Umbilical Cord Facts and Carrying Options

When a mother is pregnant the fetus in the womb is supplied with all the nutrients by the umbilical cord that connects the mother with the fetus. This is a very important organ that helps the unborn baby to get the food and oxygen that is supposed this baby grow in the womb. The umbilical cord is very useful in the nine months that the baby is in the womb and a soon the baby is born the function of this cord comes to an end as the baby can be able to eat and to breath through mouth and nose respectively without any assistance.

This is why it is clamped and cut a soon the baby is born and the main duty that a mother is left with is to care for the cut umbilical cord on the baby. This clamp may or may not be removed in the hospital and the mother is required to take care when changing dippers to the baby to avoid damaging the cord. The umbilical will then heal naturally and eventually fall off from the 10 - 20 days depending on the care that is given to the baby. There is usually a small wound that is left that takes a few days to heal and then the baby can be fine without any problem.

What do you need to know about the special care of the umbilical cord in new born babies?

• It is important for the umbilical cord to be treated with antibiotics to ensure that it does not get affected by the germs around it. This is usually done after one hour or so from the time when the baby is born.
• There are some hospitals that remove the clamp after a day and you can therefore be given some advice on how to care for the umbilical cord that is left.
• If the umbilical cord was not removed in the hospital this means that you will have to be extra careful to avoid inflicting wounds on the cord that can cause other complications on the baby health. You will need to apply surgical spirit on the cord every morning and at night until when the clap fall of on its own.
• You should remember that you don’t bath the baby when the clamp is still there as this can moisten the umbilical cord that can cause damage to the healing cord. This can cause the baby to be uncomfortable leading to stress that can affect the health and growth of the baby.

By ensuring that you follow all the instructions written above you will be able to care for your baby umbilical cord that will heal in a few days then you can give your baby the first bath. You should also ensure you know some of the complications that may arise so that you can get the proper from doctors.