Newborn Map
Umbilical cord care
The stump usually dries and falls off in 1–3 weeks. Soap and water if soiled. Spreading redness, pus, or fever is a call. No alcohol ritual unless their clinician said so.
We are not pediatricians. This is not medical advice. Your pediatrician knows this baby.
The stump is a leftover. It dries and usually falls off in about 1–3 weeks. Keep the diaper folded below it. Sponge baths until it is off. Bringing baby home.
What to do
- Air. Dry. Fold the diaper down.
- If it gets soiled: soap and water, pat dry. That is the current default in most US nurseries.
- No alcohol ritual unless their clinician told you to. Routine alcohol on the cord is not the current default.
Call
- Spreading redness
- Pus or a foul smell that worries you
- Fever 100.4°F under 3 months
- The stump is still there much longer than you were told and the office wants a look — ask at the first visit
Tummy time on a chest is fine if the stump is not grinding into a wet diaper. Sleep is still on the back. Tummy time.
What we will not do
- A powder, a dye, or a coin
- A week-by-week “it should fall on day 9” clock