Umbilical Cord Care

• When the umbilical cord becomes wet with urine, gently clean the base of the umbilical cord with mild soap and warm water. Rinse the area and pat it dry.
• Keep the belly button area dry. You may need to fold the top of the diaper down.
• Change your baby’s diaper frequently, with every feeding. A wet diaper on the cord keeps the cord from drying and increases the risk of infection.
• Do not bathe your baby in a tub or sink until the cord falls off. You may give your baby a sponge bath until then.
• When the cord falls off, you might notice a small pink area in the bottom of the belly button. This is expected, and normal skin will grow over it.
• Do not pull the cord off yourself, even if it is hanging on just by a thread.

Call Your Child's Doctor If:

Call your baby’s doctor for the following signs of an infection in the belly button:

• Redness
• Warmer than the skin around it
• Tender to the touch
• Drainage or bad odor