Index
Taking care of a baby can be a real challenge, especially for mothers and first-time fathers, who have some inexperience. There are so many elements and points to think about, that sometimes we forget certain details.
There are certain details about hygiene, like taking care of the baby’s navel , for example, which are very important, especially in the first days of life, but which often end up being beaten by some fathers and mothers. And if you still don’t know what is the best way to do this cleaning, that’s what we’re going to talk about in today’s text.
Why is caring for the Baby’s Navel so important?
The navel is the main source of connection between a mother and the baby when he is still inside her. It is from there that the umbilical cord comes out and performs all the exchange of nutrients for the baby to develop during these 9 months. At delivery , the cord is cut, but a small part of it 2 to 3 cm, called the umbilical stump , still remains in the baby’s navel.
Between the baby’s first 20 days of life, the stump falls black and falls, giving rise to a small wound, which takes about a week to heal, although this process may take a little more than 30 days to happen, with a small delay in falling and healing.
We can conclude then that the importance of taking care of the baby’s navel appears because this is usually the first wound of his life, at a stage where he is still extremely fragile. Taking the necessary steps to ensure that this wound heals in the best way ensures that your baby is free from problems in this regard.
Step by Step to Care for Baby’s Navel
We can separate the process of caring for the baby’s navel in a few steps:
- With the Stump
- After the Fall of the Stump
- Inflammation Cases
Each of these steps requires a specific type of cleaning, so we will talk about each one separately.
With the Stump
The cleaning of the baby’s navel should start in the first days of life, using flexible rods and 70% alcohol. The cleanings should take place about three times a day and it is recommended that you let the baby’s belly button dry on its own. It is also important to stress that the use of alcohol does not hurt the baby in any way, although he may cry because he feels the liquid’s ice cream.
After the Fall of the Stump
After the stump has fallen and the wound remains in the baby’s navel, the routine for cleaning your navel should remain the same, but your attention must be doubled so that the open wound does not become infected. Healing usually occurs between seven and ten days, but there is no need to worry if it takes a little longer to happen.
Inflammation Cases
In some cases, the baby’s belly button will become inflamed. You can verify this through secretions in the wound, redness and swelling. When this happens, you should take your baby to a pediatrician.
When to see a doctor?
In addition to when the baby’s navel is inflamed, there are other situations in which it is necessary to see a doctor, for example, when healing takes a long time beyond normal to happen. In such cases, the doctor will check that the baby does not have any type of problem and may recommend some ointment to speed up the process.
It is important that you never use any type of ointment or medication before having a conversation with a doctor, precisely because he will often explain to you that the wound is healing, but in a slow way and that no action needs to be taken. Do not despair, it is very common for some babies to take a little longer than others in different aspects of life.
Umbilical hernia
Umbilical hernia occurs when the stump falls and the baby’s navel still has a small protrusion. In some cases, another condition called protruding navel is identified , but the most common is that it is an umbilical hernia.
This condition can cause some discomfort to the baby, causing him to feel pain, difficulties to evacuate and the problems that appear due to these difficulties. However, the most common is that this hernia will disappear spontaneously in about 6 months , although it may take more or less time depending on the baby.
If she does not go out alone, sometimes surgery for her removal may be necessary, but this is the result of a good conversation with your pediatrician.
When a mother asks how to take care of the baby’s navel, it does not mean that she does not know how to take care of her child or that she does not care about his hygiene, quite the opposite. It is common that we do not know all the details about motherhood, but the important thing is to research, to go after it, to know that there are sources, to seek a doctor when necessary and to understand little by little about each of these aspects.
As we mentioned at the beginning of the text, having a baby opens up a universe totally unknown to us and forces us to learn more and more about things that we didn’t even know existed. This is undoubtedly one of the positive points of having a child: learning from him all the time.
See also: First Consultation at the Pediatrician – How to Choose the Doctor?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
