Umbilical cord still attached
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Topic: Umbilical cord still attached
Posted By: Freesia
Subject: Umbilical cord still attached
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 10:43am
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Olivia is coming up to 4 weeks old and her umbilical cord is still attached and doesn't look anywhere near coming off. My midwife doesn't seem to be concerned and said I don't need to do anything and that it'll come off in its own time but I've heard that most cords come off between 7-10 days.
When did your babies cords come off? and were you told to put anything on it to help it along? -------------  
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Replies:
Posted By: 3boys
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 10:55am
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Mine have all come off by two weeks but I wouldn't stress. What can help is if you can give her cord some sunshine to help dry it out. I used yo park them in a sunny spot for a few minutes at nappy time. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: bookwyrm
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 11:17am
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PJ's came off at 7 days, and I was glad. It was funky, I had trouble keeping it dry and it smelt terrible.
It didn't heal for another 2 weeks on top of that, it weeped a lil blood from time to time. I went to the doctors to check out bubs mastitis and he was prescribed and antibiotic that cleared up both his mastitis and his unhealed belly button. If your unsure about it, it doesn't hurt to get it checked out by your doctor. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Neeks
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 11:22am
Keziah's came off at around day six, it was sitting on the edge of her nappy one day at change time.. and it healed perfectly! She's now got a cute little belly button, that was an outtie but is slowly getting smaller and turning in the other way LOL  -------------  
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Posted By: first
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 12:34pm
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I haven't had kids but have worked with plenty of babies in an orphanage and we used meths spirits to keep it clean and it dried it out too.
We just dabbed it on after we changed a nappy or gave them a bath. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/"> 
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Posted By: DJ
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 12:38pm
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I asked my midwife about using meth spirits and her answer was "would you like meth spirits on your wound?" - Ouch!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Freesia
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 1:45pm
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Mum said they used meths on ours too, bought from a pharmacy so I don't know if that's different? -------------
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Posted By: first
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 2:33pm
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All I can say to that is whenever I had a cut on my finger and applied the meths it didn't hurt a bit. The bubs never cried at it being applied either.
I think the only time it might actually hurt is if there was an infection and then the little bit of pain would be outweighed by the benifit. But as I say I'm not a mum yet so maybe i'll feel differently once my little one is here. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/">
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Posted By: BellaBoo
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 2:42pm
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Bellas came off at 3days and healed perfectly. I would just wait and not touch it as the body will heal it in its own time. Some nappy off time might help to dry it out. ------------- http://lilypie.com">   http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Nic01
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 2:48pm
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They did use to use meths - I suppose it's no different to cleaning your ears with meths when you get your ears pierced. However, I believe that current advice is not to use it (well that's what I was told anyway). I was told just to keep the area clean by using a cotton bud dipped in a little bit of salted water. Matt's cord came off after a few days, but like BellaBabysMum it didn't heal properly & he had to go & get it 'burnt' with silver nitrate later on. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Danash
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 5:25pm
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Daniels came off in about 6 days, he had a bit of jaundice and was having 10 mins sunning time in the mornings the MW said this will help his umbilical cord - so maybe it did help. He had a little bit of black left in his belly button but that washed out in the bath a couple of days later and he was fully healed. |
Posted By: yummymummy
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 5:53pm
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Gina's came off after about 2 weeks or so. I wouldn't worry too much if it looks nice & healthy and there is no discharge. Maybe some nappy-off time will help dry it out? ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Kels
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 6:18pm
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It has been shown that meths and other stuff like dettol are bad for healing worse as it is too harsh on the healing tissue. It also does sting as it would if you were putting it on a wound. Now a days all that is used to clean wounds is saline (salty water) this is best practice when promoting healing in any wound. Even if an infection is present that is all that is used to clean it out. SOunds like you a have a stubborn cord there Freesia, maybe it is healing from the botton up (granulation healing) which is fine. Just keep an eye out for infection including swelling, discharge or smell. If you notice any of the above then take he in to see the GP. Otherwise just continue to bath her as normal with no special care to the umbilicus. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
Busy mum to Miss 15yrs, Miss 10yrs and Master 4yrs |
Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 7:11pm
| Jackson's came off at 6 days, he was jaundiced so was in the sun at various times in the day for a total of about 45 minutes a day and it shrivelled up nicely. We were also told to make sure the nappy is folded down under the belly button as the nappy can trap moisture and you need the air to get to it to dry it out. I'd do some nappy-off time too if you're worried, sun really does speed things along. |
Posted By: MissCandice
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 7:24pm
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Kylahs came off after 4 days and healed perfect. The midwife was twisting it everyday?? ------------- ~ Mummy to a beautiful girl ~ |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 8:05pm
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I can't remember when Maya's came off, but Mercedes one came off really early, like day 4? Sienna's was a few days later. We didn't have any healing issues tho. -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Freesia
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 10:04pm
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It sounds as though hers is pretty abnormal then. We do fold her nappy down under the cord and we don't put her in clothes that will rub directly on it (like pants). It doesn't smell or weep so we're assuming that it's okay. We see my MW on monday so I'll prod her a bit more about when we should start to worry.
Can I also ask what they look like before they come off. Hers is still quite large and has black areas where the veins are. Do they drop off like that or do they shrivel right up? -------------
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 08 February 2008 at 11:46pm
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Both my boys were early (within a week). They both had Jaundise so had to be sunbathed naked often. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 09 February 2008 at 11:59am
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Jack's shrivelled up, went veiny at the start, then completely black within about 3 days. Good that it doesn't smell or anything though! Is it completely attached, or semi-attached?
I reckon try the sunbathing thing as it worked for us and seemed to work for others whose babies cords fell off quickly. |
Posted By: Freesia
Date Posted: 09 February 2008 at 12:35pm
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It is still completely attached. I'm not keen on the sunbathing while she is so young. Do you mean actually outside in the sun or just having a bit of nappy free time? We do leave her without anything over her cord but only indoors. -------------
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Posted By: Danash
Date Posted: 09 February 2008 at 1:01pm
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We were told to put Daniel in the sun for 10 minutes in the morning before it is too strong. But in the house where he was protected from the wind. Both of us decided 5 minutes was long enough. The midwife laughed at our concerns and said 10minutes in the early morning sun for a few days will be fine. So we did this at about 9.00-9.30am in the morning. He loved it - totally nude in the warmth of the sun! But we stopped once his jaundice was better so only did this for 4 days. His cord was still fresh at this stage and it definately helped with drying it up. |
Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 09 February 2008 at 5:08pm
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Isabelles came off today ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year  http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 09 February 2008 at 7:48pm
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Maya had to be a sun-bather too coz she had bad jaundice, the gremlins needed some sun but it rained the first 2 weeks of their life so no chance of that. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 14 February 2008 at 4:00pm
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he only had jaundice for a few days so i didnt do the sun thing.....as the others said its sunlight inside the house...Ethan's cord is still there and he's 2 weeks tomorrow... ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: Freesia
Date Posted: 14 February 2008 at 4:29pm
My MW came on monday and was surprised to see her cord STILL there so she wiggled it a bit and it started coming off. It was only hanging on my a little weeney piece so she turned it and the whole thing came off. It wasn't shrivelled at all and it looks like a big scab 
It must've just been the folds of her skin around it that were still holding it in place. We were too scared to do tummy time with it on because it would start oozing and we thought it was bad (and sore for her). In hindsight, that probably would've helped it to have come off faster. And burping over the shoulder which I also avoided. Anyway, she now has the beginnings of a proper belly button ... YAY. Kawwww, I hope Ethans doesn't hang around for too long. They're a real nuisance. -------------
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Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 14 February 2008 at 4:32pm
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it doesnt bother him at all..and we do tummy time(though holding onto him and burping as well....doesn't seem to worry him?:) but yeah it would be prettier when it's gone:) ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 15 February 2008 at 8:01am
Silver nitrate didnt work for Isla's. She still has a bit that pokes out of the middle of hers! |
BellaBabysMum wrote:Posted By: newmum
Date Posted: 15 February 2008 at 8:08am
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eeew those umbilical cord's grossed me out after having my babies. Luckily both Joey and Lily's cords fell off within the first week and perfectly dried out. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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