedures is a fairly simple process. Despite this, parents often have questions related to bathing the baby in the first days after discharge from the maternity hospital.
When there is a clothespin on the umbilical cord, you can bathe the baby. Baby should take water procedures in his own bath. Until the wound heals, bathing water must be boiled. It is very important to use a thermometer for water. In the first month of a baby’s life, bathing should not last long.
Remember that you can not lay crumbs on the stomach before the belly button heals, otherwise you risk injuring it.
Do not add potassium permanganate to bathing water. The product is very dry soft baby skin. The same applies to pharmacy herbs. Do not get carried away with cosmetics for bathing, it is enough to use them once a week.
Fundamental rules
The primary and secondary processing of the umbilical cord of a newborn is sometimes carried out according to the old scheme. This is due to the fact that the opinions of pediatricians today regarding the conduct of this procedure are very contradictory. According to the old scheme, the umbilical wound must be dried, which means that you can’t treat it and wet it with anything for a week. This is a rather dubious method, but it is often used by young mothers on the advice of grandmothers. We will consider the second technique later.
The choice of processing method is chosen by the parents themselves. In the process of care, it is very important to exercise maximum accuracy in order not to accidentally introduce the infection into the wound.
Many mistakenly believe that the navel will heal for a long time if bathed in crumbs. For the quick healing of the wound, the baby can and should be bathed. After water procedures, it is necessary to proceed to the scheme, which is given below, and to process the navel of the newborn.
Action algorithm
Consider the basic procedure that must be followed in the process of caring for the umbilical wound. Thanks to proper care procedures, you can avoid common mistakes.
- Lay the crumbs on a horizontal surface. Place a soft diaper under it. Remember that the baby should feel as comfortable as possible.
- Apply a few drops of hydrogen peroxide solution to the wound.
- Wait a while until the crusts are soaked.
- After this, the navel must be gently pulled apart with a sterile cotton swab in order to remove all the crusts.
- Then apply the medicine that you preferred to care for the umbilical wound.
Important! You can not pick up the wound, as well as tear off the remains of the umbilical cord. Such carelessness can trigger an infection in an unhealed navel. It will be difficult to solve such a problem in the future, so be responsible for the procedure.
Care for the umbilical wound is enough to conduct once a day. It is better to do this after water procedures, since after bathing in warm water, the crusts soften naturally.
Popular umbilical cord treatments
Specialists allocate traditional products and novelties. It is very important to use them correctly, since improper use can lead to ulcers and burns.
Traditional remedies:
- 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Buried in the umbilical fossa.
- An alcoholic solution of hydrogen peroxide is necessary for the treatment of the umbilical ring. For this purpose, you can use a cotton swab.
- 2 or 5% solution of potassium permanganate. Such a tool perfectly disinfects and dries the wound. But remember, before treating the umbilical wound with a solution of potassium permanganate, it is necessary to pass it through several layers of gauze bandage, it will delay all crystals that have not dissolved.
Of the new products, a 1% solution of chlorophyllipt is popular. This is a natural preparation that is made from the extract of eucalyptus. The tool has proven itself in the fight against streptococcal infection.
More recently, it was decided to treat the umbilical wound with brilliant green. Today, more and more pediatricians recommend not using this method, since this solution contributes to the formation of a film on the skin, which prevents rapid healing.
Long healing
Often, young mothers are faced with a situation where the wound heals for a long time in a newborn. The umbilical cord is processed correctly, but no positive changes occur. Unfortunately, this is not always the case! The fact is that with proper care, the umbilical wound heals within a week. If this does not happen, then you should consult a doctor for advice. Perhaps you are doing something wrong.
Sometimes young mothers are faced with a situation when the umbilical cord is bleeding. Treatment at home in this case involves the care of the wound more than once a day. But remember that in order to avoid possible infection in an open wound, it is better to consult a pediatrician.
If the navel does not heal after three weeks, then you should definitely consult a doctor. Unfortunately, this may be due to infection, and the wound could fester.
Possible problems
Primary processing of the umbilical cord of the newborn and the algorithm of actions should be performed correctly. Sometimes you can notice the bloody discharge, they are the norm, if they pass soon.
Minor bleeding can be triggered by the following reasons:
- The navel of the crumbs could be touched by clothes or a diaper when changing clothes.
- Mom overdone while treating the wound and accidentally injured the tissue.
- The baby cried loudly for a long time, as a result, the crust on the navel cracked.
Symptoms that indicate a possible inflammation:
- Frequent and prolonged symptoms of navel bleeding.
- Discharges with an admixture or smell of pus.
- Redness of the area around the navel and an increase in temperature in this area.
- Bad smell that comes from the wound.
- The navel does not heal for more than three weeks.
All of the above symptoms require immediate medical attention, as they indicate that an infection has got into the wound.
Remember that the immunity of the newborn is not yet formed, and the body cannot cope with infections on its own, as it is weak enough. If timely measures are not taken for the disease, serious consequences can be provoked.