What to Expect: Your Baby's Umbilical Cord Stump

The umbilical cord connects a mom and her baby while the baby is in the womb. After the cord is cut at birth, the umbilical cord stump will dry and fall off within a few weeks. After the stump falls off, you can care for your baby's belly button just like the rest of the skin.

• Keep your baby's umbilical cord stump dry:

  • Fold the top of the diaper below the stump so it stays uncovered.

  • Give your baby sponge baths. Use a sponge or washcloth to gently clean around the stump. Wait for the stump to fall off before giving baths in a baby tub or sink.

  • Do not put lotion, alcohol, or anything else on the stump.

• If the umbilical cord stump gets dirty, rinse it with plain water and blot it with a clean towel.

• Do not pull or tug at the stump. Let it fall off on its own.

• A wet or smelly discharge is coming from the stump area.

• Your baby develops a bruise around the stump area.

• The skin around the stump looks red or swollen.

• Your baby seems to feel pain or discomfort when you touch the stump area.

• The stump falls off and the area bleeds a lot or for more than a day.

• The umbilical cord area seems to push out when your baby cries.

• The stump hasn't fallen off by the time your baby is 3 weeks old.

• Your baby gets a fever.

What should an umbilical cord stump look like? At first, the stump is soft, moist, and bluish white. As it dries out, it turns yellow, then brown or black. It usually falls off in 1–3 weeks.

What happens after the stump falls off? At first, the belly button may look tender, and you might see a little bit of blood or scabbing where the stump used to be. This will go away within about 2 weeks.